List of songs recorded by the Pogues
The Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band the Pogues have recorded songs for seven studio albums as well as one extended play, twenty singles, and various other projects. Having played together occasionally since the late 1970s, Shane MacGowan, Peter "Spider" Stacy, and Jem Finer formed the band in 1982 along with James Fearnley. The group initially used the name Pogue Mahone, an anglicisation of the Irish phrase póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse". Cait O'Riordan and Andrew Ranken had joined by the time of the band's debut album, Red Roses for Me. The album mixed the band's interpretations of traditional British and Irish folk songs such as "Poor Paddy Works on the Railway" and "Greenland Whale Fisheries" with original tracks written by MacGowan, which centred primarily on drinking culture, the darker side of London life, and the experiences of Irish emigrants. The band's second album, Rum Sodomy & the Lash, continued such themes on tracks such as "The Old Main Drag", which depicts a teenager arriving in London and descending into addiction and sex work, and also included cover versions of songs by the folk singers Ewan MacColl and Eric Bogle.
If I Should Fall from Grace with God incorporated a wider range of musical styles, including Turkish and Spanish influences on the tracks "Turkish Song of the Damned" and "Fiesta", respectively, and songs written by newer band members Philip Chevron and Terry Woods. The album also included the song "Fairytale of New York", originally envisaged as a duet between MacGowan and O'Riordan but eventually recorded with Kirsty MacColl after O'Riordan left the band in 1986. The song reached number 2 in the UK singles chart and has come to be regarded as a Christmas classic, regularly placing highly in polls of the greatest seasonal songs of all time. The track "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six", from the same album, proved controversial for its lyrical support of the Birmingham Six, a group of Irishmen imprisoned for terrorism offences in relation to the 1974 Birmingham pub bombings. MacGowan's role in songwriting within the band continued to reduce with their fourth album, Peace and Love, which for the first time featured more songs written by other members of the band than by him; the album was also the band's first not to feature versions of any traditional songs. Although MacGowan again wrote the majority of the songs on the Pogues' next album, Hell's Ditch, it proved to be his last with the band, as he was expelled from the group the following year due to his unreliability and substance abuse issues. Stacy took over as lead vocalist for the group's sixth album, Waiting for Herb, for which Finer wrote the majority of the songs. After the 1996 album Pogue Mahone, which included cover versions of songs originally recorded by Ronnie Lane and Bob Dylan, the band broke up, although they reunited for live shows, with MacGowan again in the line-up, from 2001 onwards. MacGowan died in 2023, but the following year several of the remaining members announced their first live performances in over a decade.
The band also recorded songs that did not appear on their seven studio albums, including many which appeared as the B-sides of singles. They contributed original songs to the soundtracks of the films Sid and Nancy and Straight to Hell, in the latter of which several members of the band also acted. On multiple occasions, they recorded collaborations with Kirsty MacColl and with the Irish band the Dubliners. In 2008, more than forty previously unreleased songs recorded by the band throughout their career were made available in the box set ''Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!!''
Songs
| Indicates single release |
| Song | Writer | Album | Year | |
| "5 Green Queens and Jean" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Afro-Cuban Be-Bop" | 1990 | |||
| "Aisling" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "All the Tears That I Cried" | Mark E. Nevin | 1991 | ||
| "Amadie" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "Anniversary" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Bastard Landlord" | 1990 | |||
| "" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "Big City" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "Big Question Mark" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Billy's Bones" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Blue Heaven" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Boat Train" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "" | Poguetry in Motion | 1986 | ||
| "Bolero del Perro Listo" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Bottle of Smoke" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "Bowery Snax/Spiked" | Philip Chevron | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Boys from the County Hell" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "Bright Lights" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "Call My Name" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Connemara, Let's Go!" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Cotton Fields" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "" | 1990 | |||
| "Danny Boy" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Dark Streets of London" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "Dingle Regatta" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "Dirty Old Town" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "Do You Believe in Magic" | Zal Yanovsky | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "" | Traditional | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Down All the Days" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Down in the Ground Where the Dead Men Go" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "Driving Through the City" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Drunken Boat" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "Eve of Destruction" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Everyman is a King" | Ron Kavana | 1989 | ||
| "Eyes of an Angel" | 1996 | |||
| "Fairytale of New York" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1987 | ||
| "Fiesta" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "First Day of Forever" | 1993 | |||
| "Four O'Clock in the Morning" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "Garbo " | Garbo | 1992 | ||
| "Gartloney Rats" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "" | Traditional | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | |
| "" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Girl from the Wadi Hammamat" | Andrew Ranken | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | |
| "Glued Up and Speeding" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Goodnight Irene" | Traditional | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Got A Lot Of Lovin' To Do" | 2008 | |||
| "Greenland Whale Fisheries" | Traditional | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | |
| "Gridlock" | Andrew Ranken | Peace and Love | 1989 | |
| "Harmonicas" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Haunted" | Sid and Nancy | 1986 | ||
| "Haunting" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "Hell's Ditch" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Honky Tonk Women" | Keith Richards | 1988 | ||
| "Hot Asphalt" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Hot Dogs with Everything" | 1986 | |||
| "How Come" | Kevin Westlake | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | |
| "House of the Gods" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "If I Should Fall from Grace with God" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "I Fought the Law" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day" | Traditional | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | |
| "Infinity" | 1990 | |||
| "" | Traditional | 25 Years Celebration | 1987 | |
| "Jack's Heroes" | 1990 | |||
| "Japan" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "JB 57" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Jesse James" | Traditional | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | |
| "Johnny Come Lately" | Copperhead Road | 1988 | ||
| "Johnny Was" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Junk" | Sid and Nancy | 1986 | ||
| "" | Traditional | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Kitty" | Traditional | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | |
| "L'Amoria" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "" | Traditional | 1985 | ||
| "" | Traditional | 1988 | ||
| "Living in a World Without Her" | James McNally | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | |
| "London Calling" | Mick Jones | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "London Girl" | Poguetry in Motion | 1986 | ||
| "London You're a Lady" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Long Cool Day in Hell" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Lorca's Novena" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Lorelei" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Love Theme from Sid and Nancy" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Love You 'Till the End" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "Lullaby of London" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "Lust for Vomit" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Maggie May" | Rod Stewart | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Maidrin Rua" | Traditional | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | |
| "Medley: The Recruiting Sergeant/ The Rocky Road to Dublin/The Galway Races" | Traditional | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | |
| "Metropolis" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "Miss Otis Regrets/Just One of Those Things" | Red Hot + Blue | 1990 | ||
| "" | Philip Chevron | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Misty Morning, Albert Bridge" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Modern World" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "Mountain Dew" | Traditional | 25 Years Celebration | 1987 | |
| "Moving to Moldova" | Terry Woods | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Murder" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Muirshin Durkin" | Traditional | 1985 | ||
| "My Baby's Gone" | Andrew Ranken | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | |
| "Navigator" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Nicaragua Libré" | Traditional | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | |
| "Night on Bald Mountain" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Night Train to Lorca" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "North Sea Holes" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "NW3" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Obsession" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "Once Upon a Time" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "" | Mark E. Nevin | Electric Landlady | 1991 | |
| "Oretown" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "Pachinko" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "Paris" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| ""Paris St. Germain" | Terry Woods | 1993 | ||
| "" | Traditional | 1985 | ||
| "Pinned Down/I'm Alone in the Wilderness" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "" | 1985 | |||
| "Planxty Noel Hill" | Poguetry in Motion | 1986 | ||
| "Pont Mirabeau" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "Poor Paddy" | Traditional | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | |
| "Quiet Day in Blanco Town" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Rabinga" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Rain Street" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Rainbow Man" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Rainy Night in Soho" | Poguetry in Motion | 1986 | ||
| "Rake at the Gates of Hell" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Repeal of the Licensing Laws" | 1984 | |||
| "Rince del Emplacada" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Sally MacLennane" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "Sayonara" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Sea Shanty" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "Shanne Bradley" | 1987 | |||
| "" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "Sit Down by the Fire" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "Sitting on Top of the World" | Terry Woods | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | |
| "Six to Go" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Sketches of Spain" | 1988 | |||
| "Small Hours" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "Smell of Petroleum" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "Something Wild" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Sound of the City Night" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "South Australia" | Traditional | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | |
| "Squid Out of Water" | 1991 | |||
| "Star of the County Down" | Traditional | 1989 | ||
| "Streams of Whiskey" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" | Terry Woods | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | |
| "Summer in Siam" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "" | Spider Stacy | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | |
| "Sunny Side of the Street" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Taranta del Fuente" | Straight to Hell | 1987 | ||
| "Thousands Are Sailing" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "Tombstone" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Tosspint" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Train Kept Rolling On" | 1993 | |||
| "Transmetropolitan" | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | ||
| "" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Tuesday Morning" | Waiting for Herb | 1993 | ||
| "Turkish Song of the Damned" | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | ||
| "USA" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Victoria" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "" | Hell's Ditch | 1990 | ||
| "Waxie's Dargle" | Traditional | Red Roses for Me | 1984 | |
| "When the Ship Comes In" | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | ||
| "Where the Love's Been Gone" | Steven Skull | Pogue Mahone | 1996 | |
| "Whiskey in the Jar" | Traditional | 1990 | ||
| "Whiskey You're the Devil" | Traditional | 1985 | ||
| "White City" | Peace and Love | 1989 | ||
| "Who Said Romance is Dead?" | Just Look Them Straight in the Eye and Say... Pogue Mahone!! | 2008 | ||
| "Wild Cats of Kilkenny" | Rum Sodomy & the Lash | 1985 | ||
| "" | Traditional | 1985 | ||
| "Worms" | Traditional | If I Should Fall from Grace with God | 1988 | |
| "Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah" | 1988 | |||
| "Young Ned Of The Hill" | Ron Kavana | Peace and Love | 1989 |