Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six
The Pogues
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Oh farewell you streets of sorrow And farewell you streets of pain I'll not return to feel more sorrow Nor to see more young men slain Through the last six years I've lived through terror And in the darkened streets the pain Oh how I long to find some solace In my mind I curse the strain So farewell you streets of sorrow And farewell you streets of pain No I'll not return to feel more sorrow Nor to see more young men slain There were six men in Birmingham In Guildford there's four That were picked up and tortured And framed by the law And the filth got promotion But they're still doing time For being Irish in the wrong place And at the wrong time In Ireland they'll put you away in the maze In England they'll keep you for seven long days God help you if ever you're caught on these shores The coppers need someone And they walk through that door You'll be counting years First five, then ten Growing old in a lonely hell Round the yard and the stinking cell From wall to wall, and back again A curse on the judges, the coppers and screws Who tortured the innocent, wrongly accused For the price of promotion And justice to sell May the judged by their judges when they rot down in hell May the whores of the empire lie awake in their beds And sweat as they count out the sins on their heads While over in Ireland eight more men lie dead Kicked down and shot in the back of the head
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Written by: SHANE MACGOWAN
Lyrics © DCTM BLVD OBO SPZ MUSIC INC
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
6 facts about this song
Genre Classifications"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" is predominately classified as a folk song.
- The track also blends elements of punk rock, a genre The Pogues are known for revolutionizing.
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Song Composition"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" is a medley of two songs.
- While both tunes discuss troubled times in Irish history, the lyrics contrast significantly.
- "Streets of Sorrow" laments over the general state of the Irish people, while "Birmingham Six" protests a specific event of injustice.
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Lyrics and ThemesThe "Birmingham Six" in the song title refers to six innocent Irishmen wrongfully imprisoned for the Birmingham pub bombings in 1974.
- The lyrics protest against their imprisonment and call for their release.
- Pogues’ lead vocalist, Shane MacGowan, claims he was inspired to write "Birmingham Six" after meeting Hugh Callaghan, one of the real Birmingham Six.
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Controversy and CensorshipAs a result of its contentious lyrics, the BBC banned "Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six."
- During a live broadcast of the program "Whistle Test," the BBC even cut The Pogues' performance of the song.
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Album DetailsThe song was featured on the band's 1988 album "If I Should Fall From Grace with God."
- Despite controversy, the album was a commercial success, reaching number three on the UK Albums Chart.
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Legacy and Impact"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six" remains one of the most politically charged songs by The Pogues.
- In 1991, just three years after the release of the song, The Birmingham Six were freed due to unsound forensic evidence. Some believe the song played a part in drawing attention to their case.
- The track is recognized as a powerful protest song within the music industry reflecting on a dark chapter in British-Irish history.
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"Streets of Sorrow/Birmingham Six Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 8 May 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/9109000/The+Pogues/Streets+of+Sorrow-Birmingham+Six>.
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