Sea Shanty

Pogues · Original Album Series:hell's Ditch/if I Should Fall From Grace Wi [2010]

Dear dirty London in the pouring rain

I wish to God I was back in the sea again

Though that belongs to the world of never will be

There was never a wilder bastard than me on the sea



I could fuck all the whores in damnation me boys

Though they wriggled and hollered and made a great noise

Then I'd drink till I stank and then drink plenty more

And I won't go down to the sea any more



But if I had ten pounds then I'd raise a loud cheer

And I'd toast all me neighbours both distant and dear

And I'd shoot back great belly-crippling buckets of beer

And a pox and a curse on the people round here



Wouldn't give you the price of a half pint of beer

Wouldn't give you the price of a cup of good cheer

A pox and a curse on the people round here



A man's ambition must indeed be small

To write his name upon a shit house wall

But before I die I'll add my regal scrawl

To show the world I'm left with sweet fuck all



And when all of us bold shit house poets do die

A monument grand they will raise to the sky

A monument made just to mark our great wit

A monument of solid shit now me boys



I met with Bill James we fought over crusts

I called him a whore and he booted his crutch

We shared out the jack and we thought it a treat

The compliments pass when the quality meet

The compliments pass when the quality meet

The compliments pass when the quality meet

The compliments pass when the quality meet

Sea Shanty - Pogues

The Pogues' "Sea Shanty" stands as a quintessential example of their signature blend of traditional Irish folk and punk energy. Recorded for their 2010 compilation, the track captures the band's enduring commitment to preserving maritime ballads while injecting them with a driving, rhythmic urgency. Featuring the iconic vocals of Shane MacGowan, the song exemplifies the group's ability to reinterpret old-world melodies for a modern audience. It remains a staple of their discography, reflecting the raw, unpolished aesthetic that defined their career and cemented their status as pioneers of the Celtic punk movement.