Thousands Are Sailing

[Simon Maguire]

I know phillip wrote it but why did Shane sing it on the album IISFFGWG, and to sing it live for a few years?

and why did phillip start singing it live, a couple of years later?

[postmansimon]

I think Philip has said somewhere that he had to "rescue" the song from Shane.

[Zuzana]

Has he? I remember an interview where he said he liked Shane’s rendition of the song. I think both renditions, Philip’s and Shane’s, are brilliant – each in its own specific way. Still, it would be interesting to know why they swapped the singer’s role – maybe Philip Chevron could shed some light on this?

There is one more thing regarding the song I’ve been wondering about. There is a traditional song of the same name (lyrics here, audio excerpt here). Did it serve as a source of inspiration? While the traditional song is about Irishmen leaving their native land, Philip’s Thousands Are Sailing is about their landing on the opposite shore of the Atlantic, so it seems as a kinda follow-up. Was it the intention or is it just a coincidence?

[Guest]

Yeah I recall Shane sang it originally because he was the singer. Later as Shane's voice became ragged and he needed breaks on stage Chevron 'rescued' it. Hopefully Phillip will chip in!



Never heard of the 'old' 1000s below. Same theme. i Guess Chevron's was a 1980s update.

Thousands Are Sailing

(Trad)

Chorus:
So good luck to those people and safe may they land
They are leaving their country for a far distant strand
They are leaving old Ireland, no longer can stay
And thousands are sailing to America


You brave Irish heroes wherever you be
I pray stand a moment and listen to me
Your sons and fair daughters are now going away
And thousands are sailing to America


The night before leaving they are bidding goodbye
And it's early next morning their heart gives a sigh
They do kiss their mothers and then they do say
Fare thee well, dearest father, we must now go away
Their friends and relations, their neighbours also
When the trunks they are packed up all ready to go
The tears form their eyes they fall down like the rain
And the horses are prancing going off for the train


When they do reach the station you will hear their last cry
With handkerchiefs waving and bidding goodbye
Their hearts will be breaking on leaving the shore
Fare thee well, dear old Ireland, we will ne'er see you more
So I pity the mother that rears up the child
And likewise the father who labours and toils
To try to support them he will work night and day
And when they are reared up they will go away


(as sung by Andy Irvine)

[Simon Maguire]

the lyrics Phillip put are great,

The island it is silent now
But the ghosts still haunt the waves
And the torch lights up a famished man
Who fortune could not save

And in brendan behan’s footsteps
I danced up and down the street

They’ll break the chains of poverty
And they’ll dance


The land that makes us refugees

just pickin out some of my favourite lines in the song.

every chorus is slightly different.

as i write this im ironicly enough listening to phillips live version.

and does any1 know where it got 2 in the chart.

and could phillip shed some light on the original question, cheers.

[philipchevron]

I really love Shane's version, but I also love singing the song, as it's never quite the same twice. Can't remember when I started singing the song - I suppose it must have been when Shane "missed" a few gigs - the Bob Dylan tour etc. For a period of time he was unreliable even when he was with us, and it seemed to make sense around then to relieve him of material that someone else could do, so he could apply all his resources to his own songs. Around 1990, I recorded a solo version of the song (produced by Donal Lunny) for BBC Records' "Bringing It All Back Home" and had previously sung it solo in the "Completely Pogued" movie, so it all made sense.

I should also point out that it was never Shane's intention to be the only singer in the Pogues. Like me, he admired groups like The Band, where the different vocal textures of Levon Helm, Richard Manuel and Rick Danko added to the richness of their work. The comparison is not exact as, unlike The Pogues, The Band never had a nominated "lead singer", but it has to be said that at one point Shane was a slightly reluctant focus of attention.

Shane did not like singing the final chorus "Wherever we go we celebrate/the Land that makes us refugees/From fear of priests with empty plates/From guilt/And weeping effigies" as I think it ran counter-intuitive to his own brand of Nationalism. In addition he wrongly believed Brendan Behan would never have "danced up and down the street" (the reference is based on fact) and made several attempts to improve on the verb "danced", none of which met with my approval.

As it happens, I never sing the final chorus myself with The Pogues because I know that audiences like singing the "thousands are sailing" bits. I sing instead the version I rewrote for Shane to sing. However, I ALWAYS include it when I sing it solo or when I'm working with Terry Woods, Ronnie Drew etc.

I was slightly aware of the traditional song "Thousands Are Sailing To Amerikay" but I really was interested only in the title.

[philipchevron]

The song never charted as a single. It was released as a 12" promo in the USA on Island Records and was also part of a Double-A side in Canada along with "Fairytale Of New York" (Island ISL 8809).

[Zuzana]

Thanks a lot, Philip!

[Blaithin]

I have a recording of the song from early in the 2001 Tour where Phil sings

Did you work upon the railroad, did you rid the streets of crime?
Were you in the Emerald Firehouse, were you gone before your time?

which I always took to be a tribute to the many Irish-Americans who lost their lives in the Twin Towers three months earlier.

[Simon Maguire]

In addition he wrongly believed Brendan Behan would never have "danced up and down the street" (the reference is based on fact) and made several attempts to improve on the verb "danced", none of which met with my approval.

I remember shane saying that he never sang the line'And in brendan brehan's footsteps we danced up and down the street' live, he replaced danced with fell and other words that fiited the line.

[Eckhard]

Around 1990, I recorded a solo version of the song (produced by Donal Lunny) for BBC Records' "Bringing It All Back Home"

I stumbled upon the "Bringing it all Back Home"-Album while working in France in 2000, so I am fortunate to own that version. The album cost an incredible 220 Francs ( about 36 Euro ), but nonetheless I'm glad to have that version.

[Guest]

Thousands Are Sailing is one of my all time favourites, I just love how the song talks about the spirit of the Irish, and the dancing to the music even though the people were going through all of the hard times. The music also, to me, really represents the Irish, optimistic spirit. This song is genius, I love it and I doubt I'll ever tire of hearing it.

[staggerlee]

Hear, hear. Hands down my favourite Pogues song, and one of my favourites ever. It works on so many levels, has various moods throughout, and ranges from being very funny to heartbreakingly sad. Well done, Philip.

[Dannyboy]

Hi everybody, I'm new here!

Is it possible to get the version of TaS where Mr. Chevron sings it? I've heard the live recordings from Pogues-shows where he sings it, and it sounds fantastic, and I'd love to hear it on a studio recording. Any place to buy it or download it?

Thanks
//Daniel

[Simon Maguire]

As far as I know Shane sang the only studio recording, but I've be known to be very wrong in the past.