tagged w/ Shane MacGowan
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Some people feel that The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” is the best Christmas song ever, and not just one of the best, but a gorgeous song no matter why or how you observe Christmas. “Fairytale of New York” isn’t exactly the epitome of restraint, with Shane MacGowan and the sadly departed Kirsty MacColl singing all over each other, slurring words and tossing all kinds of insults at each other.
The song starts out tenderly, with MacGowan recounting Christmas Eve spent in a Bowery drunk tank, but also his recent gambling win and dreams for the future. MacColl lets us know, as the tempo picks up, that they met on a Christmas Eve, and after some light banter they really get into it, blaming each other for anything they can get their hands on, MacColl ending with “Happy Christmas your arse / I pray God it’s our last.”
But then they sing the chorus again, and a string section that actually sounds like it belongs in a Christmas song begins to take over. And it all feels, in spite of itself, grand and sweeping and even a little touching. They squabble a little more, the same as every Christmas, but they’re losing steam; finally MacColl accuses MacGowan of stealing her dreams when they met. This is a terribly poetic way to depict the deadening of expectations in terrible lives. But MacGowan’s voice turns gentle, even though it’s still rough, and he responds: “I kept them with me babe, I put them with my own, Can’t make it all alone, I’ve built my dreams around you.”
It’s a tough old life, and “Fairytale of New York” practically oozes with the gritty spirit of urban decay, poverty, alcoholism and general dysfunction. But as the sounds of those strings float off and out of sight, it doesn’t seem to matter. Not to them and not to us, because it’s the day to sigh and give in to our better inclinations and hold each other and admit there’s still something there. Christmas is the arbitrary day of the year that purely through willpower and tradition we’ve turned into the day where we all try just a little bit harder at being better than we thought we could be.
Includes beautiful photographs, a photo-gallery and the music video, “Fairytale of New York.”
http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2012/12/20/down-on-the-bowery-a-fairytale-of-new-york/Some people feel that The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” is the... more
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Some people feel that The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” is the best Christmas song ever, and not just one of the best, but a gorgeous song no matter why or how you observe Christmas. “Fairytale of New York” isn’t exactly the epitome of restraint, with Shane MacGowan and the sadly departed Kirsty MacColl singing all over each other, slurring words and tossing all kinds of insults at each other.
The song starts out tenderly, with MacGowan recounting Christmas Eve spent in a Bowery drunk tank, but also his recent gambling win and dreams for the future. MacColl lets us know, as the tempo picks up, that they met on a Christmas Eve, and after some light banter they really get into it, blaming each other for anything they can get their hands on, MacColl ending with “Happy Christmas your arse / I pray God it’s our last.”
But then they sing the chorus again, and a string section that actually sounds like it belongs in a Christmas song begins to take over. And it all feels, in spite of itself, grand and sweeping and even a little touching. They squabble a little more, the same as every Christmas, but they’re losing steam; finally MacColl accuses MacGowan of stealing her dreams when they met. This is a terribly poetic way to depict the deadening of expectations in terrible lives. But MacGowan’s voice turns gentle, even though it’s still rough, and he responds: “I kept them with me babe, I put them with my own, Can’t make it all alone, I’ve built my dreams around you.”
It’s a tough old life, and “Fairytale of New York” practically oozes with the gritty spirit of urban decay, poverty, alcoholism and general dysfunction. But as the sounds of those strings float off and out of sight, it doesn’t seem to matter. Not to them and not to us, because it’s the day to sigh and give in to our better inclinations and hold each other and admit there’s still something there. Christmas is the arbitrary day of the year that purely through willpower and tradition we’ve turned into the day where we all try just a little bit harder at being better than we thought we could be.
This piece includes high-resolution vintage photographs, a slide show and an HD version of the very touching music video.
http://disembedded.wordpress.com/2010/12/10/on-the-bowery-a-fairytale-of-new-york/Some people feel that The Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York” is the... more
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He is infamous for his shabby looks and gummy smile.
But all that's in the past now for Shane MacGowan.
The Pogues singer has been spotted in Malaga with a new set of gnashers.
MacGowan has reportedly spent the last month in Spain having extensive dental work to repair the acute damage to his mouth caused by decades of hard partying.
During one all-day drinking session in Limerick, Ireland, he fell over a wall, smashing his teeth on a pile of bricks.
The 51-year-old became renowned for his dishevelled appearance and his terrible teeth, which eventually became his trademark.
But it wasn't popular with everyone.
One American record company airbrushed some teeth onto him on an album cover so as not to put off U.S. fans.
MacGowan had recently talked about getting his teeth fixed to stop his face 'falling apart'.
We think the dentally-discerning Yanks would approve of his pegs now...He is infamous for his shabby looks and gummy smile.
But all that's in the... more
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