Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and More Celebrate Shane MacGowan on Tribute Album
A star-studded tribute album, '20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan,' featuring Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, and others, is set to release in honor of the late Pogues frontman.
%20and%20Tom%20Waits%20(Steve%20Jennings:Getty%20Images).png)
A constellation of musical luminaries, including Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, and the Jesus and Mary Chain, have united to honor the legacy of the late Shane MacGowan of the Pogues. The tribute album, 20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan, is slated for release on November 13 via Rubyworks.
The album promises a diverse range of interpretations of MacGowan's iconic songbook, with Springsteen kicking things off with a cover of the Pogues’ 1986 classic, “A Rainy Night in Soho.”
Springsteen shared a heartfelt tribute to MacGowan, reflecting on the impact of his music and their brief encounter before his passing in 2023. "His soul was filled with the transgressive and ecstatic properties of the saints," Springsteen noted. "I don’t know who’ll be listening to my music in 100 years, but I know they’ll be listening to Shane’s.”
“Every once in a while, every once in a great while an artist comes along whose voice seems to speak to history itself. Woody Guthrie, Jimmy Rogers, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Miles Davis, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Coltrane, Patti Smith, James Brown, Bob Dylan, Aretha Franklin, John Lydon, Hank Williams, Sinatra. Geniuses all, they were both timeless and the embodiment of their moment in time. Many, unsurprisingly, led difficult lives not easily bound by the shackles of convention. They were natural rebels unable to stifle or heed the impulses that led them to their glory and personal hardships. Great art is by nature lawless. 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 humor 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. 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. Though I did not know Shane very well, I spent a lovely afternoon in his presence shortly before he passed. He was not well but he and his wife Victoria proved warm and gracious hosts. 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.”
Beyond Springsteen's contribution, the album boasts an impressive roster of artists, including Primal Scream, Steve Earle, Dropkick Murphys, Glen Hansard, Hozier and Jessie Buckley, Johnny Depp and Imelda May, Kate Moss, Lisa O'Neill, the Libertines, the Murder Capital, LYRA, Johnny Mac and the Faithful, Camille O’Sullivan, Liam Ó Maonlaí, Cronin, Damien Dempsey, Lisa Moorish and Another Day, Madra Salach, Amble, Moya Brennan, David Gray, Garron Noone, Mundy, Picture This, Pinch of Snuff, and the High Kings.
Notably, the Pogues themselves contribute a track, and Tom Waits delivers his first new studio recording in eight years.
According to MacGowan’s wife, Victoria Mary Clarke, the album title, 20th Century Paddy, was a concept MacGowan had always envisioned for himself. The full tracklist and additional participating artists are expected to be revealed soon.
MacGowan's passing on November 30, 2023, at the age of 65, marked the end of an era for Irish punk. As the frontman of the Pogues, he was celebrated for his raw, often humorous, portrayals of Irish life and culture. His legacy includes the iconic holiday hit “Fairy Tale of New York.” Tributes poured in from figures like Nick Cave, Billy Bragg, and Jack Antonoff, underscoring his profound influence. The Pogues had also mourned the loss of bassist Darryl Hunt and drummer Andrew “The Clobberer” Ranken in recent years.
Image may contain Shane MacGowan Photography Face Head Person Portrait Adult and Blackboard
Related Articles
- Springsteen Reimagines Pogues' Classic: 'A Rainy Night in Soho' Gets New Life
- Warped Tour Montreal 2026: Full Lineup and Ticket Info for the Punk Rock Reunion
- Jello Biafra, Dead Kennedys Frontman, Recovering After Hemorrhagic Stroke
Related Articles
Listen to Shane MacGowan & The Popes on Foxsoundi. Click here to listen!
Comments (0)
Login to comment