Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six

The Pogues

About Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six

"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" is a political song by the Irish folk punk band The Pogues, written by Terry Woods and Shane MacGowan and included on the band's 1988 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God.


Year:
1988
4:39
217 
#1

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Oh farewell you streets of sorrow
And farewell you streets of pain
I'll not return to feel more sorrow
Nor to see more young men slain
Through the last six years I've lived through terror
And in the darkened streets the pain
Oh how I long to find some solace
In my mind I curse the strain

So farewell you streets of sorrow
And farewell you streets of pain
No I'll not return to feel more sorrow
Nor to see more young men slain

There were six men in Birmingham
In Guildford there's four
That were picked up and tortured
And framed by the law
And the filth got promotion
But they're still doing time
For being Irish in the wrong place
And at the wrong time
In Ireland they'll put you away in the maze
In England they'll keep you for seven long days
God help you if ever you're caught on these shores
The coppers need someone
And they walk through that door

You'll be counting years
First five, then ten
Growing old in a lonely hell
Round the yard and the stinking cell
From wall to wall, and back again

A curse on the judges, the coppers and screws
Who tortured the innocent, wrongly accused
For the price of promotion
And justice to sell
May the judged by their judges when they rot down in hell

May the whores of the empire lie awake in their beds
And sweat as they count out the sins on their heads
While over in Ireland eight more men lie dead
Kicked down and shot in the back of the head

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The Pogues

The Pogues are a Celtic punk band from London, formed in 1982 and fronted by Shane MacGowan. The band reached international prominence in the 1980s and early 1990s. MacGowan left the band in 1991 due to drinking problems but the band continued first with Joe Strummer and then with Spider Stacy on vocals before breaking up in 1996. The band reformed in 2001, and has been playing regularly ever since, most notably on the US East Coast around St Patrick's Day and across the UK and Ireland every December. The group has yet to record any new music and, according to Spider Stacy on Pogues.com, has no inclination to do so. more »

2 fans

Written by: SHANE MACGOWAN

Lyrics © DCTM BLVD OBO SPZ MUSIC INC

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind


6 facts about this song

Genre Classifications
"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" is predominately classified as a folk song. - The track also blends elements of punk rock, a genre The Pogues are known for revolutionizing.
Song Composition
"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" is a medley of two songs. - While both tunes discuss troubled times in Irish history, the lyrics contrast significantly. - "Streets of Sorrow" laments over the general state of the Irish people, while "Birmingham Six" protests a specific event of injustice.
Lyrics and Themes
The "Birmingham Six" in the song title refers to six innocent Irishmen wrongfully imprisoned for the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974. - The lyrics protest against their imprisonment and call for their release. - Pogues’ lead vocalist, Shane MacGowan, claims he was inspired to write "Birmingham Six" after meeting Hugh Callaghan, one of the real Birmingham Six.
Controversy and Censorship
As a result of its contentious lyrics, the BBC banned "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six." - During a live broadcast of the program "Whistle Test," the BBC even cut The Pogues' performance of the song.
Album Details
The song was featured on the band's 1988 album "If I Should Fall From Grace with God." - Despite controversy, the album was a commercial success, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart.
Legacy and Impact
"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" remains one of the most politically charged songs by The Pogues. - In 1991, just three years after the release of the song, The Birmingham Six were freed due to unsound forensic evidence. Some believe the song played a part in drawing attention to their case. - The track is recognized as a powerful protest song within the music industry reflecting on a dark chapter in British-Irish history.

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