The Greatness of Fairytale of New York

If you celebrate Christmas like me, and you haven’t even started to think about buying your first gift, worry not. You are not alone! Year after year, I let the pre-Christmas stress build like a killer Nor’easter. Not quite sure why I torture myself every year. I guess I know no other way.

But as stressful as this season can be, there’s always the music to take the edge off a little. Topping the list for me, year after year, is the Pogues classic “Fairytale of New York”. Nothing tells me it’s Christmas time like the beautiful, poetic snarl of Shane MacGowan and the sweet voice of the late Kirsty MacColl. It’s Christmas in the drunk tank, bee-otch.

The Pogues – from If I Should Fall from Grace with God

Here’s another great live version of the tune from Irish legend Christy Moore.

Official Site

Check out the video, circa 1987, with Matt Dillon appearing as the cop who escorts Mr. MacGowan to the slammer.