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The Parting Glass is a resource page for fans interested in the literary, historical, political, and personal references found in the lyrics of the Pogues and of the related projects of the band's members. It's also got some other goodies connected to the Pogues. What's Here
What's New? The latest major update underway concerns some modifications to the song list on the various Pogues albums that have been remastered and rereleased. Scroll down for links taking you to the full update history of this page. Popes fans: Snapper Records has released the latest from the Popes; a 2 cd set including all of Holloway Boulevard and a live cd. Check it out (this is not a paid advertisement; just a plug for a good cause). Why The Parting Glass? There's two questions here. First, "what's up with the title"? Well, it comes from a traditional Irish song. I've usually heard it performed at the end of a party or show, and since the band had split up by the time I got around to putting this page together, I thought it fitting. Also, the Pogues included the song on the "Honky Tonk Women" cd-single. This was the last single released by the version of the band that included Shane MacGowan, and the liner notes indicate that it was recorded in 1985, apparently during the Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash sessions, (it appears on the cd in the new reissue series), so I thought the title provided a kind of symmetry as well. I suppose the bigger question is "Why an annotated lyrics page?" The Pogues in general and Shane MacGowan in particular garnered a (not entirely undeserved) reputation as a bunch of drunken paddies, and the songs sounded like that's what they were. Heck, I suspect that many of us were drawn to the band for that reason. Yet on closer inspection, the songs -- both in terms of the music and the lyrics -- are full of historical, literary, and political references not normally found in popular music, and I found that picking up the references added another level of enjoyment to the music. Songs that make you drink and think... a tough combination that the Pogues pulled off magnicifently. Acknowledgements and Thank Yous This page grew out of discussions in the alt.music.pogues usenet discussion board, and I'd like to thank some of the regulars from way back when who planted the seeds (particularly Mitch, Antman, and DzM). The Parting Glass itself was launched in spring 2000 and I'd like to especially thank everyone who has contributed to its growth along the way. Your contributions made this a USA Today "Hot Site of the Day" for 9 April 2003. Special thanks to Jem Finer for passing along some lyrics and correcting some mistakes. Finally, a big thanks to DzM for his support (and patience) in handling all the computer details that keep this page up and running. This page was developed
and is maintained by: FranMoran (email: fmoran at
poguetry.com)
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