RUM, SODOMY, AND THE LASH

'''Rum Sodomy & the Lash''' is the second album by The Pogues, released in 1985. The title is taken from a quote often attributed to Winston Churchill ("''Don't talk to me about naval tradition. It's nothing but rum, sodomy and the lash.''")
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. Shane MacGowan claimed that the title was suggested by drummer Andrew Ranken.
In August 1985, the album was launched on HMS Belfast — and one writer at the event was thrown into the Thames. It reached number 13 in the UK charts. The track "A Pair of Brown Eyes" 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 and the Lash'' was released on January 11, 2005. The cut "A Pistol for Paddy Garcia," which only appeared on the initial cassette release, is moved to the bonus tracks.
It has often made its way onto lists of greatest albums. In 2000 ''Q'' magazine placed it at number 93 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever. Pitchfork Media named it the 67th best album of the 1980s.[1]. Colin Meloy of The Decemberists cites it as his favorite album [2]

Contents

Track listing

Bonus Tracks (2004 release)

Personnel

Additional personnel

External links

Track listing

# "The Sick Bed of Cuchulainn" (MacGowan) – 2:59
# "The Old Main Drag" (MacGowan) – 3:19
# "Wild Cats of Kilkenny" (MacGowan/Finer) – 2:48
# "I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day" (Traditional) – 2:55
# "A Pair of Brown Eyes" (MacGowan) – 4:54
# "Sally MacLennane" (MacGowan) – 2:43
# "Dirty Old Town" (MacColl) – 3:45
# "Jesse James" (traditional) – 2:58
# "Navigator" (Gaston) – 4:12
# "Billy's Bones" (MacGowan) – 2:02
# "The Gentleman Soldier" (traditional) – 2:04
# "And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda" (Bogle) – 8:10

Bonus Tracks (2004 release)

# "A Pistol for Paddy Garcia" (Finer) – 2:31
★
# "London Girl" (MacGowan) – 3:05
★
★
# "Rainy Night in Soho" (Fearnley, Finer, MacColl, MacGowan, O'Riordan, Ranken) – 5:36
★
★
# "Body of an American" (MacGowan) – 4:49
★
★
# "Planxty Noel Hill" (Finer) – 3:12
★
★
# "The Parting Glass" (traditional) – 2:14

★ Track previously released on the cassette version of the original album

★
★ 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

★ Andrew Ranken – drums

★ Philip Chevron – guitar

Additional personnel

★ Henry Benagh – fiddle

★ Dick Cuthell – horn

★ Tommy Keane – uilleann pipes

External links

★ Poguetry.com

★ Favorite Album of Colin Meloy of The Decemberists