Themes in Pogues' songs

[JohnG]

Don't know if this has been covered on here before, but there are obviously recurring topics in Shane's lyrics. Drink, death and hell (& heaven) clearly feature a lot.

But interesing how frequently the weather elements, especially rain and wind/breeze, frequently appear too.

Here's ten examples to start with:

Pair of brown eyes: “where the wind was gently laughing”
FoNY: “the wind goes right through you”
Sally Maclennane: “we walked him to the station in the rain”
Lullaby of London: “the north wind gently sighed” and “evening breeze coming from the east”
Boys from the County Hell: “on the first day of March it was raining”
Sit Down by the fire: “it isn’t the wind in the well”
The Broad Majestic Shannon: “as pure as the breeze”
Rainy Night in Soho: “took shelter from a shower” and “the wind was whistling all its charms”
London You’re a Lady: “washed away the rain”
Night Train to Lorca: “flaming steel swift as wind”

....and there's no doubt more.

[mats]

Misty Morning, Albert Bridge - On a cold and misty morning by the Albert Bridge, The sun fell cold upon my face

[Fr. McGreer]

Nothing like a thread about The Pogues on a Pogues forum to bring out the Pogues fans. Good man John

I'm guessing the most common theme would be religion and specifically Catholicism.

Sickbed - 'They took you up to midnight mass and left you in the lurch, so you dropped a button in the plate and spewed up in the church's

Rain Street is full of religion.... - 'There's a Tesco on the sacred ground where I pulled her knickers down whilst Judas took his measly price and St. Anthony gazed in awe at Christ, down Rain Street'

And of course Fathers Loyola, John and McGreer sipping a few drinks.

[JohnG]

Nothing like a thread about The Pogues on a Pogues forum to bring out the Pogues fans. Good man John

I'm guessing the most common theme would be religion and specifically Catholicism.

Sickbed - 'They took you up to midnight mass and left you in the lurch, so you dropped a button in the plate and spewed up in the church's

Rain Street is full of religion.... - 'There's a Tesco on the sacred ground where I pulled her knickers down whilst Judas took his measly price and St. Anthony gazed in awe at Christ, down Rain Street'

And of course Fathers Loyola, John and McGreer sipping a few drinks.

You've got me started now :

If I should Fall from Grace with God

Turkish: "Nor the nails of the cross" etc

Thousands are sailing: "From fear of priests with empty plates" etc

Broad Majestic Shannon: "the rosary called"

Bottle of Smoke: "Priests and maidens
Drunk as pagans
They had the Bottle of Smoke
Sins forgiven and celebrations"
(what a fantastic four lines - never really appreciated them as the song is sung so fast!)

and "Trip to Lourdes"

[firehazard]

Nothing like a thread about The Pogues on a Pogues forum to bring out the Pogues fans. Good man John

I'm guessing the most common theme would be religion and specifically Catholicism...

Good thread.

Another among the many is "Lorca's Novena", of course:

"Mother of all our joys, mother of all our sorrows
Intercede with him tonight
For all of our tomorrows..."

[Fr. McGreer]

Religion is certainly the most mentioned but how about travel and modes of transport? A special prize for the most obscure mention of travel and the look of shame from the rest of us if you mention the most obvious. I'll go first....

A big khaki van - Billy's Bones.

[firehazard]

Religion is certainly the most mentioned but how about travel and modes of transport? A special prize for the most obscure mention of travel and the look of shame from the rest of us if you mention the most obvious. I'll go first....

A big khaki van - Billy's Bones.

How about a camel – "Girl From the Wadi Hammamat"?

[Fr. McGreer]

Good man FH, no mentioning the most obvious (QI Style).

Is a breeze a mode of transport?

Sayonara - she put me on a breeze to Kathmandu

[firehazard]

Good man FH, no mentioning the most obvious (QI Style).

Is a breeze a mode of transport?

Sayonara - she put me on a breeze to Kathmandu

Well I couldn't decide whether the most obvious was a boat or a train anyway. So better not to mention either. Oops

Never been sure whether it meant he actually went to Kathmandu or whether it was the effects of the Mekong Whiskey and the Hong Kong flu that made him imagine that he did. Though that's possibly too tortuous even for QI...

[soulfinger]

"As the garbo trucks take away the muck of last night's puke and chunder"

In and Out.

[Fr. McGreer]

"Down the alley an ice wagon flew, picked up a stiff that was turning blue"

Rain Street

[Fr. McGreer]

Well I couldn't decide whether the most obvious was a boat or a train anyway. So better not to mention either. Oops

[Jmurphy]

"Down the alley an ice wagon flew, picked up a stiff that was turning blue"

Rain Street

That's a Bo Diddlley line btw

[Fr. McGreer]

"Down the alley an ice wagon flew, picked up a stiff that was turning blue"

Rain Street

That's a Bo Diddlley line btw

Hey James how's it going

Yep, 50% of that line is Diddley's

[JohnG]

Don't know if this has been covered on here before, but there are obviously recurring topics in Shane's lyrics. Drink, death and hell (& heaven) clearly feature a lot.

But interesing how frequently the weather elements, especially rain and wind/breeze, frequently appear too.

Here's ten examples to start with:

Pair of brown eyes: “where the wind was gently laughing”
FoNY: “the wind goes right through you”
Sally Maclennane: “we walked him to the station in the rain”
Lullaby of London: “the north wind gently sighed” and “evening breeze coming from the east”
Boys from the County Hell: “on the first day of March it was raining”
Sit Down by the fire: “it isn’t the wind in the well”
The Broad Majestic Shannon: “as pure as the breeze”
Rainy Night in Soho: “took shelter from a shower” and “the wind was whistling all its charms”
London You’re a Lady: “washed away the rain”
Night Train to Lorca: “flaming steel swift as wind”

....and there's no doubt more.

Digressing slightly but I've always been puzzled by line "September is your purgatory" in:

"September is your purgatory
Christmas is your heaven
And when the stinking streets of summer
Are washed away by rain"

Are the streets still stinking then?

BTW London You're a Lady a much-underrated song IMO and one I don't recall ever seeing live.