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Rating: ...IT WAS BETTER WHEN IT WAS WORSE!!
We were saying the other day in the elevator, having already exhausted the topics of weather and the expensive euro. An old saying goes like this... they call it popular wisdom. Is it really true?!?! Who knows, in any case, this album is titled "Pogue Mahone" (Gaelic) which in English means: Kiss my Arse... which in Italian means: Baciami il Culo. Who chose the title? Who knows, anyway based on the objective side this is the second official album of the Pogues following the departure, heavy and due to major incompatibility issues and not only, of Shane McGowan. The most discussed album ever of the Pogues, a commercial flop, loathed by many fans who see Shane's absence as the very absence of the soul of this band.
However, the album is absolutely not bad. The absence of the charismatic and alcoholic frontman is felt, and not slightly, as over a long duration all the work turns out to be a bit boring and lacking in originality and punk-lazy-relaxed-intimate attitude typical of the Character Shane McGowan. However, this does not prevent admitting that within this CD there are excellent songs that even after 11 years are still appreciated. The main reason for the poor success of this album is undoubtedly due to the fact that the lead singer (Spider Stacy) gives his best in interpretation and singing only in some pieces. If we add to this an objective lack of a mind and a voice of undeniable talent, here we are with a record that, although good, cannot stand on its own legs and most importantly lacks that folk-punk fury that had characterized the best works of the Anglo-Irish band.
In the sad memory of what was and is no more "Love You 'Till The End" fits perfectly, also thanks to the beautiful triptych represented by guitar, piano, and bass to which are added the percussion and the excellent singing of Spider Stacy and Debsey Wykes. The following "Bright Lights" makes me shed a tear while happily thinking of pints of beer cheerfully flying in some pub... folk-punk fury indeed... Banjo is absolutely the protagonist in the very good and nursery-rhyming opener "How Come" which sounds as fresh as your favorite shirt ironed by mom and worn on a sunny spring day. "Living In A World Without Her" is a song I'm particularly attached to for the intro that gives me emotions and for the beautiful melodies created by Banjo and Tambourine playing above the piano all at a decidedly high tempo. Even Bob Dylan is revisited in Irish Stew & Guinness style with "When The Ship Comes In." Another noteworthy song is "Amadie" sung in French in which Banjo and Accordion have fun driving the rhythm for just under two minutes. Noteworthy is "Point Mirabeau," which is a text by Appolinaire set, very well, to music in pure folk-ballad style. "Where That Loves's Been Gone" is a beautiful track in which Banjo, violins, mandolins, and Tambourine draw folk melodies but at the same time tainted with blues, which makes the piece very engaging.
In the end, I don't know whether to heed the guys in the elevator at the beginning of the review, I have the album and every now and then I even put it on...
Tracklist and Lyrics
03 When the Ship Comes In (03:14)
Oh the time will come up
When the winds will stop
And the breeze will cease to be breathin'
Like the stillness in the wind
'Fore the hurricane begins
The hour when the ship comes in
Oh the seas will split
And the ship will hit
And the sands on the shoreline will be shaking
Then the tide will sound
And the wind will pound
And the morning will be breaking
Oh the fishes will laugh
As they swim out of the path
And the seagulls they'll be smiling
And the rocks on the sand
Will proudly stand
The hour that the ship comes in
And the words that are used
For to get the ship confused
Will not be understood as they're spoken
For the chains of the sea
Will have busted in the night
And will be buried at the bottom of the ocean
A song will lift
As the mainsail shifts
And the boat that drifts on to the shore line
And the sun will respect
Every face on the deck
The hour that the ship comes in
Then the sands will roll
Out a carpet of gold
For your weary toes to be a touchin'
And the ship's wise men
Will remind you once again
That the whole wide world is watchin'
Oh the foes will rise
With the sleep still in their eyes
And they'll jerk from their beds and think they're still dreamin'
But they'll pinch themselves and squeel
And know that it's for real
The hour that the ship comes in
Then they'll raise their hands
Sayin' we'll meet all your demands
But we'll shout from the bow your days are numbered
And like Pharaoh's tribe
They'll be drownded in the tide
And like Goliath they'll be conquered
04 Anniversary (04:06)
The dawn shines her light
To scare off the night
And the sun from his slumber is woken
The bells are ringing out
As the town crier shouts
Words too strong to be spoken
There's a rumble in the ground
And the air fills with sound
Trumpets in the wind are a' blowing
The townsfolk peep
Through the curtains of sleep
To the sound of the cocks all a' crowin
The winds may blow
Come rain, come slow
Today's for you and me
I gave my heart to you my love
You gave your heart to me
The sun wears a smile
And the clock winks its dial
The clouds in the sky are unfolding
The birds on the wing
Like angels they sing
The heavens are glowing all golden
The crowds all spill out
They cheer and they shout
Banners and flags are a' waving
The flowers all a' bloom
Blow kisses to the moon
As blossom falls on the paving
The wind may blow
Come rain, come snow
Today's for you and me
I gave my heart to you my love
You gave your heart to me
The whole world roars
A chorus of applause
Strangers from Delhi to Dublin
Are swept off their feet
As they kiss on the street
And the waters like champaigne are bubbling
The wind may blow
Come rain, come snow
Today's for you and me
I gave my heart to you my love
You gave your heart to me
05 Amadie (01:53)
Voici une histoire
D'un homme cajun
Amadie Adouin
Etat son nom
Avec sa guitare
Et avec sa voix
Amadie Adouin
Etait le roi
Here is the story
Of a Cajun man
Amadie Adouin
Was his name
With his guitar
And his voice
Amadie Adouin
Was the king
In a town seperated by railroad tracks
When one side's white the other side must be black
La sueur brulait
Dans ses yeux
Les blancs ont crie
N' arrete pas
Quand Amadie pouvait
plus jouer
Il demandait a Celine
Son mouchoir
(The sweat burnt
In his eyes
The whites shouted
Don't stop
When Amadie couldn't
Play anymore
He asked to Celine
His handerchief)
Black were the tears Amadie Adouin cried
Tears a white handkerchief just could not hide
Les bois d'Arcadia
Ils sont morts
Au fond de la terre
Amadie s'endort
Mais si vous voulez
Ecouter sa voix
Demande aux Ricains
De la chercher d'en bas
(The forest of Arcadia
Is dead
Deep under the ground
Amadie falls asleep
But if you want to listen
To his voice
Ask the Yanks
To look for it from the bottom)
They ran right over Amadie's vocal cords
Good old boys in a good ol' Model T Ford
Amadie took a walk by the railroad track
To the other side and he won't be coming back
They ran right over Amadie's vocal cords
Those good old boys in a good old Model T Ford
Amadie took a walk by the railroad track
To the other side and he won't be coming back
07 Bright Lights (02:37)
The bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
As the world is round, the road is long
I've trouble on my mind
I'll just keep on moving
Until the day comes round
The wind a' blowing on my back
And my feet a' flying
Flying down the road
Where the bright lights shine
Monday's in a pigtown
Tuesday's in a truck
Wednesday's a field of mud
And Thursday's out of luck
Friday's rain clouds
Saturday flies by
Sunday comes shining
From a blue blue sky
The bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
Some towns are golden
Some towns are stained
Some towns are shadows
Fading in the rain
Some towns are rust
And some towns they gleam
Some towns are mad dogs
Some towns are a dream
The bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
Some dreams are hollow
Some dreams are cold
Some dreams are crazy
And some dreams are bold
Some dreams are bought
And other dreams are sold
Some dreams lie waiting
At the end of the road
The bright lights are calling me
The bright lights are calling me
When the world is dark and cold
And I'm heading down the road
The bright lights are calling me
08 Oretown (03:50)
The night stank of diesel And a stranger came to town A cold wind blowing And the rain pouring down Street lights flicker And the power lines moan The moon beat down On a river of bone Someone put the lights out No one make a sound You won't find a thing Down in Oretown Foundry spits fire and smoke Air's foul and choking Sky full of sulphur Mountains flat and broken Black fogs and whirlwinds Thunder and rain Open drink madness And purple mad pain The circus is over Exit the clowns Nobody's laughing Down in Oretown The ship's in the harbour Cargo's been pawned Barrooms spilling sailors All shipwrecked at dawn Smelling of salt and rust Uniforms torn Came looking for flowers Only found thorns Dreaming of mermaids In pearly white gowns tain is sleeping Down in Oretown There's a madman down on mainstreet Eyes all aflame Laughing in the thunder Of the Number 9 train Selling old postcards in rusty frames A thousand views of Oretown And they all look the same Dressed up in sandals And a barbed wire crown A lot of people loose their minds Down in Oretown Lock up the lawman Let go the thief Rounding up the grey men Nail them to a tree This town was a palace This town was aglow Then the sky burned orange And the iron river flowed The night stank of diesel A stranger came to town The night folded over Down in Oretown
09 Pont Mirabeau (03:31)
Below the Pont Mirabeau
Slow flows the Seine
And all out loves together
Must I recall again
Joy would always follow
After pain
Hands holding hands
Let us stand face to face
While underneath the bridge
Of our arms entwined slow race
Eternal gazes flowing
At wave's pace
Let night fall, let the hours go by
The days pass on and here I stand
Love runs away
Like running water flows
Love flows away
But oh how slow life goes
How violent is hope
Love only knows
Let night fall, let the hours go by
The days pass on and her stand I
The days flow ever on
The weeks pass by in vain
Time never will return
Nor our loves burn again
Below the Pont Mirabeau
Slow flows the Seine
Let night fall, let the hours go by
The days pass on and here I stand
--------------------------------------------
Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine
Et nos amours
Faut-il qu'il m'en souvienne
La joie venait toujours après la peine
Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure
Les mains dans les mains restons face à face
Tandis que sous
Le pont de nos bras passe
Des éternels regards l'onde si lasse
Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure
L'amour s'en va comme cette eau courante
L'amour s'en va
Comme la vie est lente
Et comme l'Espérance est violente
Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure
Passent les jours et passent les semaines
Ni temps passé
Ni les amours reviennent
Sous le pont Mirabeau coule la Seine
Vienne la nuit sonne l'heure
Les jours s'en vont je demeure
10 Tosspint (03:32)
Tosspint rises early
Sprung from a nightmare's claw
Thrice crows the dawn cock
The mist is on the moor
Tosspint cries from croaking gills
Thank God I'm not forsaken
From the hellish depths of sleep
At last I am awaken
Tosspint flushed his kidneys
And rained a golden shower
Pleased to piss a good pot full
He shat upon the hour
Tosspint filled his belly
With tripe and ox's tongue
A sucking pig stuffed with figs
Into his guts he flung
Full belly and the dance is merry
Where hunger reigns no strength obtains
The wheel spins, the gurdy hums
Ring the bells and beat the drum
Tosspint drinks lustily
And pees against the sun
All around the hoary oak
The laughing maidens run
Tosspint warms his codpiece
To the flour adds the yeast
In the field by Tanner's Mill
He plays to two-backed beast
Twist the spigot, close the hole
Stoke the fire and blow the coal
The wheel spins, the gurdy hums
Ring the bells and beat the drum
Full belly and the dance is merry
Where hunger reigns no strength obtains
The wheel spins, the gurdy hums
Ring the bells and beat the drum
Tosspint fell foul of dogma
And slipped into schism
The trial was quick, the sky grew dark
They led him from the prison
Tied him to a stake of oak
Lit a fire of wood and coke
The crowd sang out "His bacon's smoked!"
The bells rang out "Tosspint's croaked!"
Tosspint under flaming sky
Walks through the fires of Hell
Where bestial demons threw the damned
Screaming as they fell
Into pits of burning coals
Tosspint throws up his last bowl
And mingled with the soup
His soul
Tosspint rises early
Sprung from a nightmare's claw
Thrice crows the dawn cock
The mist is on the moor
Twist the spigot, close the hole
Stoke the fire and blow the coal
The wheel spins, the gurdy hums
Ring the bells and beat the drum
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