The Medusa Fora

I'm going to see The Pogues in October and I'm going to bring a friend who isn't very familiar with them (yet). Is there a compilation you guys would recommend as a good introduction or does this call for a custom playlist? If so, what should be included on said playlist? Brevity is good so he doesn't get overwhelmed, but I want to make sure he's familiar enough with the material that he is able to enjoy the show.

Well when I want to introduce my mateys to The Pogues I normally lend them (or encourage them not to be tight bollocks and buy) The Pogues Ultimate Collection from 2005 .. there is also a live CD in the box and the setlist doesn't tend to differ all that much from that. Enjoy etc etc etc

Check the playlist from Live Shows...Drammen show thread. Include all of them, County Hell and Fairytale, and you should be good to go.

While your new soundtrack is playing in the background - pull up a monitor, or print all 80+ pages and read Mr James Fearnley's account of the 2005/2006 tours - then you can watch the show without a program

http://www.pogues.com/Print/blogmahone.html

Just get hold of a recent set list and make them a CD with the studio versions of each song. No point in them falling in love with Down In The Ground only to not hear it at the gig. After the gig they'll more than likely go out and buy a couple of albums and start getting into the other stuff.

Aha, but in order to get the studio versions they'll have to go out and buy a cupula of the STUDIO albums I think my idea still remains the best idea for a newbie ! (£4.99 on HMV)

Of course, there is always the ala cart iTunes option as well. Even if he gets all of the studio albums, that's quite a bit to absorb in a couple of months, so I guess I'm interseted in what you guys think the absolute essentials are and which less obvious cuts it would help to be familiar with.

Ok to make it easy for you. Your friend should be familiar with these songs. Itunes is a great way to get them all compiled on one setlist for your Ipod or burn to a CD, make a tape depending on your specific technical needs and abilities...... Find the Lyrics link on the site and study because the words may sound slightly different live.....you know acoustics and all.

Streams of Whiskey
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
Broad Majestic Shannon
Turkish Song of the Damned
A Pair of Brown Eyes
Repeal Of The Licensing Laws
Boys from County Hell
Fairytale of New York
Greenland Whale Fisheries
Sayonara
Tuesday Morning
Kitty
Sunny Side of the Street
Body of an American
Lullaby of London
Thousands are Sailing
Dirty Old Town
Bottle of Smoke
Sickbed of Cuchuliann
Sally MacLennane
Rainy Night in Soho
Irish Rover
Poor Paddy
Fiesta

I created a custom Pogues playlist for the very same reason, appropriately titled "Red Roses For You". It contains 18 of my absolute favourite tracks, and I chose very wisely--taking into consideration which songs would be most accessible, personal favourites and which are simply must-hears. I plan on compiling another one in the future, actually--to cover the rest that I wanted to include but couldn't fit. I even made cover art, haha. The 18 tracks are:

1. The Sickbed of Cuchulainn
2. If I Should Fall From Grace With God
3. The Old Main Drag
4. The Irish Rover (feat. The Dubliners)
5. Dirty Old Town
6. Boys From The County Hell
7. Dark Streets Of London
8. Sea Shanty
9. The Body Of An American
10. Transmetropolitan
11. I'm A Man You Don't Meet Everyday
12. The Wake Of The Medusa
13. Thousands Are Sailing
14. Greenland Whale Fisheries
15. Navigator
16. A Rainy Night In Soho
17. Down In The Ground Where The Dead Men Go
18. The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

I saw them live in 2008. If I recall correctly they played all of the following songs, (listed in no particular order):

If I Should Fall From Grace With God
Streams of Whiskey
Boys from the County Hell
Tuesday Morning
Thousands are Sailing
Rainy Night in Soho
Love You Till the End
Sunny Side of The Street
Bright Lights
The Irish Rover
The Broad Majestic Shannon

And probably some others, (my memory's good, not perfect).

This is getting frustrating, just buy the God Damn Ultimate Pogues CD for a fiver !!!!!!!!! Its on there, man.

1) If I Should Fall From Grace With God
2) White City
3) Jacks Heroes
4) Im A Man You Dont Meet Every Day
5) Anniversary
6) Sunnyside Of The Street
7) Tuesday Morning
Thousands Are Sailing
9) Leaving Of Liverpool
10) Lullaby Of London
11) Love You Till The End
12) Fairytalr Of New York

- will get them into the band but leave a shitload of other good songs for them to discover

take_me_to_ireland wrote:1) If I Should Fall From Grace With God
2) White City
3) Jacks Heroes
4) Im A Man You Dont Meet Every Day
5) Anniversary
6) Sunnyside Of The Street
7) Tuesday Morning
Thousands Are Sailing
9) Leaving Of Liverpool
10) Lullaby Of London
11) Love You Till The End
12) Fairytalr Of New York

- will get them into the band but leave a shitload of other good songs for them to discover

I think anyone could live quite happily having not heard "Jack's Heros". Substitute it with "South Australia". God I wish they would play that live this year.

My choice, based on a CD I made for myself before I came to China.

1. Metropolis
2. If I Should Fall From Grace With God
3. London Girl
4. Fairytale of New York
5. A Pair of Brown Eyes
6. Jesse James
7. Hell's Ditch
8. The Sickbed of Cuchulainn
9. Medley
10. A Pistol for Paddy Garcia
11. Rain Street
12. Sally MacClennane
13. The Wake of the Medusa
14. White City
15. The Irish Rover
16. Whiskey in the Jar
17. Young Ned of the Hill
18. Dirty Old Town
19. Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah
20. South Australia
21. Thousands are Sailing
22. Summer in Siam
23. Worms

Can't believe I still have that CD, actually.... Anyhow, there you go, IMHO that gives a fairly rounded intro to the Pogues. But tell them to buy the feckin' CDs for themself.....

Staying on topic here, Walshy's probably right. The "Ultimate .." is the best starter disc for a Pogues newbie to pick up (especially for a fiver or less in an online auction) Kudos Walshy.