Fred: Shane MacGowan, the lead singer of the infamous Irish band The Pogues, died yesterday. Although it’s sad, it could also be considered somewhat apropos with him passing during the Christmas season, which was the setting of their biggest hit, “Fairytale of New York.” Rarely does this song fail to bring me to tears whenever I hear it during the holiday season. It’s a coarse jewel filled with love, longing, melody, and life.
His voice was what you would call “an acquired taste,” to be sure. But like all of the great rock ‘n’ roll singers who were not immediately obvious vocal talents (Dylan, Strummer, Westerberg, et al…), MacGowan’s voice was mostly an instrument of emotion and poetry. As smooth as sandpaper, and as moving as a starlit summer night.
The most intriguing qualities of his instrument can be found on this wonderful holiday classic. On the surface, “Fairytale of New York“ clothes itself in a hauntingly sprite melody, while weaving a weary story of two street people in mid-1940s New York City as they struggle to make their way through another drunken Christmas, with the wife freshly bailing MacGowan’s character out of the “drunk tank.“ Both the man and his wife (beautifully sung by the magnificent Kirsty MacColl) then proceed to sing about lost love, dashed dreams, and yuletides gone by with an ocean-like Celtic rock accompaniment surrounded by beautifully lush orchestration.
It’s an unusual song, and you have to take it on its own terms. But if you do, I think it will become a Christmas staple for you, if it hasn’t already. While this tune possesses genuine, tangible emotion that is effortlessly presented, the tales of these two singers’ individual lives are quite moving as well. If you’re interested, check out their stories. But be ready to find an unexpected lump in your throat as the tales fade, especially MacColl’s.
Bon voyage, Shane. Thanks so much for all the wonderful music and the wild stories. While you’re at it, please put in a good word for all of us down here!
What a writer! Always a pleasure reading (and listening) to your words. It's always poetry. Rest in power, Shane.
Thanks for the kind words and recognition of Shane and his musical contributions over the years, as I grew up with a working knowledge of The Pogues, though came to appreciate how much Shane and the band influenced other artists over the years.