Dirty Old Town

Ewan MacColl wrote it in 1949 about Salford, where he grew up, for the play Landscape with Chimneys. The Dubliners recorded it in 1966 on the album Drinkin' and Courtin'. The Pogues' version, with Elvis Costello on acoustic guitar according to Fearnley's memoir, was released as a single on 19 August 1985 and reached 62 in the UK and 27 in Ireland. The B-sides were A Pistol for Paddy Garcia on the 7-inch and The Parting Glass on the 12-inch.

Pitchfork wrote that the song became MacGowan's from the moment he croaked the first chorus, turning it from a regional plaint into a cosmic blues. The Los Angeles Times said that once the Pogues cut it, the song became forever associated with them. The Guardian described the lyric as an anti-capitalism anthem hidden in a celebratory romantic ballad. Salford City play the Pogues' version as their players walk out.