Dirty Old Town

History

The Dubliners

Recordings and performances

• The first public performance may have been in the play "Landscape with Chimneys", written for Theatre Workshop, produced by Joan Littlewood, 1951
• The first recording, by MacColl, "Dirty Old Town / Sheffield Apprentice", Topic TRC 56 / 1952
• The flip side of "Hard Case / Dirty Old Town", vocals by McColl and Peggy Seeger, Alan Lomax and the Ramblers, Decca F 10787
• Folk singer Jackie Washington, on his 1962 album Jackie Washington
• Esther & Abi Ofarim Recorded the song in 1963 for their album Esther Ofarim and Abraham. They also recorded versions in French and German, together with a remixed version, with the Hal Mooney Orchestra, for the US release.
• Chad & Jeremy, on their 1964 album Yesterday's Gone Yesterday's Gone
• The Dubliners, on their 1968 album Drinkin' and Courtin'
• Rod Stewart, on his 1969 album An Old Raincoat Won't Ever Let You Down
• Roger Whittaker, on his 1977 album Live In Canada
• The Pogues, on their 1985 second album, Rum, Sodomy and the Lash and was later included at the end of the Rescue Me series finale.
• Played at the memorial service for Stéphane Charbonnier, Paris 2015
• The Mountain Goats, on their 2002 EP, Devil in the Shortwave.
• Johnny Logan covered the song on his album, The Irish Connection.
• U2 played many times on their Zoo Tv Tour
• Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, on their 2003 EP Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead
• Simple Minds, live, on their 2018 album Walk Between Worlds
• The song is used by supporters of Liverpool FC in tribute to Virgil van Dijk.
• The song is also used by supporters of rocketry in tribute to Wernher von Braun.