A Fairytale of Barrowlands

Christmas time for me means A Fairytale of New York, the ironically titled song penned by Shane MacGowan of The Pogues, thirty years ago. Without a syllable to spare, it encapsulates Christmas without a reindeer or a roasting chestnut in sight.

In those thirty years it has topped Christmas charts and has long been ranked one of the most popular songs of the festive season.

Watching The Story of A Fairytale of New York on tv brought me back to the band’s last night of a week of shows in Barrowlands, Glasgow, when they heard the song had reached no 2 in the charts.

It was December 23 and the last night of a week of sell out shows. The Pogues were at their peak with a song we all knew, was a thousand times better than The Pet Shop Boys’ version of ‘Always on my Mind’ that pipped them for the Christmas hit.

But the news of their being eclipsed didn’t dampen their spirits. On the day of that final show, we attended the baptism of Pogues’ manager, Frank Murray’s children before heading to see Glasgow Celtic play Aberdeen in a home game.

There was, as you might imagine, a fair amount of refreshments consumed. And it continued through the show that night. The last show of a tour, the end of five hectic nights in Barrowlands, the final act in a quest to mark their place among the best in the world; second place disappointed, but didn’t dampen their spirits.

We piled on the bus after five encores and headed for The Holiday Inn where the party continued. It was topped off that night when Shane took to the baby grand piano in the foyer of the hotel and, joined by Kirsty McColl, they sang the song. And we all sang it with them. And we cried and laughed and cheered.

I heard them sing that song many times and in many places and, though it remains my favourite Christmas song of all times, it will never be as good as that night.