Fairytale of New York undergoing rewrites and aborted attempts at recording, and losing its original female vocalist along the way, before finally being completed in August 1987. Although the single never reached the coveted UK Christmas number one, being kept at number two on its original release in 1987 by the Pet Shop Boys' cover version of "Always on My Mind", it has proved enduringly popular with both music critics and the public: to date the song has reached the UK Top 20 on fifteen separate occasions since its original release in 1987, including every year since 2005, and was certified double platinum in
The Snake (Shane MacGowan album) Clannad's Máire Brennan, from the soundtrack to the film "Circle of Friends". Like a number of songs recorded by MacGowan's previous band, The Pogues, traditional tunes are sometimes used as a base for a new song (for example, the melody for "The Song With No Name" is based on "The Homes of Donegal"). All tracks composed by Shane MacGowan; except where indicated with: The Snake (Shane MacGowan album) The Snake is the first solo album by Shane MacGowan with backing band The Popes. Released in 1994 by ZTT Records. Guests on the album include Johnny Depp, members of The Dubliners,