The main reason this song resonates with so many is it's accurate depiction of life. It's made of good times and bad times and you can't appreciate one without the other. RIP Kirsty and Shane.
This song felt like it was for the rest of us. Not living in the suburbs, with their perfect little family, and their well paid jobs, and well adjusted little spouses, no, we were living in our studio apartments downtown, with our rough and vulgar, imperfect but no less beautiful relationships and lives and this was a Christmas song about us.
Nypd actually created a choir since the passing of Shane, and recorded Galway Bay as a tribute to him... its beautiful and a truly wonderful dedication... its up on youtube
So the Pogues biggest hit 'Dirty Old Town' a song about Salford in Manchester was written by a Scottish songwriter named James Henry Miller. James Henry Miller performed under the pseudonym Ewan McColl and his daughter who also became a singer adopted his stage surname. That performance by Kirsty McColl was recorded without the Pogues knowing the father or the lead female vocalist in the song 'Fairytale of New York' wrote the bands greatest hit. She never told them.
THANK YOU! The first reaction I have seen, where reactors actually understands the lyrics - and respect them. This is a kick up the arse on the stupid illusion Christmas has become. This is for and about the people for whom food, massive overspending and gifts are just a long forgotten memory. RIP Shane...
Consistantly voted, as one of the greatest if not greatest christmas songs of all time.And so sad to say goodbye to Shane,and the loss of Kirsty in such a tragic way many years ago now.May Shane and Kirsty duet once more,and light up heaven as they did on earth RIP.
hopefully this song will rightly be christmas number one this year! at least there won't be any pet shop boys songs keeping them off top spot, as in 1987!! apart from shane's, another tragic death was that of the sensational slovak, soprano, singer, patricia janeckova, who died on october 1st from breast cancer, aged just 25!! check her out at the age of 12 in 2010, singing 'once upon a time in the west' & 'meine lippen' & 'pie jesu' in 2016!! merry xmas!
The radio just silence the "slut" and she says "you're cheap and you're haggard" all because someone decided the world should be offended at words that been sung in this song for years. I still sing these original words whenever the song comes on
I just watched Shane MacGowans funeral and they sang this as a tribute and it was great. It was nice to see the remaining original Dubliner member there as well as Johnny depp.
This is not a Christmas song, it's a song about Christmas. It has been played hundreds of times for many years by me, my family and friends. I never tire of listening to it. It tells a story.
The Pogues were a major band for me in high school (90s) and this really takes me back, and I always appreciated Shane's voice. I honestly didn't know of his passing. I am from the midwest USA so there were only a hand full of us who even understood his words/knew of them where I was. It's always rough to have influential people from your past pass even if you never knew the personally.
For our American cousins, in this context "you scumbag, you maggot, you cheap lousy faggot" refers to a lazy/idle person - "faggot". Old Irish slang. Kirsty changed the words on Top Of the Pops in 1992 that replaced "you cheap lousy faggot" with "you're cheap and you're haggard" and more recently radio stations are playing a version that simply mutes the word "slut" from the earlier line. Also after the loss of Shane recently, RIP to Kirsty MacColl too. Died many years ago in a horrible water sports accident whilst saving her son from being run over by a powerboat. She pushed him clear and was then run over herself instead.
This song was always there but kind of hidden at the same time. Uncle Danny played it, the older uncles sang along. I never really understood as a kid. I hit 18, got locked up, joined the army. Never looked back. I grew up with kids from the streets and others that pretended. This song crossed both those lines. Pogues will always speak to any generation. RIP Shane.
It's a travesty that they don't play the real song on the radio. Destroying someone's art, under the guise of protecting our delicate ears. From war criminals no less
I've never heard a version of this song that wasn't the original. On the radio. I'm in Germany, though, and I do think a lot of people here just have no idea about the words they're singing along to, but it's definitely one of the most played songs here, too.
There is a very well known Irish song called Galway Bay. First verse is If you ever go across the sea to Ireland, Then maybe at the closing of your day, You can sit and watch the moon rise over Claddagh, And see the sun go down on Galway Bay.
@@celtichound9889 She tragically Perished on 12.18.2000 off the Coast of Mexico, She was Crushed to Death by a Speedboat. She died saving her 13 year old son.
Galway bay is a line in the song “The Rare Auld Mountain Dew” which is mentioned in the song. Side note another Pogues song “Waxie’s Darrel” bares more than a passing resemblance to that song
Best xmas song❤.!! There is actually a beatiful song called "Galway bay". The no doubt song "Oi to the world", has been recorded by "The Doped up Dollies"', (mike and his ukes), It is hilarious! Take care u2 and greetings from Jonas, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Not quite. There is a song called “Galway Bay”. Bing Crosby recorded the most famous version. But there isn’t (or wasn’t at the time) an NYPD Choir. So they used the NYPD Pipe Band for the video.
Mates, This song was written by the Pogues lead singer Shane MacGowan as the result of a Bet with his good friend Elvis Costello. Elvis bet Shane he couldn’t write a Christmas song that was not a traditional happy sugary sweet Christmas song…I’d have to say Shane won the bet going away. Good Luck Jjh
Kirsty was hit by a speeding boat, she was with her sons, pushed son out of the way. She was hit by the boat and propeller. Boats were not allowed there
I do so hope you guys react to more from the Pogues. They were such a legendary band.❤ . No, no, there *is* a song called Galway Bay. The factoid you're talking about is that the NYPD doesn't, and never has have a choir.
As sung by Glen Hansard and friends at Shane's funeral a couple of days ago. Apparently, even Catholic churches in Ireland can put up with Pogues music as it was written... ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-K7dfnB3KQyc.htmlsi=s6FRKdmVT023qkZs
This is the best song, it makes my Christmas and now is more poignant. I detest the watered-down versions with a passion. Let's face it, they sang the right lyrics at his funeral and that is the only way that it should be.
Hands down the best Christmas song ever .. even if it is kinda an anti-Christmas song .. and yes totally agree, I am just sick n tired of this politically correct age we live in .. it is the original lyrics make this song authentic .. RIP Shane, you are a true poet ✌️
From release in 1987 up until 2006 the original was played on the radio,, it was 2007 BBC censored it. An interesting fact “Dirty old Town” by the Pogues was written by Kirsty McColls Father Ewan McColl a Folk singer from Salford, because of covers by the likes of Chieftains and Pogues people think us about Dublin but about Salford Band Name from Gaelic phrase Pogue Mahon …. Kiss My Arse
Yo .... I decided to subscribe as I like the range of material you choose to react to. Both Kirsty and Shane have passed but their duet on Shane's composition will live forever. Shane is an Irish songwriting icon. I Would love to hear your reaction to another Irish icon: Imelda May. She is an amazing songwriter, singer, arranger, and producer. Her original material ranges from Rock-a- Billy (Johnny got a boom boom) to torch ballads (black tears) and fantastic covers like Kermit's "it ain't easy being green", U2s "still haven't found what I am looking for", or Les Paul and Mary Ford's "how high the moon" with the late, great Jeff Beck. Fair winds and Happy New Year.
There is no NYPD Choir. That was the pipe and drum corp of the Emerald Society of the NY Police. The director told then to sing a song together so it looked like they were actually singing a song. The only song everyone knew was the theme from The Mickey Mouse Club. M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E.
Really liked your reaction to Fairytale Of New York. Regarding the police station: the cell scene shows Shane sobering up on the bunk and one of his bandmates sitting against the wall. Did you also notice that the cop dragging Shane up the stairs was the well known American movie actor Matt Dillon? As for the New York Police Choir, there is no such thing in the NYPD. There is a band, the Emerald Society PolicePipe Band pretending to be singing, as shown in the video, but it was felt that choir fitted better in the lyric.
It wasn't that the word choir fitted better, it was written without knowing there wasn't a choir. Also they weren't 'pretending' to sing they actually were, although they didn't know the words or even how to play Galway Bay so they sang and played the Theme to The Mickey Mouse Club.
Fact Check... Galway Bay is a real song... Recorded by Bing Crosby Who sang the song Galway Bay in 1947. Also, Kirsty McColl was hit by a Dive Boat.. Not a Jet-Ski A separate song was written by Dr. Arthur Colahan in Leicester in 1947 and popularised by Bing Crosby. Crosby recorded the song with Victor Young and his Orchestra on 27 November 1947, and changed some of the lyrics so as to be less political.
You should listen to the remake done this year for a charity album by Jason and Travis Kelce......renamed the Fairytale of Philadelphia. This is my first time hearing the original
This is as an unconventional Xmas song as Arlo Guthrie's Alice's Restaurant is to Thanksgiving. I do believe that was Matt Dillon as the cop. A good friend of mine went to county once and started a fight with a little guy and got his arse kicked.
Really enjoyed watching your reaction, guys. It's such an excellent song. Note - there is a song called 'Galway Bay' but the band in the video didn't know it and so they're actually singing something else :-)
Ha ha ha...Of course there's is a song about Galway Bay, it's a famous song. You've heard mixed up versions of the story. The original tale was about the fact that there is no NYPD choir. The pipe band was the nearest they could get.
If you want a Christmas song with an impact, check out Sabaton - Christmas truce (official music video) Based on a true story from World War 1. Maybe you have alredy heard it. If so, ignore this. But I would love to see you react to that song The drummer, Hannes van Dahl, (blond guy) is married Floor Jansen.
One of my all time favorite Christmas songs, by the GOAT original artist. There is another version I enjoy, from Walk Off the Earth, played with a guitar, ukulele, and whistling. You don't have to react to it, but give it a listen. They sing the original lyrics too. Fairytale of New York - Gianni and Sarah (Walk Off the Earth): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-7gzJFwB0JzE.html
It is, only noticed yesterday watching the video. I also think the acorn who played Huggy Bear in Starsky & Hutch is a fellow prisoner in the drunk tank.
A reminder that it's not always a White Christmas for everyone, for some it can be dark, grey and abusive. Ps. The copper taking Shane in is famous Hollywood actor Matt Damon.
It has to be the original lyrics or nothing for me in honour of the artists. Stop turning meaningful lyrics into comfortable safe spaces for idiots. Life should be uncomfortable at times otherwise it’s just easy to swallow mush.
