The Pogues’ Seminal Album Rum Sodomy & the Lash Receives 40th Anniversary Expanded Reissue

The Pogues have announced a 40th anniversary expanded reissue of their seminal 1985 album Rum Sodomy & the Lash.

Arriving October 24th via Rhino, the new 2-CD and 2-LP vinyl editions house the original album, bonus material including B-sides, the Poguetry in Motion EP, a BBC session, and other live cuts/rough mixes. Among the previously unreleased material are live recordings of “A Pair ofr Brown Eyes” and “Sally MacLennane” from Glasgow Barrowland in December 1987, and a rough mix of the band’s version of The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Do You Believe in Magic?” — a Poguetry in Motion outtake.

Get The Pogues Tickets Here

Produced by Elvis Costello, Rum Sodomy & the Lash is often considered The Pogues’ masterpiece and one of the greatest Celtic rock/punk albums of all-time. Costello was initially brought in just to produce the singles, but extended his stay to produce the rest of the album.

“I saw my task was to capture them in their dilapidated glory before some more professional producer fucked them up,” Costello recalled at the time, via Rhino’s press release.

The reissue announcement comes exactly one month before The Pogues’ launch their first North American tour in 13 years, with dates kicking off September 5th in Washington D.C. The trek will see founding members James Fearnley, Jem Finer, and Spider Stacy performing with guest vocalists, following the passing of Shane MacGowan in 2023. Get tickets here.

Pre-order the reissue of Rum Sodomy & the Lash via HMV. See the complete tracklist and product images below.

Rum Sodomy & The Lash 2-CD Expanded Edition Tracklist:
CD 1 – Rum Sodomy & The Lash (1985)
01. The Sick Bed Of Cúchulainn
02. The Old Main Drag
03. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny
04. I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day
05. A Pair Of Brown Eyes
06. Sally MacLennane
07. Dirty Old Town
08. Jesse James
09. Navigator
10. Billy’s Bones
11. The Gentleman Soldier
12. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

CD2:
01. The Parting Glass (B-Side)
02. A Pistol For Paddy Garcia (B-Side)

Poguetry In Motion EP
03. London Girl
04. A Rainy Night In Soho
05. The Body Of An American
06. Planxty Noel Hill

BBC Radio 1 – The Janice Long Show – July 11, 1985
07. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny
08. Billy’s Bones
09. The Old Main Drag
10. Dirty Old Town

Bonus Tracks
11. A Pair Of Brown Eyes (Live at Glasgow Barrowland)
12. Sally MacLennane (Live at Glasgow Barrowland)
13. Do You Believe in Magic? (Rough Mix)

2LP Edition:

Side One
01. The Sick Bed Of Cúchulainn
02. The Old Main Drag
03. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny
04. I’m A Man You Don’t Meet Every Day
05. A Pair Of Brown Eyes
06. Sally MacLennane

Side Two
01. Dirty Old Town
02. Jesse James
03. Navigator
04. Billy’s Bones
05. The Gentleman Soldier
06. And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda

Side Three
01. The Parting Glass (B-Side)
02. A Pistol For Paddy Garcia (B-Side)
03. London Girl
04. A Rainy Night In Soho
05. The Body Of An American
06. Planxty Noel Hill

Side Four
01. Wild Cats Of Kilkenny
02. Billy’s Bones
03. The Old Main Drag
04. Dirty Old Town
05. A Pair Of Brown Eyes (Live at Glasgow Barrowland)
06. Sally MacLennane (Live at Glasgow Barrowland)
07. Do You Believe in Magic (Rough Mix)