This St. Patrick’s Day, while we drink beer and wear green, let’s also take time to recognize the struggles of the Irish people in their fight for independence from the English. Here are seven songs that will make your St. Patrick’s Day a little more interesting.
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7 Songs To Celebrate the Irish This St. Patrick’s Day
“Give Ireland Back To The Irish” — Wings
Paul McCartney released “Give Ireland Back To The Irish” as Wings’ debut single in February 1972, influenced by the Bogside Massacre—aka Bloody Sunday—that occurred a month before. The song was banned on U.K. radio for its alleged support, specifically, of the Irish Republican Army. In reality it was a general statement showing support for the Irish people in their fight for independence. It’s lyrically simplistic, but its simplicity makes a powerful political statement.
“Irish Blood, English Heart” — Morrissey
Released in 2004, “Irish Blood, English Heart” was Morrissey’s first new song in seven years, and it focused on his split identity as the child of Irish immigrants raised in England. This was one of Morrissey’s more blatant political statements, as usually his work was more ambiguous. It features denouncements of the monarchy, Tories, and Oliver Cromwell, and explores contention between the U.K. and Ireland. According to Morrissey, quoted in the 2010 book Mozipedia, “[The lyrics] touch upon the disgust I feel for the British political system.”
“The Foggy Dew” — The Chieftains ft. Sinéad O’Connor
“The Foggy Dew” is a traditional Irish folk song that chronicles the Easter Rising of 1916, and it’s great for St. Patrick’s Day. This version, released in 1995, features Sinéad O’Connor on vocals, bringing a poignant and sorrowful air to the song. Backed by The Chieftains’ traditional sound, O’Connor’s recognizable voice weaves through the lyrics, describing the actions of the Irish Republican Army as they staged an insurrection in Dublin against British rule.
“Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six” — The Pogues
This song by The Pogues, released in 1988, is split into two parts: the first part “Streets of Sorrow” is performed by Terry Woods, with the second part “Birmingham Six” performed by Shane MacGowan. “Streets of Sorrow” describes the atmosphere on the streets of Northern Ireland during the height of The Troubles. MacGowan’s part, meanwhile, shows support for the Birmingham Six and Guildford Four, which were groups of Northern Irish men falsely accused of bombing English pubs and sentenced to life imprisonment. They were framed and tortured by an English police squad, as MacGowan describes, “the filth got promotion, but they’re still doing time, for being Irish in the wrong place and at the wrong time.”
“The Rocky Road to Dublin” — The Dubliners
This St. Patrick’s Day, “The Rocky Road to Dublin” is a great addition to your playlist. It’s a traditional Irish folk song written in the 1800s by D.K. Gavan and first performed by Harry Clifton. This version by The Dubliners, released in 1964, is one of the more well-known renditions. The lyrics depict the journey a man takes from his home in Tuam, Ireland, to Liverpool, England, and the events and misfortunes he encounters on the way.
“The Luck of the Irish” — John Lennon and Yoko Ono
John Lennon wrote two songs about the Irish fight for independence in the 1970s—”Sunday, Bloody Sunday” in June 1972, inspired by the same event that made Paul McCartney write “Give Ireland Back To The Irish,” and “The Luck of the Irish” in September 1972. The latter includes the line “If you had the luck of the Irish / You’d wish you were English instead,” highlighting the plight of the Irish people under British rule. As a term, “the luck of the Irish” is usually used in a positive light, but here it’s used to call attention to the atrocities of the time. Lennon poses a great question when he sings “Why the hell are the English there anyway?”
“Danny Boy” — Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash’s version of “Danny Boy,” which was first written in 1913, is great if you want to bring a little American gospel to St. Patrick’s Day. It begins with a subtle pipe organ before Cash comes in with his iconic vocals, weathered and matured by age and time. When Cash initially recorded “Danny Boy” in 1965, he changed the perspective of the lyrics to second person, turning it into the speaker lamenting that someone else has died. However, when he recorded it again in 2002, near the end of his life, he returned to the original lyrics, which are written in the first person. He sings, “But if you come and all the flowers are dying / And I am dead, as dead I well may be / You’ll come and find the place where I am lying / And kneel and say an ave there for me.”
Featured Image by Brian Shuel/Redferns
