"It was Christmas Eve, babe ..."
The opening lyrics to The Pogues' classic "Fairytale of New York" are timeless.
Now, however, the Irish Christmas ballad is getting a new life, as The Pogues have released a version of the first time they ever played "Fairytale Of New York" live.
The recording is from a December 1987 gig at The Barrowland Ballroom in Glasgow, Scotland, and also features the first time that Kirsty MacColl performed with the band.
You can listen to "Fairytale of New York (feat. Kirsty MacColl) - Live at Glasgow Barrowland, 1987" here via Spotify:
"This is something special," the Pogues said on social media, announcing the new version of their Christmas classic.
"The first time that Fairytale Of New York was ever played live, the night that Kirsty MacColl put her stage fright behind her, the After Tonight lads adding their beautiful brass, and the Glasgow Barrowlands crowd doing their inimitable best as our massed supporting cast.
"We found this in the Pogues vault, asked Steve Lillywhite to spruce it up a bit, and here we are.
"This record is a perfect encapsulation of how the Pogues sounded in our golden age - raw, furious, tender, and passionate. What a beautiful noise!"
Fairytale of New York’s first live outing at Glasgow Barrowlands, Dec 1987. No one knows the words yet! https://t.co/a2846eONdc
— The Pogues (@poguesofficial) November 14, 2025
Speaking about the new version, Lillywhite said: "Not very often can you start a record in 1986 and finish it in 2025.
"They found this fantastic, very first live performance with Kirsty [MacColl] at The Barrowlands in Glasgow doing 'Fairytale' at Christmas, the first Christmas it came out.
"So, it was known, but it wasn't known like it's known now."
Lillywhite said he was at that Barrowlands gig in December 1987 and that he recorded it, though he has "no memory" of doing so.
He continued: "They found the multitrack of the recording, but it was a little ropey.
"And they said, 'Steve, can you work your magic on this live version?'
"So, I went in the studio here with my friend called Neil McLellan, he worked with The Prodigy, andd we sat there for three days and came out with a pretty good alternative version of that song that has all the - even more spirit and spunk, actually - than the studio version.
"It's faster, it's more punk rock, in a way."
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The previously unreleased version of "Fairytale" is now featured on a limited edition Zoetrope 12" vinyl EP, which also includes the original album track along with its instrumental version, and a "set-the-night-on-fire" version of "Dirty Old Town" from the same Barrowland show in December 1987.
Announcing the new EP, The Pogues said: "James, Jem, Andrew & Spider were elated to find this utterly joyous slice of history in the Pogues Vault.
"There’s a magic and electricity here that still sparks and crackles nearly 40 years down the line."
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