’20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan’ is out today, a 36 track tribute with Tom Waits, Springsteen and U2, plus a new ‘Fairytale of New York’ from Hozier and Jessie Buckley.
Some songs come with a warning label, and ‘Fairytale of New York’ is one of them. Touch it and you’d better mean it. Hozier and Jessie Buckley have, and their duet arrives today as part of ’20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan’, a sprawling 36 track tribute to the late songwriter. The official video is below.
Stepping into Shane and Kirsty’s shoes
Nobody is pretending to be Shane MacGowan or Kirsty MacColl here. Hozier and Buckley treat the song as “living reverence”, not imitation, trading verses with soulful grit on one side and fierce emotional resonance on the other. The tragic romance and bruised tenderness are all still there.
Hozier admits he was daunted at first, calling it “such a beloved song in Ireland” that part of it feels like it belongs to the whole island. He says asking Buckley to join him was “likely the most brass my neck has ever exhibited”. She had just won the Oscar for Best Actress for Hamnet and was caring for a newborn, yet still made time for the studio in London. Buckley says stepping into the very studio where Shane, Kirsty and the Pogues recorded the original was “pure joy”.
Thirty-six ways into the songbook
The rest of the tracklist is gloriously unpredictable. Bruce Springsteen takes ‘A Rainy Night in Soho’, Dropkick Murphys tackle ‘The Body of an American’, and U2 turn up with ‘Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’. Glen Hansard does ‘Bottle of Smoke’, while Johnny Depp and Imelda May pair up on ‘Haunted’. Elsewhere you’ll find Tom Waits, Primal Scream, The Libertines, The Jesus And Mary Chain, Steve Earle, Bob Geldof, Kate Moss, The Pogues themselves and Japan’s Pinch of Snuff. Kingfishr and LYRA are in the mix too.
Critics have been warm. MOJO gave it 4/5 as Album of the Month, Uncut gave it 8/10, and The Times and The Observer both made it Album of the Week. Victoria Mary Clarke calls it “the most eclectic, extraordinary and exciting thing that has ever existed in the known Universe”, and says Shane would be “humbled and tickled and thrilled”.
Where to get it, and where the money goes
Artist proceeds go to Dublin Simon Community, which provides housing and healthcare for people experiencing homelessness. The album is available now as a 3 LP Vinyl, 2 CD, Deluxe Bookpack. The bookpack includes liner notes, artists’ contributions, Shane’s drawings and memorabilia. It’s also on digital platforms. The Hozier and Buckley single is on all streaming services today with an official visualiser.
Press play on the duet first, then work your way through the other 35. Tracklist and more at shanemacgowan.com.
