Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

The Pogues
The Pogues tabs The Pogues discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

The Pogues guitar tabs

CD reviews

Red Roses for Me

The Pogues - Red Roses for Me Audio CD

A fair review of the The Pogues "Red Roses for Me" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Pogues reviews here, or go back to the The Pogues tabs.

Band: The Pogues
Title: Red Roses for Me
Rating:

Release Date: 2006-09-19
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Transmetropolitan 2: Battle of Brisbane 3: Auld Triangle 4: Waxie's Dargle 5: Boys from the County Hell 6: Sea Shanty 7: Dark Streets of London 8: Streams of Whiskey 9: Poor Paddy 10: Dingle Regatta 11: Greenland Whale Fisheries 12: Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go 13: Kitty 14: Leaving of Liverpool [*] 15: Muirshin Durkin [*] 16: Repeal of the Licensing Laws [*] 17: And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda [*] 18: Whiskey You're the Devil [*] 19: Wild Rover [*]

eirinn go brach
I was introduced to this group by an old boyfriend & for that I will forever be grateful to him. This was the first album of theirs that I bought back in 1988, and it's still one of my favorites! Whenever I'm feeling down I play this lively music & it picks me up. . . well, at least for that anyway! They've been my favorite group ever since!
I love the way they incorporate traditional Irish music into they're punk rock sound (by 'punk rock' I don't mean Sex Pistols style) it's what makes their music so unique. You know it's the Pogues the moment the music begins, they have a sound that is theirs alone with their rough way of singing, the hard pronunciation of the words. They make me feel proud to be Irish-American!
Their ballads such as "Kitty" are so bittersweet, filled with such heartfelt sadness that is typical of a true Irish ballad. . . it actually makes me cry, as do most of their ballads. I don't know, maybe it helps if you know some Irish history. . . after all, theirs is one of the saddest.
You get a taste of Irish humor in the song "Boys From the County Hell" in the line, "lend me ten pounds and I'll buy you drink. " Most of their lively music makes you want to get up & dance. . . & of course, have a few pints. This music goes well with a pint of Guinness!
Just a wee bit of trivia. . . their original band name was Pogue Mohone, which is the anglicized spelling version of the Irish Gaelic phrase "pog mo thoin" which means "kiss my arse. " Is that great or what? It gives you an idea of their feisty Irish nature, for which they are so loved.
Well, that's all. . . enjoy! You might also enjoy their album/cd "If I Should Fall From Grace With God. " The title song has an Irish nationalist, anti-British feel to it as is evident in the lines, "This land was always ours, was the proud land of our fathers. It belongs to us and them. Not to any of the others. " I suppose the popularity of the Pogues amongst the Irish is in part due to their defiant lyrics. . . the conflict between the IRA & Britain was in full swing back then in Belfast. This album also has one of the songs they're most known for "Fairytale of New York. " It also has one of the saddest ballads I've ever heard, "Streets of Sorrow. "
Another must-have of theirs is "Peace and Love" with more sad ballads & lively tunes that make you want to grunt out the lyrics along with them!
Shane MacGowan wrote most of their songs, a truly talented storyteller. . . and sadly, also a severe alcoholic. He was also the lead singer until the rest of the band got tired of him showing up drunk and late or not at all. He now has another band, but he still drinks. It's incredibly sad to watch a good person slowly killing themselves, especially someone who is so talented.
The Pogues music conveys stories that draw you in and affect you deeply, in a profound way, whether it be sadness or joy. . . it's because their music is so full of passion.
There isn't one single Pogues song that I don't like, and you can't say that about too many bands. . . at least none come to mind anyway.

.

1ST DAY OF MARCH
With originals like "Streams Of Whiskey" & "Dark Steets of London", frontman Shane MacGowan not only established himself as a formidable songwriter but a man with a mission: to bring Irish Music kicking & screaming into the 20th Century. Oft overshadowed by the glories of Rum, Sodomy & Fall From Grace, the Pogues' debut captures the band at their most gritty and raucous. As for traditionals, they didn't tip their hat & pay their respects so much as assault--whipping any sense of nostalgia into a pulp to get to the heart of the song.

I'd say their version of "The Auld Triangle" remains definitive, leaving the Clancy Brothers choking in the dust. The same goes for "Kitty". Its beauty offset even more by the reckless abandon that surrounds it.

Lyrically & musically, MacGowan was on the top of his game. And would remain so for 2 more albums. "Boys From Country Hell" remains one of my all time favorites. The same goes for "Down In The Ground". Instrumentals like "Repeal" go to show that the rest of the band were no joke.

To put it into perspective, this just about blew away everything else I was listening to in the 80's. It made my Smiths records cower in fear. They bee-yatch slapped REM. Justly gave the finger to Goth acts like Bauhaus & The Cure while being more death obsessed than either. If they had a showdown with post London Calling Clash, The Pogues would have outdrew them at the time of this release. It was a breath of fresh, foul air.

Far from a novelty act, they had a knack for making old songs sound new & new ones old. Listening to it again some 19 years later, Red Roses still doesn't sound dated. Truely the sound of a bunch of drunken pirates setting their ship on fire. Their pistol blarin' best next to RUM SODOMY & THE LASH. After that, they FELL FROM GRACE & PEACE & LOVE dumped them off into HELL'S DITCH. From which they never recovered. .

Another Great Pogues CD
All 3 CDs are great in their own way. Between this , If I Should Fall From Grace, and Rum Sodomy and The Lash the Pogues produced a spectacular body of work. On Red Roses For Me the band combines traditional Irish tunes with their own unique sound and Shane MacGowen never sounded any better than he does here. Great lyrics and fabulous music. You can't miss here.

The Pogues RULE!
These are great songs for partying and gambling, and in general just being festive. I really like the way The Pogues combine a classic Irish sound with their own style.

Four Roses
Grab yourself a pint of four roses --don't walk-- run for the roses--the Pogues best discs are back in print with this great remastered re-release--and raise a frosty mug with me to this delightful brew.

You can see a complete list of all The Pogues discography, or go back to the The Pogues tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.