Shane MacGowan responds to Jon Bon Jovi's cover of 'Fairytale of New York'

The cover has been slammed by many on social media

Jon Bon Jovi covers 'Fairytale of New York'
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 10th Dec 2020
Last updated 10th Dec 2020

Shane MacGowan has defended Bon Jovi frontman Jon Bon Jovi’s much-maligned cover of The Pogues’ 1987 festive classic ‘Fairytale of New York’.

On Monday (7th December), Jon Bon Jovi announced that as “an early holiday gift” for fans he has released a three-song festive collection called ‘A Jon Bon Jovi Christmas’, featuring covers of ‘Fairytale of New York,’ Tom Petty’s ‘Christmas All Over Again’, and Elvis Presley’s ‘If I Get Home on Christmas Day.’

Kirsty MacColl and Shane MacGowan in 1987

Frequently voted as the greatest Christmas song of all time in polls and the most-played Christmas song of the 21st century in the UK, it was always a bold move for Jon Bon Jovi to cover ‘Fairytale of New York’, and, unsurprisingly, it has been duly savaged by some on social media.

One Twitter user wrote: “Just listened to the Bon Jovi version of Fairytale of New York and I can honestly say, with no exaggeration whatsoever, that my day is ruined.”

Listen to Jon Bon Jovi's cover of 'Fairytale of New York':

Jon Bon Jovi’s take on ‘Fairytale of New York’ sees him sing both Shane MacGowan and Kirsty MacColl’s parts and also change the infamous swearing lines to “You’re a squirrel ‘cause you’re nuts / You’re a kick in the gut.”

Perhaps indicative of the cover’s widespread lack of appeal, the video on Bon Jovi’s YouTube channel has almost three times more dislikes (1.5k) to likes (542) at the time of writing.

The most-liked comment reads: “Those of us in the US with the ability to hear would like to humbly apologize to the good people of Ireland for this dumpster fire of a song cover. I'd rather listen to Yoko Ono's "music". 2020, you've outdone yourself!”

Despite the outpouring of critical comments online, Shane MacGowan has praised Jon Bon Jovi’s take on the track.

Shane’s wife Victoria Mary Clarke wrote on Twitter: “Shane says @BonJovi is a talented guy and he likes the version, and he thinks it’s interesting and soulful.”

Offering her own view, Clarke added: “I think everyone who wants to judge others for their versions should have to sing it themselves to qualify!”

The Pogues’s official Twitter account - which is not run by Shane - had a less complimentary view of the cover.

The account retweeted controversial comments by Irish musician Rob Smith, who called it (amongst other things) “the worst thing to ever happen (in) music… Thanks a lot, Jon. Kid’s crying now saying “Christmas is ruined”.

They replied: “What Rob said.”

Such is its enduring popularity, The Pogues' ‘Fairytale of New York’ is currently at Number 8 on the Official Singles Chart.

The real names of famous rock stars, including Bon Jovi:

Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks


Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović

'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'

Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker


John 5’s real name: John William Lowery


Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback


Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont


Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello


Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano


Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock


King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen


Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson


Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm


Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou


Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga


Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano


Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti


Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose


Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott


Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick


Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III


Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola


Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara


Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary


Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein


Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib


Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal


Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III


Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison


Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg


Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz


Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray


Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.


Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier


Slash's real name: Saul Hudson


Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard


Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona


Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson


Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer


Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones


Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler


Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks


Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell


Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen


Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton


Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan


Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black


Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister


John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin


Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin


Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp


Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion


Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth


David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones


Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman


Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie


Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley


Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank


Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor


Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld


The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans


Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday


Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico


Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne


Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi


Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini


Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis


Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson


Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner


Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad


Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler


Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo


Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel


Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield


Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks


Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch


Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk


Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira


Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)


Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt


Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan


Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke


Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford


M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders


Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett


Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine


Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls


Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews


Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis


Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum


Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain


Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder


Steel Panther’s real names

Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.

Lexxi Foxx’s real name: Travis Haley


Jet Black’s real name: Brian John Duffy


Buddy Holly’s real name: Charles Hardin Holley


Elvis Costello’s real name: Declan Patrick McManus


Rikki Rockett’s real name: Richard Allan Ream


Blackie Lawless' real name: Steven Edward Duren


Maxim's real name: Keith Andrew Palmer


Rat Scabies' real name: Christopher John Millar


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