Dirty Old Town Lyrics
The PoguesMusic Video
Dirty Old Town
I met my love by the gasworks wall
Dreamed the dream by the old canal
I kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town, dirty old town
Clouds are drifting across the moon
Cats are prowling on their beat
Springs a girl from the streets at night
Dirty old town, dirty old town
I heard a siren from the docks
Saw a train set the night on fire
I smelled the spring on the smoky wind
Dirty old town, dirty old town
I'm gonna make me a big sharp axe
Shining steel tempered in the fire
I'll chop you down like an old dead tree
Dirty old town, dirty old town
I met my love by the gasworks wall
Dreamed the dream by the old canal
I kissed my girl by the factory wall
Dirty old town, dirty old town
Dirty old town, dirty old town
Song Details
✍️ Songwriter: Ewan MacColl, 1949
👤 Ewan MacColl: Playwright, folksinger, labour activist - born James Henry Miller on the 25th January, 1915 in Broughton, Salford, Lancashire, England. His parents were Scottish.
📝 Song Brief:
The song was originally written about a town called Salford, in Lancashire — the town where Ewan MacColl was born. It was originally composed for an interlude to cover an awkward scene change in his 1949 play Landscape with Chimneys, set in a northern England industrial town. However, with the growing popularity of folk music, the song became a standard, and was popularized by The Dubliners and Irish-British folk punk band, The Pogues, whose version of the song, released in 1985, is one of the best-known recordings.
The song's lyrics paint a vivid portrait of a grimy, industrial town, but they also express a sense of nostalgia and affection for the place. The singer reminisces about the people, the relationships, and the memories associated with the town.
🍀 Genre: Celtic Rock
👥 Covers: The Levellers, The Waterboys, Jackie Washington, The Spinners, The Settlers, Donovan, Gary Shearston, Chad & Jeremy, Roger Whittaker, The Dubliners, Rod Stewart, The Clancy Brothers, Townes Van Zandt, The Specials, Emscherkurve 77, The Mountain Goats, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Frank Black, Lorraine Leckie, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, Nolwenn Leroy, Bettye LaVette...
🎤 Featured Artists The Pogues - Anglo-Irish Celtic punk band
💿 Album: Rum Sodomy & The Lash
Released: 5 August 1985
Country: UK
Format: 12" Vinyl
Label: Stiff Records
🌿 Other lyrics by The Pogues on this site:
- A Rainy Night In Soho - A reflective song blending romance, memory, and the warmth of shared moments.
- Fairytale of New York - A modern classic weaving hope, hardship, and sharp‑edged humour into a Christmas tale.
- If I Should Fall From Grace With God - A fast‑paced, spirited song full of energy, rhythm, and unmistakable Pogues character.
- The Recruiting Sergeant - A lively reworking of a traditional anti‑recruiting song, delivered with the band’s trademark bite.
- Whiskey You're The Devil - A rousing drinking song with strong traditional roots and a bold, rhythmic drive.
🎸 If you'd like to play this song on guitar, you can view the chord version on our sister site, BellandCoMusic.com.
