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
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.

