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"I'm a paddy, that's why," MacGowan told us, proudly. He explained how his using of the word - a traditional put-down of Irish in London, like himself, was about reclaiming and thus defusing an insult, in the same way that hip-hoppers have reclaimed the word "nigger".
MacGowan must have changed his mind - or he's had it changed from him - because the former lead Pogue's latest is called not The Paddy Album but The Crock Of Gold. Recorded with MacGowan's band The Popes, the album was released last week in Ireland and the UK (U.S. release plans are not known yet).
As for the "paddy" song titles - only three of the new tracks have that word in the title: "Paddy Rolling Stone", "Rock'n'Roll Paddy" and "Paddy Public Enemy Number One". Another song, "Skipping Rhymes" utilizes the word in its nursery-rhyme chorus: "Nick-knack paddy whack", etc.
Yes, it seems as if MacGowan has completely lost his mind. Unless of course, The Crock Of Gold is as entertaining as MacGowan's first solo effort, The Snake (our copy hasn't arrived yet). Stay tuned.