Ten Rock Songs We Celebrated for St. Patrick's Day

Ten Rock Songs We Celebrated for St. Patrick's Day

May the luck of the Irish last you all year...

by Anne Erickson

 Rock, Irish-style?  We celebrated this year’s St. Patrick's Day with a playlist of rock songs that fit the Irish theme. From serious songs about Ireland to punk-tinged Irish tunes to bagpipe rockers, here are 10 tunes fit for a St. Patrick’s Day playlist. If you're still celebrating this week...may they songs carry you.

U2, “Sunday Bloody Sunday”

We can’t have a St. Patrick’s Day playlist without including one of the biggest rock bands out of Ireland. U2's “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” which is about the Bloody Sunday occurrences in 1920 and 1972, is one of the band’s most enduring songs. The anthem begs to bring Irish Catholics and Protestants together as Christians, but the group has often devoted it to other violent incidents.

John Lennon, “The Luck of the Irish”

John Lennon sings about his distaste with British rule in Northern Ireland in “The Luck of the Irish,” as well as the problems that blew up in the late ’60s. The protest song – which is off Lennon’s Some Time in New York City – has Lennon and Yoko Ono talking in Irish terms, mentioning everything from leprechauns to shamrocks.

Wings, “Give Ireland Back to the Irish”

Here’s another Beatle singing a political Irish tune. Paul McCartney released the song “Give Ireland Back to the Irish” as the debut single from Wings. The song discusses the Bloody Sunday massacre in Northern Ireland on Jan. 30, 1972, and was released less than a month after the event.

“I’m Shippin’ Up to Boston,” Dropkick Murphys

Dropkick Murphys hail from Boston, but they sure make Celtic punk like they’re Ireland natives. The tattooed rockers work bagpipes, accordions and banjos into their Irish punk, and “I’m Shippin’ Up to Boston” is a shining example of their sound.

Kyuss, “Green Machine”

Okay, Kyuss is simply cool. The band, which got its start with Queens of the Stone Age’s Josh Homme, isn't Irish but has a song that fits on a St. Patrick’s Day playlist about green: “Green Machine.” The tune is off the band’s 1993 full-length, Blues for the Red Sun.

Flogging Molly, “Speed of Darkness”

Flogging Molly is a fierce outfit that blends punk, rock and folk into a catchy Celtic concoction. We’re going with a slightly more niche Flogging Molly tune for this playlist: “Speed of Darkness.” Why? The song, off their 2011 release by the same name, is their heaviest and speediest ditty.

AC/DC, “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)”

Hailing from Australia, AC/DC are anything but an Irish rock band. So, why is “It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ’n’ Roll)” on this list? It has bagpipes, of course! The tune is famous for bringing bagpipes and hard rock together, with late, Scottish-born band member Bon Scott rocking the bagpipes. For that, AC/DC, “We Salute You.”

Thin Lizzy, “Dublin”

Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott is from Dublin, Ireland, and he croons about his hometown in this somber ballad. In the tune, he laments over a girl who broke his heart, along with his Dublin roots. The song is off the band’s only EP, New Day. Thin Lizzy’s “Whiskey in the Jar” and “Black Rose” are other good picks.

Gary Moore, “Blood of Emeralds”

The guitar hero recounts his unique musical history in this electrifying epic. In “Blood of Emeralds,” Northern Irish musician Gary Moore tells the tale of being born in Northern Ireland and crossing the border to perform music in Dublin. The tune, off After the War, is a sort of call for Irish unity, and it shows off Moore’s unbeatable guitar skills.

Van Morrison, “Celtic Ray”

Northern Irish rocker Van Morrison honors his roots on “Celtic Ray,” the lead track off Beautiful Vision. What makes this song really Irish is the inclusion of towering bagpipes. Morrison went on to record “Celtic Ray” with Irish folk band the Chieftains.  -HC-

Anne Erickson holds years of bylines in Gannett Media publications, as well as music magazines Premier Guitar, Guitar Edge and more. She also hosts radio shows with iHeartRadio and has been syndicated in Seattle, Dayton, Central Coast California and beyond. Anne is a loyal Spartan and holds a Master’s degree from MSU. She resides in Lansing, Michigan.A