Retro Video of the Week: "Fairytale of New York" by The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl

Our next holiday-themed Retro Video of the Week comes courtesy of Irish rockers and Celtic punk pioneers The Pogues.  In 1987, they released what would become one of the most beloved Christmas songs of the last 40 years in the UK and Ireland, "Fairytale of New York," featuring British singer Kirsty MacColl.

The song was co-written by Pogues co-founders lead singer Shane MacGowan and multi-instrumentalist Jem Finer.  It's a call-and-response duet sung from the perspective of an Irish immigrant (MacGowan) in New York who's sleeping off a Christmas Eve bender in the drunk tank, where he dreams of his former ladyfriend (MacColl).  The two reminisce about their relationship, and it devolves into them talking shit to each other.

Upon its original release in 1987, it went to #2 on the UK pop chart and #1 on the Irish pop chart.  It has reached the Top 20 on the UK chart in 18 different years since its release, including every year since 2005 -- including the Top 5 the past four years -- and it has made the Top 20 of the Irish pop chart every year since 2007.  It's the most-played Christmas song of the 21st Century in the UK, and was named as the UK's favorite Christmas song in 2012.  

The video features Matt Dillon as a NYC cop who arrests the drunk MacGowan, and apparently the video shoot was fueled with booze all around.  Be warned.  If you're of the PC or sensitive type, there is some colorful and offensive-in-2021 language in the song.  Merry fuckin' Christmas.