The love for legendary musician Shane MacGowan is not just obvious within contemporary circles but in the work of fellow artists. It is one thing to note this cover of A Rainy Night in Soho from Bruce Springsteen as a remarkable moment where The Boss pays tribute to The Pogues frontman. But with the context of why Springsteen has performed this for a covers album scheduled for November and boasting a collection of all-time great musicians, that is where A Rainy Night in Soho becomes special. A letter Springsteen published after MacGowan’s death three years ago contextualises this. His respect for the song, the artist, and the quality of MacGowan is clear, and it means there is a strong desire from Springsteen not to impress, but to maintain the enduring charm of an all-time great song. He does just as much with this cover of A Rainy Night in Soho, a single which sets a high standard the album surely cannot contend with.
What A Rainy Night in Soho needs is the stupor MacGowan had. He sang with an open heart which is essential in any song with reflections to make but, as fans of The Pogues will know, MacGowan was a truly unique firebrand. His style is totally singular and what A Rainy Night in Soho provides is a gutting, heart-wrenching piece of work. In the hands of Springsteen, the stylings which fans experienced on his Only the Strong Survive take hold. Lots of brass, piano flourishes and a big orchestral feel as a means not of replacing the original MacGowan spirit, but of trying to get through with the big emotional ideas without the key to unlocking it. Springsteen has a hearty voice which lends itself to these sorts of covers, parts of Tracks II highlighted this, but goes that little step further in trying to capture the quality MacGowan was so comfortable in delivering. It’s the sentimentality which survives, and this comes through the communal feeling Springsteen creates on his A Rainy Night in Soho cover.
Springsteen focuses on the familial experience, the warmth of a cover which conveys that lighter spirit by being a part of this wider, communal fabric. MacGowan’s work is so beloved because he managed to write in a manner deeply personal to him, yet of familiar sensations. Springsteen does well to adapt that and has the right voice for it, though it’s naturally not all that fantastic when compared to the original. An unfair comparison all the same, both greats are different at broadly different tones to their music, though Springsteen has been slipping towards this sentimental route on his most recent albums. That overlap matters for A Rainy Night in Soho. It holds the same truth and beauty as the original but the gravelly tone Springsteen takes is a different emotional output than the tears spilt by MacGowan on the original. They’re two different beasts, and both worth a listen.
A strong start, then, for 20th Century Paddy: The Songs of Shane MacGowan. Go back to that Rum, Sodomy & The Lash original and hear what Springsteen has changed. Crucially, though, is what he keeps similar. That slowed tempo, the slight changes to similar instrumental spots, it’s a nice touch from Springsteen. The Boss so clearly has a love for MacGowan, which goes beyond that of respect between two artists, and it keeps the song together just as much as the sweeter touches Springsteen has at hand. It’s a strong start that’ll feel a lot stronger because the producers chose to lead with The Boss. He’s the biggest draw of them all and remains as relevant as MacGowan’s brilliant wordplay, so why not? A Rainy Night in Soho is in safe hands – the same cannot be said for some of the inevitable dud choices found on the upcoming album.
