Dirty Old Town

The Pogues

I met my love by the gas works wall
Dreamed a 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
Spring's 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 gas works wall
Dreamed a 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


Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death, edited by epiwoosh

Dirty Old Town Lyrics as written by Ewan Maccoll

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Dirty Old Town song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • +2
    General CommentThis song is about Salford, which is in fact a dirty old town. A 2005 survey rated the city as the 9th worst place to live in the UK.
    ginissimoon March 13, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General CommentThere's a kind of defiant pride to this. Like," yes it's filthy and indutrialized, but it's mine."
    Written about his home town
    yomejustaon December 08, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General CommentYeah it was written by Ewan McCall only it was written about either Salford or Stockport. When the Pogues came to Manchester, they actually told the crown that "this song was written about living around here". Thanks Shane
    conorwon December 23, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General CommentMcColl apparantly didn't like the Pogues' cover of this song at first. Fortunately for him, he changed his mind.
    NellieWhiskeyon June 29, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General CommentSurely should have a link to Ewen MacColl whi wrote the song.
    neil104159on July 05, 2022   Link
  • 0
    General Commenti think it was written by kirsty mcolls father Ewan for a musical about growing up in Sheffeild and the pouges covered it. but it could describe any industrialised city in the uk.
    boggleson February 19, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General CommentYeah it was written by Ewan McCall. I recon they done an excellent version.
    ThePogueson August 27, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Commentincredible song,amazing lyrics i cant say anymore
    ronaldo6on April 01, 2007   Link

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