Song – The Pogues ‘Fairytale Of New York’

The lead singer of The Pogues – British born Shane MacGowan – died on 30 November 2023, aged 65, in Dublin, Ireland.

Without descending into the ups and downs of an eventful and turbulent life, MacGowan said in a 2020 interview that he has also been in drunk tanks on Christmas eve.

The classic – Fairytale Of New York – first released in 1987 – took the band over 2 years to write and was performed with Kirsty MacColl.

‘American Songwriter’ reports that Elvis Costello first suggested MacGowan write a Christmas duet that he could sing with The Pogues’ then-bassist Cait O’Riordan – who later married Costello.  

MacGowan said the lyrics and imagery in “Fairytale Of New York” initially came to him in a state of delirium during a bout with double pneumonia and that he named the song after a 1973 novel, ‘Fairytale of New York’ by Irish-American author J.P. Donleavy.

The lyrics might be seen as a reflection of MacGowan’s rollercoaster life.

As to the ups:  

[Verse 4: Kirsty MacColl & Shane MacGowan & Together]

You were handsome, you were pretty, queen of New York City
When the band finished playing, they howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging, all the drunks, they were singing
We kissed on a corner, then danced through the night

[Chorus: Shane Macgowan & Kirsty MacColl]

The boys of the NYPD choir were singing, “Galway Bay”
And the bells were ringing out for Christmas Day