The Medusa Fora

I personally notice a huge difference in Shane's voice with the progression of the albums, which I assume is from the drinking and heavy smoking (of course the screaming doesn't help either. see: Henry Rollins). Do you think his voice at this point is salvageable, maybe back to the If I Should Fall From Grace With God days? I know we'll never heard a Red Roses For Me Shane again, which is a shame because I think he's a brilliant singer, but do you think if Shane were to cut down on the drinking and smoking that we'd hear an old Shane again?

He sounded all right even on the Snake, except a few tracks, suprisingly clear on Nancy Whiskey, I just find it said to see Shane stumbling over his brilliant songs on stage as I wasn't old enough to see the Pogues their first time around.

This is all hypothetical, but what do you guys think.

And, if any of the band reads this; Hey, guys! I saw you in Boston at the Orpheum on the 15th. Amazing show! I think it's great you post here.

Shaneo's voice is unique... oi think it gets better in toime(oi loike hes voice in Snake and Crock even more)!
Hes voice is philosophy...+ booze & fags & else shaped this koind a voice can express all em' amazing emotions... good and bad ones!
Shaneo, Shaneo, Shaneo !

IrishRover wrote:Shaneo's voice is unique... oi think it gets better in toime(oi loike hes voice in Snake and Crock even more)!
Hes voice is philosophy...+ booze & fags & else shaped this koind a voice can express all em' amazing emotions... good and bad ones!
Shaneo, Shaneo, Shaneo !

I agree with you that it's unique...it always has been. But that doesn't change the fact that many old songs he can't hit or hold the high notes anymore or even have the vigour on stage to perform them the way they were recorded. The fact that the Pogues are there to tear up the track with their amazing musicianships is wonderful, but to me personally it's too bad that his voice has slipped so much. Sometimes I listen to Auld Triangle and Kitty and wonder what it would have been like to see him live with those kind of pipes.

What a load of bollocks. Johnny Cash never sounded better than in his final days. A voice is evidence of life lived.

Anonymous wrote: Sometimes I listen to Auld Triangle and Kitty and wonder what it would have been like to see him live with those kind of pipes.

It was rather good. Still is.

Yeah, a voice evolves as well. Shane sounds great to me now

philipchevron wrote:What a load of bollocks. Johnny Cash never sounded better than in his final days. A voice is evidence of life lived.

You are right Philip. His voice changed, but it's still great. We can feel through his actual voice what he's been through in his life and that he's not a little kid anymore, like he was on Red Roses for Me. I wonder, however, if he would be able to sing Waxie's Dargle. It's a great song, do you still play it live? Or is it one of the songs you put in the closet many years ago?

Shane has, does, and will, always rock. Quod Errat Demonstranythingy. What Phil said regarding the human voice is bang on.

Sober wrote:

philipchevron wrote:What a load of bollocks. Johnny Cash never sounded better than in his final days. A voice is evidence of life lived.

You are right Philip. His voice changed, but it's still great. We can feel through his actual voice what he's been through in his life and that he's not a little kid anymore, like he was on Red Roses for Me. I wonder, however, if he would be able to sing Waxie's Dargle. It's a great song, do you still play it live? Or is it one of the songs you put in the closet many years ago?

We gave Waxies Dargle back to Terry Woods, who wrote it in the 18th Century.

Not fair, that is the song that got me into the Pogues. I like punk-rock and I like the punk-feel of Waxie's Dargle.

Sober wrote:Not fair, that is the song that got me into the Pogues. I like punk-rock and I like the punk-feel of Waxie's Dargle.

Yes, Terry did too when he wrote it.

philipchevron wrote:

Sober wrote:Not fair, that is the song that got me into the Pogues. I like punk-rock and I like the punk-feel of Waxie's Dargle.

Yes, Terry did too when he wrote it.

You guys need to check out the Sweeney's Men version of Waxies, it's on their best of "Legend of Sweeney's Men".
I tend to like their version better then the Pogues' one

Alex wrote:I tend to like their version better then the Pogues' one

How fucking dare you come on here and say that!? God i feel sick now
Being in the Pogues cult,you must live for them.They do nothing wrong,they are our Jesus Christ.

Celtic.Dave wrote:

Alex wrote:I tend to like their version better then the Pogues' one

How fucking dare you come on here and say that!? God i feel sick now
Being in the Pogues cult,you must live for them.They do nothing wrong,they are our Jesus Christ.

That's a very, very debatable comment there. Surely some of the appeal is that they're as human as us, and admit to making mistakes.

I prefer the Dubliner's Nancy Whiskey to Shane's solo one, but the Pogues's is the definitive Waxie's Dargle, despite the cool version from a Netherlands group called Finnegan's Lads, who were the first to leave a comment on my myspace. I wonder if they're connected to this board at all? :p

Oh no,not another one!