Tomorrow people all over the world will celebrate the patron saint of Ireland by getting stinking drunk and doing stupid things. More than a few of those drunken revelers will wrap up their St. Patrick's Day celebration by going to bed with someone who ought to be between the sheets with somebody else. So today on Page 300 we pay tribute the time honored tradition of drunken infidelity in song.
The Dubliners are the quintessential Irish pub band, and their take on the traditional "Seven Drunken Nights" was a Top 20 hit on the UK charts in 1967, despite being banned on the BBC for its risque lyrics. The censors would have really freaked out if they had included the rarely recorded sixth and seventh verses. You can find the complete lyrics here, though there are several different variations.
The Dubliners - "Seven Drunken Nights" (mp3) from The Ultimate Collection
Shane MacGowan takes on the same subject as a participant rather than the victim on this track from his debut solo album. His explanation for getting caught in bed with another man's wife is kind of gentlemanly in a warped sort of way. You may not want to blare this at work, as the chorus is chalk full of f-bombs.
Shane MacGowan & The Popes - "Donegal Express" (mp3) from The Snake
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