I've been reading a lot of Hellblazer recently, and writing a fair amount about it here as well. This has led me to research on-line related topics such as author Brendan Behan and rock group the Pogues.
Yesterday, in my review of Hellblazer #76, I mentioned Garth Ennis' penchant for borrowing titles from other writers. In #63, after most of John Constantine's friends have gone home after his fortieth birthday party, the Lord of the Dance says to him, "The Pogues wrote a song that could've been about you. You're a Rake at the Gates of Hell." Ennis would go on to use that as the title of his final storyline.
Until this most recent Hellblazer reread, I'd never heard the song "The Rake at the Gates of Hell", or, as a matter of fact, anything by the Pogues. Now, though, I find that I quite the band. "The Rake at the Gates of Hell" is a great song, and it really could be about John Constantine, at least as Garth Ennis wrote him.
Check out some sample lyrics and see if you don't agree with me:
"Hear the angels call above them
Watch them as the cold air sucks them
Down to hell, goodnight, God love them
If any should escape above me
Beg and cheat until they trust me
Drag them down to be damned with me
Laugh at them as they forgive me "
Better yet, why don't you just listen to the song. Since one of the main purposes of this blog is to share stuff that I like with the world, I present for your entertainment and enlightenment The Pogues with "The Rake at the Gates of Hell."
(By the way, did you know the Pogues also did a song called "Transmetropolitan"?)
"One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain. (so) Hit me with music."
ReplyDelete- Bob Marley
Thanks for the song, Ray. I'm not surprised you favor the Pogues. You've played enough punk songs for me from your private music collection to make me think you have more than a passing fancy for the genre. Maybe you've found a new favorite band for awhile?