Concept Albums Explained: The Pogues “Rum, Sodomy & the Lash”
In 1985, the Pogues– that’s Gaelic for the Kisses– released “Rum, Sodomy & the Lash”, what I will call an umbrella concept album. Every track falls under the umbrella of the main concept, every song is a type of, or an example of, that concept. In this case, the concept is the title of the album, and every track relates to either rum, or to sodomy, or to the lash– often a combination of the three.
1985 was an astonishing year for Punk music. In the 21st century, when blueberry pies and toddler papooses might be described as, “that’s so punk-rock”, a punk-rock fife whistle is not so extraordinary. But in ‘85, with hardcore bands like Black Flag and the Exploited putting out seminal albums, the Pogues— playing Irish folk music on entirely acoustic instruments except for a bass guitar— still maintained a Punk Ethos. Yes, the Pogues have full throttle energy on par with any band in history, but that doesn’t make them punkers. It is their Punk Ethos that does it.
So let’s take a stage dive into this album, and find out what makes Punk punk.
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