The Medusa Fora

Shaneo's darkest work?
Theres already been few discussions on the fora about Shaneo's "strange" lyrics(for some strange, for others not ). .. remember Back in the County Hell and issues about Jews(just an example) as well as other stuff mentioned.

Oi ran into this review on shaneo's soite
...
Tarrantino, attitude to violence. In `Truck Drivin' Man' he adopts the persona of a redneck, racist trucker - Shane is willing to tackle subject matter that other writers or groups wouldn't touch with a barge-pole; his language is always unflinchingly honest, often brutal, and will upset many. This is an album that won't get much airplay on radio one. The republican references will undoubtedly get misinterpreted by the media, but I'm sure Shane is looking forward to the hou-haw - his lyrics, remember, often reflect the mindset of a particular character [rather than himself], or are often bitterly ironic. Nevertheless, this is perhaps Shane's darkest work, to date.
http://www.shanemacgowan.com/articles/crock2.shtml

when i saw this topic i immediately thought of truck drining man

Niall wrote:when i saw this topic i immediately thought of truck drining man

I didn't. I think that "Truck Driving Man" is rather humoresque and the violence is so drastic that is sounds like "cartoon violence". But that's only my own humble opinion. I can imagine that for example someone not used to MacGowan's lyrics might find "TDM" rather irritating, but on the other hand, when compared to some rap lyrics it's still pretty harmless.

Actually I think that "Old Main Drag" is one of his "darkest" works.

Eckhard wrote:

Niall wrote:when i saw this topic i immediately thought of truck drining man

I didn't. I think that "Truck Driving Man" is rather humoresque and the violence is so drastic that is sounds like "cartoon violence". But that's only my own humble opinion. I can imagine that for example someone not used to MacGowan's lyrics might find "TDM" rather irritating, but on the other hand, when compared to some rap lyrics it's still pretty harmless.

Actually I think that "Old Main Drag" is one of his "darkest" works.

i would put my vote there as well

Benno wrote:

Eckhard wrote:Actually I think that "Old Main Drag" is one of his "darkest" works.

i would put my vote there as well

Yep, I think I'd agree. Though I've always been rather partial to "the drugged-up psychos with death in their eyes... and all of this really means nothing to me".

Ah, the memories...

Or Hell's Ditch:

Life's a bitch, then you die
Black Hell
Hell's ditch - naked howling freedom

(Shane plus Jem, to give credit where due.)

This one is more generally bleak, overall hopeless. Waltzing Matilda and The Old Main Drag always make me sad too, but this comes as a double whammy with Lorca's Novena so that sense of desperation is reinforced.

Dark and brilliant stuff indeed, Christine.

But I tend to think first of The Old Main Drag, or Dark Streets..., because the lyrics seem to come from closer to home, thinking in terms of Shane's life experiences, if you know what I mean.

genet's spinnin ramons dick
the guy in the bunk above gets sick
the lunatic in the cell next door
starts howlin for his mother

that's one of my favourite shane lyrics

however, some of a pair of brown eyes is dark as well

some prayed, some cursed
some prayed then cursed
and prayed then bled some more

"Death will follow anywhere
Until it's found its plan"
Then he laughed and waved goodbye and said
"Stay lucky while you can!"

I actually find myself agreeing, in part, with young Benno above. I think 'A Pair Of Brown Eyes' is a very dark and sad work of art...

yea, i immediately thought lorca's novena and hell's ditch
i think old main drag is definitely more sad than dark, although it is dark too...it was definitely the perfect song to run over the credits of my own private idaho...the song started playing and i had a 'wait...i know that song' moment...but definitely perfect and in the same mood as the film

"The Dunes" is pretty dark too, and thought-provoking as well, though of course Shane himself never recorded it so does that count? I would love to hear him sing it, though Ronnie Drew does a fine job too as it stands.

I meant to add that I agree about Old Main Drag being the title holder - "I've been spat on and shat on and raped and abused" is about as bleak as it gets IMHO.

no question about old man drag is one of the deeper darker songs. But those anyone know if the old man drag is a real place or if the song is "based" on a real place.

I'd always thought that 'The Old Main Drag' referred to Picadilly Circus, but not being a Londoner I could, of course, be woefully mistaken. Given its title, the song could also be referring to any 'Old Main Drag', such as Oxford Street or Darlinghurst Road in Sydney, Australia, for example...