Aslan: From Breakups to Barroom Anthems
Formed in Dublin in the early ’80s, Aslan is a legendary Irish rock band that took their name from the lion in The Chronicles of Narnia.
It took six years before they released their debut album Feel No Shame in 1988, which included their first big tune, This Is.
Despite this early success, the band split due to internal conflicts—mainly centred around lead singer Christy Dignam’s struggles with addiction. While Dignam went on to form Dignam & Goff, Aslan briefly continued with a new singer before realising it wasn’t the right direction.
In 1993, a one-off charity gig sparked a reunion, and the band reformed. The result was Goodbye Charlie Moonhead (1994), led by the single Crazy World, which was released ahead of the album.
Crazy World would become the band’s signature tune—a staple of Irish pub performers around the globe and a track that has stood the test of time. The follow-up single, Where’s The Sun, also saw success, though it never reached the same level of recognition.
Following their reunion, no new Aslan tunes have matched the impact of Crazy World. However, their live performances have helped solidify their legacy.
Perhaps their best release is Live in Dublin (1999), which includes a cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here—notably without the iconic intro—and finishes with Angie. The 2013 album Uncase’d featured more covers, including John Lennon’s Jealous Guy and Rod Stewart’s Maggie May.
In 2023, Christy Dignam passed away at 63, following a decade-long battle with cancer and a lifetime of addiction struggles. The band, now with yet another new frontman, has since resumed touring—keeping the spirit of classic Aslan tunes alive.
Aslan Tunes | Related Pages
Angie | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Angie by The Rolling Stones using chords, lyrics, a chord chart, chord analysis, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| Am Amadd4 | E7 |
Angie, Angie…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Angie – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Crazy World | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Crazy World by Aslan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D | D | Em | Em |
How can I protect you in this crazy world…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Crazy World (Aslan) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
This Is | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play This Is by Aslan using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D | D |
These are the hands of a tired man…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: This Is (Aslan) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Wish You Were Here | Chords + TAB
You can learn how to play Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and Spytunes video guitar lessons.
| C/G | D/F# |
So, so you think you can tell…
Start learning with the full lesson series: Wish You Were Here – Guitar Lessons with TAB.
Aslan on the web
