The Pogues – seminal album, ‘Rum Sodomy & The Lash’ celebrates its 40th anniversary and is getting a reissue

Prepare to raise a glass and stomp your feet as The Pogues’ seminal album, ‘Rum Sodomy & The Lash’ celebrates its 40th anniversary. Originally released on August 5th 1985, the album captured the raw energy and poetic lyricism that defined The Pogues, solidifying their place as one of the most influential bands of their generation.Today (August 5th) marks the 40th anniversary of that original release date.

This 40th anniversary reissue will come in a collectible  2LP red marble vinyl edition and a Deluxe 2CD set, both offering the original album plus a bonus disc that brings together the legendary Poguetry In Motion EP, with tracks from the July 1985 BBC Janice Long session, plus original single B sides. The bonus disc is completed by rare live versions of A Pair Of Brown Eyes and Sally MacLennane recorded at Glasgow Barrowland in December 1987 and a rough mix of  Poguetry In Motion outtake, the band’s version of The Lovin’ Spoonfuls Do You Believe In Magic, all currently unavailable.

Produced by Elvis Costello, Rum Sodomy & the Lash was the second studio album by the London-based, Irish folk punk band. Costello, who was originally brought in to work on the singles, extended his stay to work on the entire album. At the time he said “I saw my task was to capture them in their dilapidated glory before some more professional producer fucked them up.”^[ The album was released on 5 August 1985 and reached number 13 on the UK charts. It features the singles A Pair Of Brown Eyes, Sally MacLennane and Dirty Old Town.

2LP Tracklisting:

Side One

1. The Sick Bed Of Cúchulainn [2:59]

2. The Old Main Drag [3:20]

3. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny [2:49]

4. I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day [2:55]

5. A Pair Of Brown Eyes [4:54]

6. Sally MacLennane [2:44]

Side Two

1. Dirty Old Town [3:46]

2. Jesse James [2:59]

3. Navigator [4:13]

4. Billy’s Bones [2:03]

5. The Gentleman Soldier [2:04]

6. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda [8:10]

Side Three

1. The Parting Glass (B-Side) [2:17]

2. A Pistol For Paddy Garcia (B-Side) [2:32]

3. London Girl [3:07]

4. A Rainy Night In Soho [5:36]

5. The Body Of An American [4:50]

6. Planxty Noel Hill [3:12]

Side Four

1. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny [2:46]

2. Billy’s Bones [2:03]

3. The Old Main Drag [3:18]

4. Dirty Old Town [3:42]

5. A Pair Of Brown Eyes (Live at Glasgow Barrowland) [3:41]

6. Sally MacLennane (Live at Glasgow Barrowland) [2:50]

7. Do You Believe in Magic (Rough Mix) [2:42]

2CD Deluxe Tracklisting:

CD 1: Rum Sodomy & The Lash (1985)

1. The Sick Bed Of Cúchulainn [2:59]

2. The Old Main Drag [3:20]

3. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny [2:49]

4. I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day [2:55]

5. A Pair Of Brown Eyes [4:54]

6. Sally MacLennane [2:44]

7. Dirty Old Town [3:46]

8. Jesse James [2:59]

9. Navigator [4:13]

10. Billy’s Bones [2:03]

11. The Gentleman Soldier [2:04]

12. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda [8:10]

 CD2: Bonus Tracks

 1. The Parting Glass (B-Side) [2:17]

2. A Pistol For Paddy Garcia (B-Side) [2:32]

Poguetry In Motion EP

3. London Girl [3:07]

4. A Rainy Night In Soho [5:36]

5. The Body Of An American [4:50]

6. Planxty Noel Hill [3:12]

BBC Radio 1 – The Janice Long Show – 11th July 1985

7. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny [2:46]

8. Billy’s Bones [2:03]

9. The Old Main Drag [3:18]

10. Dirty Old Town [3:42]

Bonus Tracks

11. A Pair Of Brown Eyes (Live at Glasgow Barrowland) [3:41]

12. Sally MacLennane (Live at Glasgow Barrowland) [2:50]

13. Do You Believe in Magic? (Rough Mix) [2:42]

(PRE ORDER HERE)