Rum Sodomy & the Lash

Rum Sodomy & the Lash is the second studio album by the London-based folk punk band The Pogues, released in 1985.

The album's title is taken from a quotation often attributed to Winston Churchill: "Don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy, and the lash." Singer and primary songwriter Shane MacGowan claimed that the title was suggested by drummer Andrew Ranken. The cover artwork is based on The Raft of the Medusa, a painting by Théodore Géricault, with the band members' faces replacing those of the men on the raft.

The album reached number 13 in the UK charts. The track "A Pair of Brown Eyes", based on an older Irish tune, went on to reach number 72 in the UK singles chart. "The Old Main Drag" would later appear on the soundtrack to the film My Own Private Idaho. A remastered and expanded version of Rum Sodomy & the Lash was released on 11 January 2005. The cut "A Pistol for Paddy Garcia", and the B-side of "Dirty Old Town", which only appeared on the initial cassette release, was moved to the bonus tracks. A poem by Tom Waits was also added to the expanded release.^[1]

Reception

Rum Sodomy & the Lash received positive reviews from critics. Mark Deming of Allmusic awarded the album four and a half out of five stars and said that it "falls just a bit short of being the Pogues best album, but was the first one to prove that they were a great band, and not just a great idea for a band."^[2] Robert Christgau gave the album an A and said that "none of it would mean much without the songs--some borrowed, some traditional, and some proof that MacGowan can roll out bitter blarney with the best of his role models."^[3]

It has often made its way on to lists of greatest albums. In 2000 Q magazine placed it at number 93 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. In 2003, the album was ranked number 445 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Pitchfork Media named it the 67th best album of the 1980s.^[4]

Track listing

1. "The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn" (MacGowan) – 2:59
2. "The Old Main Drag" (MacGowan) – 3:19
3. "Wild Cats of Kilkenny" (MacGowan/Finer) – 2:48
4. "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day" (traditional) – 2:55
5. "A Pair of Brown Eyes" (MacGowan) – 4:54
6. "Sally MacLennane" (MacGowan) – 2:43
7. "A Pistol for Paddy Garcia"^† (Finer) – 2:31
8. "Dirty Old Town" (MacColl) – 3:45
9. "Jesse James" (traditional) – 2:58
10. "Navigator" (Gaston) – 4:12
11. "Billy's Bones" (MacGowan) – 2:02
12. "The Gentleman Soldier" (traditional) – 2:04
13. "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (Bogle) – 8:10

† "A Pistol for Paddy Garcia" did not appear on the original album; it is a bonus track on a 1989 issue.

2004 release

1. "The Sick Bed of Cúchulainn" (MacGowan) – 2:59
2. "The Old Main Drag" (MacGowan) – 3:19
3. "Wild Cats of Kilkenny" (MacGowan/Finer) – 2:48
4. "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day" (traditional) – 2:55
5. "A Pair of Brown Eyes" (MacGowan) – 4:54
6. "Sally MacLennane" (MacGowan) – 2:43
7. "Dirty Old Town" (MacColl) – 3:45
8. "Jesse James" (traditional) – 2:58
9. "Navigator" (Gaston) – 4:12
10. "Billy's Bones" (MacGowan) – 2:02
11. "The Gentleman Soldier" (traditional) – 2:04
12. "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (Bogle) – 8:10
13. "A Pistol for Paddy Garcia" (Finer) – 2:31
14. "London Girl" (MacGowan) – 3:05*
15. "Rainy Night in Soho" (MacGowan) – 5:36*
16. "Body of an American" (MacGowan) – 4:49*
17. "Planxty Noel Hill" (Finer) – 3:12*
18. "The Parting Glass" (traditional) – 2:14

*Tracks previously released on the EP Poguetry in Motion

Personnel

• Shane MacGowan – vocals
• Spider Stacy – tin whistle
• James Fearnley – accordion
• Jem Finer – banjo
• Cait O'Riordan – bass, vocals on "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day"
• Andrew Ranken – drums
• Philip Chevron – guitar

Additional personnel

• Henry Benagh – fiddle
• Dick Cuthell – horn
• Tommy Keane – uileann pipes

References

1. ^ http://www.cluas.com/music/albums/pogues-rum-sodomy-lash-9043.htm
2. ^ ^{a b} Rum Sodomy & the Lash - The Pogues | AllMusic
3. ^ ^{a b} Robert Christgau: CG: The Pogues
4. ^ http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/36736/Top_100_Albums_of_the_1980s/page_4

External links

• Poguetry.com
• Favorite Album of Colin Meloy of The Decemberists