The Pogues are a Celtic punk band from London, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before breaking up in 1996. The band reformed in late 2001, and has been playing regularly ever since, on the US East Coast around St Patrick's Day and across the UK and Ireland. The group has yet to record any new music and, according to Spider Stacy on Pogues.com, has no inclination to do so.
Their politically tinged music was informed by MacGowan and Stacy's punk backgrounds, yet used traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin and accordion.
The Pogues were founded in Kings Cross, a district of Central London, in 1982 as Pogue Mahone—pogue mahone being the anglicisation of the Irish póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse".
"Greenland Whale Fisheries" is a traditional sea song. In most of the versions collected from oral sources, the song opens up giving a date for the events that it describes (usually between 1823 and 1853). However, the song is actually older than this and a form of it was published as a ballad before 1725.
The song tells of a whaling expedition that leaves for Greenland. The lookout spots a "whalefish", and harpoon boats are launched. However, the whale strikes the boat with its tail, capsizing it, and several men are killed. The captain grieves over losing his prey, but especially for having lost his men. He then orders the ship to sail for home, calling Greenland a "dreadful place."
Like most traditional songs, "Greenland Whale Fisheries" exists in different versions. Some change details (such as the date of the expedition), and others add or remove verses. Some modern versions, including the ones recorded by Theodore Bikel, The Chad Mitchell Trio, and later by The Pogues, flip the captain's expression of grief to make him regret losing his catch even more than losing his crew.
Greenland has been inhabited off and on for at least the last 4,500 years by Arctic peoples whose forebears migrated there from what is now Canada.Norsemen settled the uninhabited southern part of Greenland beginning in the 10th century, and Inuit peoples arrived in the 13th century. The Norse colonies disappeared in the late 15thcentury. In the early 18th century, Scandinavia and Greenland came back into contact with each other, and Denmark-Norway affirmed sovereignty over the island.
Greenland Whale Fisheries - Shane MacGowan & The Popes
This awesome song is here played by Shane MacGowan and The Popes.
From the "Live at Montreux" DVD.
Enjoy !
published: 30 Dec 2007
The Pogues SUBTITLED Greenland Whale Fisheries @ Munich, Germany 1985 Live
published: 05 Mar 2017
The Pogues play Greenland Whale Fisheries (HD) Live at the O2, London 20.12.2012
The Pogues play Greenland Whale Fisheries (HD) Live at the 30th Anniversary concert at O2
published: 27 Dec 2012
The Dubliners ~ Greenland Whale Fishery
published: 05 Jan 2012
The Pogues - Greenland Whale Fisheries
"Red Roses For Me" 1984
published: 13 May 2015
Ger Loughlin - Greenland Whale Fisheries
Greenland Whale Fisheries is a well known sea shanty whose earliest version dates back to 1751. Joining Ger Loughlin on this track are Michelle Lynch on Mandolin, Ciaran Connaughton on Bodhran and Eric Kemp on Low Whistle. The music session was filmed for the Paul Farren directed Irish feature film, Where The Sea Used To Be.
Greenland Whale Fisheries is a well known sea shanty whose earliest version dates back to 1751. Joining Ger Loughlin on this track are Michelle Lynch on Mandoli...
Greenland Whale Fisheries is a well known sea shanty whose earliest version dates back to 1751. Joining Ger Loughlin on this track are Michelle Lynch on Mandolin, Ciaran Connaughton on Bodhran and Eric Kemp on Low Whistle. The music session was filmed for the Paul Farren directed Irish feature film, Where The Sea Used To Be.
Greenland Whale Fisheries is a well known sea shanty whose earliest version dates back to 1751. Joining Ger Loughlin on this track are Michelle Lynch on Mandolin, Ciaran Connaughton on Bodhran and Eric Kemp on Low Whistle. The music session was filmed for the Paul Farren directed Irish feature film, Where The Sea Used To Be.
Greenland Whale Fisheries is a well known sea shanty whose earliest version dates back to 1751. Joining Ger Loughlin on this track are Michelle Lynch on Mandolin, Ciaran Connaughton on Bodhran and Eric Kemp on Low Whistle. The music session was filmed for the Paul Farren directed Irish feature film, Where The Sea Used To Be.
The Pogues are a Celtic punk band from London, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before breaking up in 1996. The band reformed in late 2001, and has been playing regularly ever since, on the US East Coast around St Patrick's Day and across the UK and Ireland. The group has yet to record any new music and, according to Spider Stacy on Pogues.com, has no inclination to do so.
Their politically tinged music was informed by MacGowan and Stacy's punk backgrounds, yet used traditional Irish instruments such as the tin whistle, banjo, cittern, mandolin and accordion.
The Pogues were founded in Kings Cross, a district of Central London, in 1982 as Pogue Mahone—pogue mahone being the anglicisation of the Irish póg mo thóin, meaning "kiss my arse".
The Whale (spoken) Here's a song about a whale with a most amazing appetite. (sung) In San Francisco town there lived a whale Who ate pork chops by the pale, By the pill-box, by the suitcase, By the bathtub, by the schooner. Her name was Sara and she's a peach But you can't leave food within her reach Nor nurse-maids, nor Airedales, Nor chocolate ice cream sodas. She eats a lot but when she smiles You can see her teeth for miles and miles, And her adenoids, and her spare ribs, And things too fierce to mention. So what can you do in a case like that? what can you do except sit on your hat, Or your toothbrush, or your grandmother,
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