The Pogues: From Punk Roots to Christmas Legends
Formed in London in 1982 as Pogues Mahone (Irish: póg mo thóin meaning “kiss my arse”), The Pogues carved out a unique niche by blending Irish traditional music with punk energy. The band’s journey paralleled that of another Irish group, Aslan, both marked by charismatic frontmen—Shane MacGowan of The Pogues and Christy Dignam of Aslan—who were fired and rehired due to their battles with drugs and alcohol.
Their debut album, Red Roses for Me (1984), failed to produce major hits, but it set the stage for what was to come. Their second album, Rum, Sodomy & the Lash (1985), saw a slight improvement, with Dirty Old Town standing out. This song, originally a 1968 hit by The Dubliners, became a symbol of The Pogues’ unique crossover of Irish folk and punk.
However, it was their 1987 Christmas hit, Fairytale of New York, featuring Kirsty MacColl, that propelled The Pogues to mainstream success. The track took two years to complete, with some lyrics written during a Scandinavian tour while Shane MacGowan was battling pneumonia. He reportedly experienced “inspirational visions” during his illness that contributed to the song’s creation. Cait O’Riordan, the band’s bassist, originally provided the female vocals, but after the song’s success, she left the band. She went on to marry and play with the band’s producer, Elvis Costello, which led to a scandalous affair and Costello’s divorce from his first wife, Mary Burgoyne.
Fairytale of New York was released as a single from their third album, If I Should Fall from Grace with God (1988). The song became an enduring Christmas classic, eventually surpassing 400 million Spotify streams by Christmas 2024, making it the most-played Christmas song in the U.K. Despite the album selling only 100,000 copies in the U.K., Fairytale of New York has cemented its place in holiday music history.
The Pogues continued to produce albums, but with less success after this era, and eventually parted ways with Shane MacGowan. The band fired him in the ’90s, though they later reunited. They also lost bassist Darryl Hunt in 2022 and MacGowan in 2023, but they continue to tour. One might wonder, though, do they still perform Fairytale of New York during their summer gigs? And if they do, who takes on the male and female vocals during a July performance?
The Pogues Tunes | Related Pages
Fairytale of New York | Chords + TAB
Learn to play Fairytale of New York by The Pogues using chords, lyrics, chord analysis, a chord chart, and the original recording.
| D5 | A/G G |
It was Christmas Eve, babe. In the drunk tank…
Check out the full TAB lesson here: Fairytale of New York (The Pogues) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
The Pogues on the web
