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WEDNESDAY CLUB - The Pogues - The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

- A WEDNESDAY CLUB AND SPECIAL BREW PRODUCTION -

If your gums bleed!

 
THE POGUES - The Band Played Waltzing Matilda (1985)

When I lived in Jeddah in the eighties, I was a fit guy, I played tennis, squash, ran and twice a week I played football. Monday nights were always the highlight in the football scene because at the finish we all tripped round to the house of a previously appointed player for beers, food, banter and craic. It was always a great evening and would last a couple of hours and sometimes more for the hard core.

My turn finally arrived, I had been busy for weeks trying to build up my stocks of homemade beer to satisfy the thirsty anticipation of my fellow footbal chums.

A 5 gallon gerry can, 5 kilos of sugar, a case of non alcoholic beer topped up with H20 and a pinch of bakers yeast. Then watch these baby bubbles rise, each one a little more alcohol. You little beauties!.
Bottling was always always a great occasion, usually after about 7 days due to the heat. Shellhunter was always there to lend a hand with the syphoning procedure and became quite an accomplished little helper.  I am  a great believer in training your daughter in the finer things, for later life, and felt this was all part of Shellhunter's 'finishing' school.   

I had prepared the 'stovies' a great dish for Scottish or any other 'piss artists'. It always goes down well after a skin full. I had carefully prepared the background tape and had several tracks from the then Pogues new album 'Rum, Sodomy and the Lash' (1985) . I had just managed to get it from the U.K.  I knew there were lots of Irish guys and this was sure to impress.
Can you imagine my horror when there was a collective shout by my 'Fenian' friends to get that rubbish off.  Have you not got the Dubliners or Paddy Mcgintys Goat, They said!. This is not 'proper' Irish music. They are a fad and will never last. God!. I thought for a horrible moment they were going to ask for the Nolans'.
How do you feel now guys as you join in singing your favourite Irish Christmas Song?. 

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Comments

flycasual said…
bloody hell that's so brutal, upsetting even... I never really bothered listening to the whole song before...I must have been put off from the numerous times and versions you played. Brilliant.
16 January 2013 at 11:37
Old Pa's Corner said…
FC - you may be confusing this with the Tom Waits song Tom Traubert's Blues...which is different song altogeter....and I agree brutal is perfect description
16 January 2013 at 12:08
flycasual said…
A yes, I thought it was very different. I suppose Tom Traubert's Blues is brutal in it's on way...to the ears. Special Brew presents....
16 January 2013 at 12:46
flycasual said…
Brilliant story of course, remember them days well. Coming home from a skate with the promise of elicit home brew! I wish there was that kind of football vibe where I live, need something like that but I just feel the majority of players out there will just want to break my legs.
16 January 2013 at 12:59
sfw said…
Brutal indeed. Fancy a pint?
16 January 2013 at 20:06
Anonymous said…
Fabulous. And what about Shane's own songs? One of the best writers of recent years. He's wasted his talent in a sea of booze and drugs. Not real Irish music? Maybe not but who cares, eh?
16 January 2013 at 22:26
The Swede said…
I'm not a huge Pogues fan, but there are a handful of tracks I really like and this is one of them, tremendous. Brilliant tale too OPC!
17 January 2013 at 08:40
Shell Hunter said…
Ouch, that one really hit the spot. There's not many songs you can find with the lyric 'I went ass over tit'! I've always had a soft spot for the Pogues, they capture a unique spirit, a probably more realistic one judging from this track! I remember those 'bottling days', a young girl felt very important helping her dad.
19 January 2013 at 12:20
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