Pete Doherty and the Libertines cover “ Fairy Tale of New York » by the Pogues in tribute to Shane MacGowan.
The song ” Fairy Tale of New York ” by the Pogues has been a Christmas classic since Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl first sang it in 1987, but this year, three weeks after MacGowan’s death (and 23 years after MacColl’s), the song has a more bitter flavor. The Libertines recently performed the song as a tribute.
Pete Doherty and Carl Barât recorded a typically messy performance and posted it on Instagram. The short clip begins with Barât hammering out chords on a piano while he and Doherty exchange the rare compliments that MacGowan and MacColl used to sing to each other before breaking into the song’s familiar refrain. That’s about all they remember (and that’s okay, since that’s pretty much all everyone seems to remember, ignoring the insults and insults in the rest of the song ) before Barât puts an end to it and wishes Pete a Merry Christmas, before hugging him warmly.
View this post on Instagram
The group also uploaded footage of the entire group performing the song, with hundreds of fans waving their hands and singing along. At the end of the song, the group launched into “ Rest in peace » to the late singer of the Pogues.
Doherty had previously paid tribute to MacGowan during an interview with the show Newshour of the BBC World Service (via NME). “ He was a sort of old romantic who told stories, stories in songs, strong characters. He painted a lot of pictures and fairy tales. » He also spoke about the friendship they shared and how MacGowan helped him through a difficult time in his life. “ When I was in prison, he knew people, who knew people, and he helped me get out of some bad situations, and I felt close to him ” said Doherty.
View this post on Instagram
MacGowan died on November 30 from complications related to pneumonia.
