Written by Bruce Springsteen has shared a cover of The Pogues A Rainy Night In Soho from an upcoming tribute album to the late, great Shane MacGown.
20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan will also feature covers recorded by Tom Waits, Steve Earle, Primal Scream, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Kate Moss, Johnny Depp with Imelda May, Hozier with Jessie Buckley, The Libertines, The Murder Capital, Dropkick Murphys, Glen Hansard, the surviving members of The Pogues and many more.
Accompanying his cover of A Rainy Night In Soho, a 1986 single from The Pogues’ Poguetry in Motion EP, and the London-Irish band’s first UK Top 40 single, Springsteen has contributed an essay putting MacGowan in a musical lineage of “natural rebels” which includes Woody Guthrie, Little Richard, Hank Williams, Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley.
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“Great art is by nature lawless,” Springsteen writes. “We do not get to choose our obsessions. We do not get to dictate our blessings or our transgressions. It’s a little joke the gods play on us. Shane’s voice was so deeply real, profane and honest, his writing so flashing, alive and historically rich its genesis appeared as a mystery to all including, I believe, its creator. The dangerous joy, the glee and courage, the humour in the face of fate, the wild ramble of a life driven towards the artistic heavens and the daily balm of self-obliteration.
“Shane was all naked bottomless humanity,” he continues. “Threatening to force us to ask ourselves if we were living deeply, authentically. He was raw, hilarious, no apologies and profound. His soul was filled with the transgressive and ecstatic properties of the saints. I don’t know who’ll be listening to my music in 100 years but I know they’ll be listening to Shane’s.”
In his essay, Springsteen also writes of spending an afternoon with MacGowan in Dublin shortly before his death.
“He was not well but he and his wife, Victoria, proved warm and gracious hosts,” he writes. “As I left, I thanked him for his beautiful work, his music, his songs, his life. I stood in his warmth, kissed him and told him I loved him.”
Listen to Springsteen’s cover below:
Meanwhile, The Pogues have announced a Greatest Hits tour of the UK and Ireland.
Surviving members Spider Stacy, James Fearnley and Jem Finer will be joined by a number of special guests for the celebrations.
They will play:
Nov 28: Portsmouth Guildhall
Nov 30: Nottingham, Rock City
Dec 01: Leeds O2 Academy
Dec 03: Birmingham O2 Academy
Dec 04: Manchester O2 Apollo
Dec 05: London O2 Academy Brixton
Dec 07: Newcastle O2 City Hall
Dec 08: Glasgow O2 Academy
Dec 09: Dublin 3Arena, Ireland
Dec 10: Belfast SSE Arena
Dec 12: Killarney Gleneagle Arena, Ireland
