Sally MacLennane
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"Sally MacLennane" is a song by The Pogues, written by lead singer Shane MacGowan and released as a single from their 1985 album Rum Sodomy & the Lash. In June 2021, The Longest Johns collaborated with folk punk band Smokey Bastard to release a cover of the song on YouTube. In the video description, they commented, "Amongst having some of the best original tracks around, Smokey Bastards' version on 'My Son John' was a huge inspiration to us in the first few years of the band. As we were all fans it seemed appropriate to have a crack at this Pogues song."
Factoids
According to MacGowan,
The Elephant man in that song was a real bloke, who used to come in the pub in Dagenham and he was a huge bloke and he used to get into terrible fights and he'd crunch people and one night he got into a fight with another huge bastard and he won the fight, but he got a broken neck in the process. And he went around with a cast around his neck for the next six months, which is why they called him the elephant man. The elephant man broke strong men's necks when he's has too many Powers. Powers whiskey obviously.
Sally MacLennane is a type of stout.[1]
Lyrics
Based on the version TLJ performed with Smokey Bastard.
Well, Jimmy played harmonica in the pub where I was born
He played it from the night time to the peaceful early morn
He soothed the souls of psychos and the men who had the horn
And they all looked very happy in the morning
Now Jimmy didn't like his place in this world of ours
Where the elephant man broke strong men's necks
When he'd had too many Powers
So sad to see the grieving of the people that I'm leaving
And he took the road for God knows in the morning
{Pre-chorus}
We walked him to the station in the rain
We kissed him as we put him on the train
And we sang him a song of times long gone
Though we knew that we'd be seeing him again
(Far away!)
{Chorus}
Sad to say I must be on my way
So buy me beer and whiskey 'cause I'm going far away (Far away!)
I'd like to think of me returning when I can
To the greatest little boozer and to Sally MacLennane
The years went by, the times had changed I grew to be a man
I learned to love the virtues of sweet Sally MacLennane
I took the jeers and drank the beers and crawled back home at dawn
And I ended up a barman in the morning
I played the pump and took the hump and watered whiskey down
I talked of whores and horses to the men who drank the brown
I heard them say that Jimmy's making money far away
And some people left for heaven without warning
{Pre-chorus}
{Chorus}
When Jimmy came back home, he was surprised that they were gone
He asked me all the details of the train that they went on
Some people they are scared to croak but Jimmy drank until he choked
And took the road to Heaven in the morning
{Pre-chorus}
{Chorus 2x}