Do you really like the song?

MOnica - excellent post at 16.48

It isn’t a song that I either like or dislike. But after I realised that a song I was playing at the time that something terribly sad happened to one of my neighbours I stopped listening to music at any time in my life when something sad happened. The tragic way that Kirsty McCollum died was so sad that it put me off the song I think. I’ve just dug out my Best of the Pogues cd and remembered that the track I love and play on a loop is Thousands are Sailing. Playing it now. Will probably play it over and over again (dog doesn’t like loud music so I don’t play cd’s much these days but she’s at my partners). I’d sing along to it but I’ve lost both my speaking voice and my singing voice ( which has always been awful but is now just a croak). Shane reminds me of something someone wrote about Courtney Love. A lousy singer but a great vocalist. What a wordsmith he was though….(bit weepy now…)

Iam64

MOnica - excellent post at 16.48

Yes, I agree with Monica on this one. People posting, posters don't really like the song but saying they do. Others saying it is herd mentality. Totally stupid I have loved this song for years.

Its ok I guess, I can't say that it falls into my list of Christmas songs but if its played then I listen. 😃

HowVeryDareYou2

I like it, it's preferable to all those cheesy Cliff Richard ones

Oh absolutely! I turn the radio or Tv off till he's finished. I can't abide Cliff Richards & his god bothering lyrics.

Always been my fav Xmas song , but it’s like anything in life , folk like or dislike 🎄

If it's herd mentality then there was an extremely big herd in Dublin showing their approval.

It's OK. Not too fussed either way. I prefer to listen to carols at Christmas, tbh.

Love it!

youtu.be/wTlWQAURWk4?si=mWUNRUaTpiZqF0Za
At his funeral

Love It! My all time favourite Christmas song.

I agree entirely with the OP. I cannot bear this 'song', and will switch off if it comes on the radio. To me it just sounds like a load of angry drunk people arguing in a pub.

The only other song I do this for is "Big Yellow Taxi" by Joni Mitchell - I cannot bear her voice!

I love it , the lyrics are gritty and sung from the heart ,better than cheesy Xmas songs released for Christmas just to make money. How sad the lead singers are dead.When it was played at Shanes funeral it was uplifting and a real tribute to him

I like it, both for itself but also because I was in the sixth form with one of the Pogues so I feel like I have a sort of relationship (which is ridiculous, we weren't close friends or anything, but still...)

Love it. Great tune and poignant story.

Love it! I’ve got it downloaded on my Xmas favourites ….alongside more traditional carols.

I'd rather listen to it all day than listen to Mariah Carey screaming through her song just once

I love it, really and I’m not just saying it. It’s miles better than many other Christmas songs.

I love it. I use it as the ringtone in my phone at this time of year

My husband is Irish, we both love this song, and have done since the day it was released, nobody made us like it!

NotSpaghetti

I have always loved it for its gritty poetic honesty.

Exactly why I love it too.

I hate all the schmaltzy "ooooh isn't Christmas wonderful, and will all be with our loving families, having a wonderful time" songs.

Fairytale of New York is far more realistic

This is also why I liked the KFC advert from 2013 - far more realistic

youtu.be/UKcr1bZMV5s?si=grQ-rtBMJiO5d_82

I bought it when it was first released in 1987, and still love it!
To suggest 'herd mentality' is ridiculous beyond words, I'm sure we're all mature enough to decide for ourselves whether we like a song or not!

I love it. The lyrics are ageless. I also love White Christmas. Both miles apart but brilliant just the same. Can't stand Cliff Richard's cheesy offerings.

I like it. It's very good. I like the way Shame and Kirsty performed the song by acting it not just singing it.

I love Shane McGowan's work - his songs, of course, but also the gravelly growl of his voice. I think that part of the appeal of FTNYC is that it's a contrast to all the schmaltzy songs which assure us that Christmas will be wonderful and magical. We all know that's often not what happens. People do have rows, they get drunk, they look back at the past and wonder what happened.... but the song ends on a hopeful note, as the singer has held on to their dreams.

Shane wrote some fabulous songs. I think that my favourites are The Boys From The County Hell and The Sickbed Of Cuchulainn, but so many of them were good. If I had to classify his work, I would call it modern folk rather than punk.