''Hell's Ditch'' is the fifth studio album by

the Pogues The Pogues are an English Celtic punk band founded in King's Cross, London, in 1982, by Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy and Jem Finer. Originally named Pogue Mahone—an anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish phrase :wikt:póg mo thóin, ''p� ...

, released on 1 October 1990, and the last to feature frontman

Shane MacGowan Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan (25 December 195730 November 2023) was a British-born Irish singer-songwriter and musician, best known as the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of Celtic punk band the Pogues. He won acclaim for his lyrics, whic ...

as a member.

Overview

''Hell's Ditch'' continued the group's slow departure from

Irish music Irish music is music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland. The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music (or Irish folk music). It has remained vibrant through the 20th and into the 21st ...

, giving more emphasis to

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wale ...

and straight

folk rock Folk rock is a fusion genre of rock music with heavy influences from pop, English and American folk music. It arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music re ...

, and forsaking their earlier staples of traditional compositions almost entirely. MacGowan parted with the band after the release of the album, owing to the decline of his reliability as a performer, which was caused by his abuse of alcohol and drugs. Several of the songs on the album have

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

n themes, in sound or in content, including "Summer in

Siam Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

", "The House of Gods" and "Sayonara". The song "Lorca's Novena" draws on MacGowan's affinity for

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

(particularly

Almería Almería (, , ) is a city and municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain, located in Andalusia. It is the capital of the province of Almería, province of the same name. It lies in southeastern Iberian Peninsula, Iberia on the Mediterranean S ...

, which he had discovered years earlier when filming '' Straight to Hell''), and the Spanish poet

Federico García Lorca Federico del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús García Lorca (5 June 1898 – 19 August 1936) was a Spanish poet, playwright, and theatre director. García Lorca achieved international recognition as an emblematic member of the Generation of '27, a g ...

. It tells of the poet's murder by

Francisco Franco Francisco Franco Bahamonde (born Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco Bahamonde; 4 December 1892 – 20 November 1975) was a Spanish general and dictator who led the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalist forces i ...

Nationalist Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation,Anthony D. Smith, Smith, A ...

supporters in the

Spanish Civil War The Spanish Civil War () was a military conflict fought from 1936 to 1939 between the Republican faction (Spanish Civil War), Republicans and the Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War), Nationalists. Republicans were loyal to the Left-wing p ...

, and how his body, never having been recovered, was said to have walked away. "The Wake of the Medusa" is a first-person narrative inspired by

Théodore Géricault Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (; 26 September 1791 – 26 January 1824) was a French painter and lithographer, whose best-known painting is '' The Raft of the Medusa''. Despite his short life, he was one of the pioneers of the Romanti ...

's painting " The Raft of the Medusa", which had appeared on the cover of the band's second album, '' Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash''. The title track is based largely on the life and writings of French author and playwright

Jean Genet Jean Genet (; ; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels '' The Th ...

, in particular '' The Miracle of the Rose'' and '' Our Lady of the Flowers'', with its description of squalid prison life. The album was produced by

the Clash The Clash were an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1976. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they are considered one of the most influential acts in the original wave of British punk rock, with their music fusing elements ...

Joe Strummer John Graham Mellor (21 August 1952 – 22 December 2002), known professionally as Joe Strummer, was a British musician. He was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist, and lead vocalist of punk rock band the Clash, formed in 1976. The Clash' ...

, who later served as a temporary replacement for MacGowan when the band went on tour. The cover art for the album was designed by Joshua Cheuse, who also designed the cover for the '' Clash on Broadway''

box set A boxed set or (its US name) box set is a set of items (for example, a compilation of books, musical recordings, films or television programs) traditionally packaged in a box, hence 'boxed', and offered for sale as a single unit. Music Artists ...

as well as album covers for Strummer and

Big Audio Dynamite Big Audio Dynamite (later known as Big Audio Dynamite II and Big Audio, and often abbreviated BAD) were an English band, formed in London in 1984 by Mick Jones (The Clash guitarist), Mick Jones, former lead guitarist and co-lead vocalist of th ...

Track listing

Standard edition

#" Sunny Side of the Street" (

Jem Finer Jeremy Max Finer (born 25 July 1955) is an English musician, artist and composer. He is one of the founding members of the Pogues. Early life Finer was born in Stoke-on-Trent, England, the son of political scientist Samuel Finer, and the nephew ...

) – 2:44 #"Sayonara" (MacGowan) – 3:07 #"The Ghost of a Smile" (MacGowan) – 2:58 #"Hell's Ditch" (MacGowan, Finer) – 3:03 #" Lorca's Novena" (MacGowan) – 4:40 #" Summer in Siam" (MacGowan) – 4:06 #"Rain Street" (MacGowan) – 4:00 #"Rainbow Man" ( Terry Woods) – 2:46 #"The Wake of the Medusa" (Finer) – 3:04 #"House of the Gods" (MacGowan) – 3:46 #"5 Green Queens & Jean" (MacGowan, Finer) – 2:35 #"Maidrin Rua" (Traditional) – 1:47 #"Six to Go" (Woods) – 2:58

Bonus tracks (2005 reissue)

Whiskey in the Jar "Whiskey in the Jar" ( Roud 533) is an Irish traditional song set in the southern mountains of Ireland, often with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry. The song, about a rapparee (highwayman) who is betrayed by his wife or lover, is ...

" (Traditional) (

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph record, vinyl records and Compact cassette, cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a Single (music), single usually ...

to "Jack's Heroes") – 2:41 (with

the Dubliners The Dubliners () were an Folk music of Ireland, Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in pers ...

) #"Bastard Landlord" (Finer) (B-side to "Summer in Siam") – 3:09 #"Infinity" (MacGowan) (B-side to "Sayonara" 12") – 2:48 #"The Curse of Love" (Finer) (B-side to "Sayonara") – 2:43 #"Squid Out of Water" (MacGowan) (B-side to "A Rainy Night in Soho") – 3:47 #"

Jack's Heroes "Jack's Heroes" is a single released by The Pogues & The Dubliners in 1990, composed by Spider Stacy and Terry Woods, about the Republic of Ireland football squad, then managed by Jack Charlton. The song is to the tune of " The Wild Colonial ...

" (Woods,

Spider Stacy Peter Richard "Spider" Stacy (born 14 December 1958) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, and actor. He is best known for playing tin whistle and sometimes singing for the Pogues. Early life Stacy grew up in Eastbourne. He left school ...

) (

A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of vinyl records and cassettes, and the terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side of a single usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or ...

single) – 3:06 (with the Dubliners) #" A Rainy Night in Soho" (1991 version) (MacGowan) (A-side single) – 4:48

Personnel

Credits are adapted from the album liner notes, except where noted. The Pogues *

– vocals *

– banjo,

mandola The mandola (US and Canada) or tenor mandola (Ireland and UK) is a fretted, stringed musical instrument. It is to the mandolin what the viola is to the violin: the four double courses of strings tuned in fifths to the same pitches as the viola ...

hurdy-gurdy The hurdy-gurdy is a string instrument that produces sound by a hand-turned crank, rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin (or nyckelharpa) bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar ...

, saxophone, acoustic guitar,

lap steel guitar The lap steel guitar, also known as a Hawaiian guitar or lap slide guitar, is a type of steel guitar without pedals that is typically played with the instrument in a horizontal position across the performer's lap. Unlike the usual manner of pla ...

, shaker *

–

tin whistle The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, a class of instrument which also includes the recorder and Native American flute. A tin whistle player is called a whistl ...

harmonica The harmonica, also known as a French harp or mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used worldwide in many musical genres, notably in blues, American folk music, classical music, jazz, country, and rock. The many types of harmonica incl ...

, lead vocals on "The Wake of the Medusa" * James Fearnley –

accordion Accordions (from 19th-century German language, German ', from '—"musical chord, concord of sounds") are a family of box-shaped musical instruments of the bellows-driven free reed aerophone type (producing sound as air flows past a Reed (mou ...

, piano, banjo, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, violin, electric

sitar The sitar ( or ; ) is a plucked stringed instrument, originating from the Indian subcontinent, used in Hindustani classical music. The instrument was invented in the 18th century, and arrived at its present form in 19th-century India. Khusrau K ...

kalimba Mbira ( ; ) are a family of musical instruments, traditional to the Shona people of Zimbabwe. They consist of a wooden board (often fitted with a resonator) with attached staggered metal tines, played by holding the instrument in the hands and ...

* Terry Woods –

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

cittern The cittern or cithren ( Fr. ''cistre'', It. ''cetra'', Ger. ''Cister,'' Sp. ''cistro, cedra, cítola'') is a stringed instrument dating from the Renaissance. Modern scholars debate its exact history, but it is generally accepted that it is d ...

concertina A concertina is a free-reed musical instrument, like the various accordions and the harmonica. It consists of expanding and contracting bellows, with buttons (or keys) usually on both ends, unlike accordion buttons, which are on the front. The ...

, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, accordion, auto harp, lead vocals on "Rainbow Man", "Maidrin Rua" and "Six to Go" * Philip Chevron – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, accordion, backing vocals *

Darryl Hunt Darryl Hunt (February 24, 1965 – March 13, 2016) was an African-American man from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who, in 1984, was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape and the murder of Deborah Sykes, a young wh ...

– bass guitar, bells, congas, backing vocals * Andrew Ranken – drums, tambourine, backing vocals Additional musicians *The Pogues –

percussion A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a percussion mallet, beater including attached or enclosed beaters or Rattle (percussion beater), rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or ...

on "Hell's Ditch", "Maidrin Rua" and "Six to Go" *Siobhan Sheahan – harp on "Summer in Siam" * Fiachra Trench –

string arrangement The string section of an orchestra is composed of bowed instruments belonging to the violin family. It normally consists of first and second violins, violas, cellos, and double basses. It is the most numerous group in the standard orchestra. In ...

on "A Rainy Night in Soho" *Spider Stacy, Terry Woods, Darryl Hunt, Andrew Ranken, John Sheahan, Eamonn Campbell, Paul Verner, Jim Hand, Frank Murray – chorus on "Jack's Heroes" Technical *

– producer *Paul Cobbold – engineer *Joshua Cheuse – cover art *Dave Jordan – producer on "Jack's Heroes" and "Whiskey in the Jar" *Terry Woods – producer on "Jack's Heroes" and "Whiskey in the Jar" *

Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite (born 15 March 1955) is an English record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts The Alarm ...

– producer, mixing on "A Rainy Night in Soho" *Chris Dickie – engineer on "Jack's Heroes", "Whiskey in the Jar" and "A Rainy Night in Soho" *Eamonn Campbell – mixing on "Whiskey in the Jar" *John Sheahan – mixing on "Whiskey in the Jar"

Charts

Certifications

Hell's Ditch demos

The ''Hell's Ditch'' demos (commonly known as the Falconer demos, after the studio in which they were tracked) were recorded prior to this album. "Murder Ska" and "Redemption Song" are both unreleased tracks featuring

on lead vocals. "Victoria" and "Lust for Vomit" are both instrumental versions of songs that later appeared on Shane MacGowan and the Popes' 1994 debut album '' The Snake'', the latter retitled "A Mexican Funeral in Paris". "NW3" and "Murder Ska" were played live as early as 1988 but never properly recorded. A studio version of "NW3" was recorded for inclusion on ''Hell's Ditch'', but MacGowan was unable to deliver a satisfactory vocal performance, leaving the track as an unfinished instrumental. Thus, " NW3" is an early version of " Mother Mo Chroi", which was released on MacGowan's second solo effort, 1997's '' The Crock of Gold''. "NW3" or "Mother Mo Chroi" appears to be very similar in sound and structure to The Pogues' original song "Rake At The Gates of Hell" (released on the 1987 ''Straight To Hell'' soundtrack album). The Falconer demos are widely available on the Internet, and unlicensed copies occasionally surface on the online auction site

eBay eBay Inc. ( , often stylized as ebay) is an American multinational e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, that allows users to buy or view items via retail sales through online marketplaces and websites in 190 markets worldwide. ...

. They also appear on the Pogues box set of rare and unreleased material released by

Rhino Entertainment Rhino Entertainment Company (formerly Rhino Records Inc.) is an American specialty record label and production company founded in 1978. It is currently the catalog division for Warner Music Group. Its current CEO is Mark Pinkus. History Founded ...

on 17 March 2008.

Track listing

#"Murder Ska" (unreleased track) #"Ghost of a Smile" #"Bastard Landlord" #"Summer in Siam" #"Wake of the Medusa" #"NW3" (early instrumental version of Shane MacGowan and the Popes' 1997 "Mother Mo Chroi") #"Victoria" (instrumental version) #"Redemption Song" (unreleased track) #"Lust for Vomit" (early instrumental version of Shane MacGowan and the Popes' 1994 "A Mexican Funeral in Paris") #"Five Green Queens & Jean"

References

{{Authority control 1990 albums The Pogues albums Island Records albums albums recorded at Rockfield Studios