The Pogues were an Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band, fronted by Shane MacGowan, formed in King's Cross, London, in 1982. Initially known as Pogue Mahone—a name derived from the anglicization by James Joyce of the Irish phrase "póg mo thóin," meaning "kiss my arse"—the band blended punk influences with traditional instruments like the tin whistle, banjo, Irish bouzouki, cittern, mandolin, and accordion. Although initially met with resistance in traditional Irish music circles, with musician Tommy Makem calling them "the greatest disaster ever to hit Irish music," the Pogues were later recognized for revitalizing the genre. Over time, they also incorporated elements from jazz, flamenco, and Middle Eastern music.
In 1987, the Pogues collaborated with the Dubliners on a rendition of the folk song "The Irish Rover," which reached number one in Ireland and number eight in the UK. They performed the song on Ireland's The Late Late Show and the UK's Top of the Pops. Later that year, they released the Christmas single "Fairytale of New York," co-written by MacGowan and Jem Finer and performed as a duet between MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl. The single reached number one in Ireland and number two in the UK, becoming a perennial Christmas favorite. By December 2022, it was certified quintuple platinum in the UK. The song was featured on their critically acclaimed and commercially successful third studio album, "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" (1988), which also included tracks like "Thousands Are Sailing," "Fiesta," and the political protest song "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six."
The Pogues went on to release two more albums with MacGowan—"Peace and Love" (1989), which included "White City" and "Misty Morning, Albert Bridge," and "Hell's Ditch" (1990), featuring "Sunny Side of the Street" and "Summer in Siam"—before dismissing him in 1991 due to his escalating drug and alcohol dependency.
After MacGowan's departure, the band continued with Joe Strummer and later Spider Stacy as frontmen, releasing new material on "Waiting for Herb" (1993). They disbanded following the critical and commercial failure of their seventh and final studio album, "Pogue Mahone" (1996). The Pogues reunited in late 2001, once again including MacGowan, and continued to perform regularly across the UK and Ireland, as well as on the East Coast of the United States and in mainland Europe. To celebrate their 30th anniversary, they released the live album and concert video "The Pogues in Paris: 30th Anniversary" and the box set "Pogues 30", featuring remastered versions of all their studio albums and a previously unreleased live album.
Longtime guitarist Philip Chevron passed away in October 2013, and the band played their final live shows in the summer of 2014 before dissolving. Longtime bassist Darryl Hunt died in August 2022, and Shane MacGowan passed away in November 2023.
The Pogues - The Best Of The Pogues
1 Fairytale of New York
2 Sally MacLennane
3 Dirty Old Town
4 The Irish Rover
5 A Pair of Brown Eyes
6 Streams of Whiskey
7 A Rainy Night in Soho
8 Fiesta
9 Rain Street
10 Misty Morning, Albert Bridge
11 White City
12 Thousands Are Sailing
13 The Broad Majestic Shannon
14 The Body of an American
Standard Shipping: [Royal Mail 2nd Class Signed For, usually arrives in 2-3 working days.]
Express Shipping: [Royal Mail 1st Class Signed For, usually arrives in 1-2 working days.]
Next Day: [Royal Mail Special Delivery, next day delivery.]