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and beautiful songs of the era, and bear in mind when you hear the song on the radio that its fifteen years old and still the most played song on popular radio at Christmas.

Thousands Are Sailing highlights the plight of those forced to migrate to America in search of a better life, much the same sentiment as the Proclaimers Letter From America or any number of Runrig songs. Whistle and guitar slowly lead us in, the banjo takes the lead and the drums kick in, and although the beat is slow, its a powerful song and one that you cant help but move too and be moved by. Talking of moving, Fiesta breaks the mould even for a band as diverse as the Pogues. A slow brass start and then the band go latin, drums play a fast almost rockabilly beat as the horns lead the dance. Although some of the lyrics are in Spanish if you listen closely enough there is a definate reference to their old bass player Cait O`Riordan and her husband Elvis Costello, they just can't help but have a dig at them in the obscure jokes.

After a medley of Traditional tunes, The Recruiting Seargents, The Rocky Road to Dublin and Waxies Drangle which hear the band coming over like the Dubliners with attitude we are delivered unto the mellow lilt of Streets of Sorrow, sung by new boy Terry Woods, a legend in folk circles and sounding at times like the great Phil Lynott. The song merges into the political and more Pogue like Birmingham Six, the story of wrongly convicted Irish men accused of planting bombs in Birmingham. This song highlightd Woods and MacGowans republican leanings.

Lullaby of London takes MacGowan back to the town of his youth, a slow accordian lead meander but the real highlight of the tail end of the album is The Broad Majestic Shannon, the tune in the same vein as the up beat parts of Fairytale, and a reflective rememberance of days spent along side Irelands greatest river.

This song can almost be seen as Rum, Sodomy and the Lash part two, though it is individual enough to stand on its own two feet, the two albums together form a consistant and powerful body of work from the best Irish band ever to come out of London.

Learn more about this author, Dave Franklin.
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