The Pogues - Turkish Song Of The Damned

"Turkish Song Of The Damned" by The Pogues off of their 1987 album "If I Should Fall From Grace With God". Wonderful stuff.

Lyrics:
I come old friend from Hell tonight
Across the rotting sea
Nor the nails of the cross
Nor the blood of Christ
Can bring you help this eve
The dead have come to claim a debt from thee
They stand outside your door
Four score and three

Did you keep a watch for the dead man's wind
Did you see the woman with the comb in her hand
Wailing away on the wall on the strand
As you danced to the Turkish song of the damned

You remember when the ship went down
You left me on the deck
The captain's corpse jumped up
And threw his arms around my neck
For all these years I've had him on my back
This debt cannot be paid with all your jack

And as I sit and talk to you I see your face go white
This shadow hanging over me
Is no trick of the light
The spectre on my back will soon be free
The dead have come to claim a debt from thee

Also, there is a nice slower version here if you'd like that http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3uEuHNnmZk

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Pogues
• Shane
• Macgowan
• Turkish
• Song
• of
• the
• Damned
• Album
• fast
• If
• Should
• Fall
• From
• Grace
• With
• God
• Irish

[sxserenade]

Seeing them do this song live is one of the most intensely awesome experiences I have ever had

[wackyruss]

This song is amazing. Its like some Irishmen and some Turkish dudes got together and had a drunken party! Efes and Guiness for all!

[saladfork8]

Once long long ago we were all, all together, not like now with divisions, race, culture. Just when we are figuring it all out, the bastards "in charge" want to take it all for themselves. Well, are we gonna let them? Or are we gonna FIGHT!

[wyrdanation]

This is my favourite song of all times. Just gets me that best feeling ever.

[pionstail]

@Turoyan yes, I agree, the Black Sea Region seems to be the most similar. many say they are influenced by Russia and I'm sure this is true but I think there is a little Celtic in there too :)

[Turoyan]

@pionstail

I think both nomadic connections and also Galatians are the sources of these similarities.Turkey is a traditional country and modern Turks have also native anatolian ancestors and culture.I see some similarities in folk music,dance and costumes.But it depends on the region,I think inner side of anatolia and black sea region has similarities a lot.I can't say they look completely celtic but there are similarities in details.

[pionstail]

@Turoyan thanks so much, your country is beautiful. it's interesting what you say about the carpets, what do you think about the music similarities? do you think it is just that folk music sounds similar around the world or do you think there is perhaps a nomadic connection between Irish and Turkish folk music. For example the music that I saw Turks dancing to in the streets in Istanbul, especially at weddings etc. - are these sounds connected to Irish music, do you think?

[Turoyan]

@pionstail

You are always wellcome to Turkey my friend, happy to hear that.Not obvious at first as you said, but if you look carefully you can see pagan/shaman/anatolian patterns in traditions and art.Especially old hand-made carpets are telling too many things,you can see god,goddess symbols on them.Even 150-200 years old carpets are full of pagan and shaman patterns.Many people even the Anatolian Turks themselves aren't aware of that:)Your observation is admirable, take care!

[pionstail]

@pionstail actually some of the Kurdish-Turkish music that I heard over there seems reminiscent to me

[pionstail]

@Turoyan yeah, I just got back from being in Turkey for five years. There are similarities all right. Maybe not obvious at first but that Celtic/Pagan/Shamanic/Anatolia­n tradition is there and maybe the music met in the middle via Spain.