Celtic Punk: Everyone‰’s Favorite Genre to like on St Patrick‰’s Day

Celtic Punk: Everyone‰s Favorite Genre to like on St Patrick‰s Day

Jonathan Skufca

Another Saint Patrick‰’s Day gone, another multiple pints of Guinness downed, and another big boost in royalties for Celtic Punk bands like Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. I‰’ve mentioned this before, but I genuinely enjoy this genre and basically listen to it every single day. So, in celebration of the holiday where everyone is Irish being over, here‰’s my personal recommendations on where to get started if you only really know “I‰’m Shipping Up to Boston‰” or “Drunken Lullabies.‰Û

The Warrior‰’s Code ‰ÛÒ Dropkick Murphys

This is the album that contains the aforementioned “I‰’m Shipping Up To Boston,‰” and while it‰’s not my favorite DKM record, it, to me, is the perfect introduction to the genre. The first track, “Your Spirit‰’s Alive‰” could not be more indicative of what is to come. Opening with a bagpipe choir before launching to the band‰’s trademark fast-paced punk sound, you know to be prepared for an album of pure Bostonian shenanigans. We also hear some of the band‰’s trademark humor in “Wicked Sensitive Crew‰” and hear their softer subdued side on “The Green Fields of France.‰” There‰’s a reason this album is one of their most popular.

Life is Good ‰ÛÒ Flogging Molly

Definitely the also-rans of the genre, Flogging Molly are far from irrelevant. Touring together with DKM, they definitely know how to draw a crowd, and their most recent album is one of the best Celtic punk records I‰’ve heard in a long time, and shows that the genre is still relevant. Increasing their street cred is a few members—including a lead singer—from the Emerald Isle. “Welcome to Adamstown‰” and “The Hand of John L. Sullivan‰” were both in heavily rotation when the record was released, and both were top contenders for my top 10 songs of last year.

Rum, Sodomy, and The Lash ‰ÛÒ The Pogues

Often credited as one of the first bands to exist within the genre, this album is an absolute CLASSIC and should be required listening for anyone who claims to be a fan of any kind of punk music. Lead singer Shane MacGowan‰’s distinctive tone and incredible songwriting. It‰’s hard to hear the second verse of “The Sick Bed of C̼chulainn‰” and not want to drink and potentially punch an anti-Semitic fascist.

When you pissed yourself in Frankfurt and got syph down in Cologne
And you heard the rattling death trains as you lay there all alone
Frank Rya bought you whiskey in a brothel in Madrid
And you decked some fucking blackshirt who was cursing all the Yids
At the sickbed of C̼chulainn we‰’ll kneel and say a prayer
But the ghosts are rattling at the door and the devil‰’s in the chair

Bastard Bearded Irishmen ‰ÛÒ Rebastard

I can‰’t write this column without giving this Pittsburgh band a shout-out. This, a remastered expanded release of their first record, contains a few covers of folk tunes (“Molly Malone,‰” “Whiskey in the Jar‰Û) but also contains quite a few tunes that should be come classics of the genres, including the fantastic “Drinkem, Drankem, Drunkem.‰” In addition, they‰’ve also written a song about the Pittsburgh Pirates, “The Pirates of Three Rivers,” and have recorded a Celtic-punk influenced version of the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins song “It‰’s A Great Day for Hockey” man gives BBI a 10/10. Would chug an IC Light with them.

I hope more of you explore this fantastic genre. If you ever need more recommendations, feel free to hit me up on Twitter: @JSkuf.