Top 10 Dropkick Murphys Songs

Photo: Weekly Dig, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The top ten Dropkick Murphys songs boast a Celtic flair to the group’s brand of punk rock. Since 1996, this Massachusetts-based band has built a reputation as one of the most distinctive rock bands ever to grace the music industry.

Boston Hellcats

The Dropkick Murphys were founded in 1996 by Rick Barton, Ken Casey, Jeff Erna, and Mike McColgan. Hailing from Quincy, Massachusetts, this four-man band would have its first replacement the next year when Matt Kelly took Erna’s place as its new drummer. The band’s name was inspired by a detox center named after Dr. John “Dropkick” Murphy. When the band first started playing together, it was in the basement of a friend’s barbershop. It didn’t take long before they began touring and recording.

In 1997, the Dropkick Murphys opened for the Mighty Mighty Bosstones, and this marked the beginning of a breakthrough in the music industry. The boys from Massachusetts needed to get noticed. Before the group was signed by Hellcat Records in 1997, Dropkick Murphys released an EP, Boys on the Docks. In 1998, The Early Years was released as a compilation album by the label Sidekick Records, the same year Hellcat released Dropkick Murphys’ debut album, Do or Die. Part of the production crew with Hellcat was Lars Frederikson.

While touring across the United States to promote its first album, Dropkick Murphys lost its lead singer, McColgan. Upon the 1998 release of Curse of a Fallen Soul, the group issued a statement about McColgan’s whereabouts and why he was no longer part of the lineup. Taking McColgan’s place was Al Barr. Once upon a time, Barr was the lead singer for the Bruisers and was a rival to the Dropkick Murphys. Both bands were from Massachusetts and both were incredibly popular as local favorites.

Where the Bruisers once dominated as one of the top local acts, the Dropkick Murphys were quickly dethroning as their popularity continued to grow. When Barr first learned McColgan was out, he assumed that was the end of his rivals. However, he wound up auditioning for them and joining them. As the new lead singer, the group released “Curse of a Fallen Soul” as a single in 1998.

The Gang’s All Here was Barr’s first album with Dropkick Murphys as its new lead singer. The musical direction of this group bore a similar hardcore punk style to Barr’s old band, the Bruisers. It also had a stronger Irish accent. “10 Years of Service” became the first song to earn the group its first taste of mainstream success. After this, Barton was the next to quit as the Dropkick Murphys were in the middle of working on their third album. In an explanation he gave in 2014, Barton stated that the relationship between him and Ken Casey had soured, and that it served as his cue to move on.

Upon Barton’s departure, four new bandmates joined Dropkick Murphys’ roster. James Lynch joined as a guitarist, while Marc Orrell played mandolin. There was also Ryan Foltz with a tin whistle and Robbie “Spicy McHaggis” Mederios as a bagpipe player. Mederios got his name after an item on a McDonald’s menu while he and the rest of the crew were doing a concert tour in Scotland. In 2001, this lineup released Sing Loud, Sing Proud! as its third album, which included two cult favorites, “The Wild Rover” and “For Boston.” The first of these two was a cover of a traditional folk song, while the second was a popular Boston College fight song.

In 2002, the Dropkick Murphys performed three live shows during a St. Patrick’s Day weekend at Boston’s Avalon Ballroom. This has since become an annual event. As for the 2002 performances, the footage was recorded as a live album, Live on St. Patrick’s Day from Boston, MA. It was at this time that former lead singer Mike McColgan formed Street Dogs, along with another old Dropkick Murphys bandmate, Jeff Erna. This group debuted with Savin Hill in 2003, and it featured Al Barr and Ken Casey performing with Street Dogs for their popular tune, “Stand Up.” Also in 2003, Dropkick Murphys released their fourth studio album, Blackout. This was performed with a slightly altered lineup as Scruffy Wallace replaced McHaggis on the pipes while Tim Brennan was brought in to replace Foltz.

It was also during this time that Stephanie Dougherty unofficially became a member of Dropkick Murphys as a featured vocalist, namely for the re-recorded version of “The Dirty Glass.” This was a popular fan favorite that originally came from 2002’s Face to Face vs. Dropkick Murphys. Another favorite that came from the album was “Time To Go,” a song about the National Hockey League’s Boston Bruins. It later became part of the tracklist belonging to popular video games such as Activision’s Tony Hawk’s Underground and NHL 2005 by Electronic Arts.

Boston Warriors

Going into the 2004 Major League Baseball season, the Dropkick Murphys performed a version of an old Boston Red Sox anthem, “Tessie.” This was later used in 2005 for the movie Fever Pitch and the EA video game, MVP Baseball 2005. After this, the fifth and final album, while contracted with Hellcat Records, was The Warrior’s Code. This 2005 release further heightened the popularity of this Irish-themed punk group as “Tessie,” “Sunshine Highway” and its title track became fan favorites, along with a re-recorded version of “I’m Shipping Up to Boston.” The lyrics came from a poem by Woody Guthrie that the band found in his archives. At first, the song wasn’t hugely popular until after it was heard in Martin Scorsese’s 2006 movie, The Departed. Two music videos were produced in response to the song’s popularity.

After the run with Hellcats Records, 2007’s The Meanest of Times was released by the band’s own label, Born & Bred Records. The first single from it was “The State of Massachusetts,” and it instantly became a regional hit. It also won over the fans across the nation and beyond. In addition to switching labels, there was also another change in the lineup. However, the Dropkick Murphys were still at the peak of their popularity, thanks to the 2010 movie, The Fighter, featuring “The Warrior’s Code” as one of its songs. It was also used in other film productions such as Your Highness and Restrepo. After the release of 2011’s Going Out in Style, the Dropkick Murphys achieved their highest-charting album yet, as it debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200. This was followed by the 2012 release of Going Out in Style: Fenway Park Bonus Edition.

Altogether, Dropkick Murphys has recorded and released twelve studio albums, three live albums, and three compilation albums. It also has three EPs to its credit, a video album, and thirty-five singles. 2013’s Signed and Sealed in Blood had already released two singles before the album itself came out. “Rose Tattoo” was released as a single in November 2012 as a music video, while “The Season’s Upon Us” was released a week before Christmas Day. It also produced two more singles, “The Boys Are Back” and “Out of Our Heads.” The fourth and final single from the album became the opening theme for Boston’s Finest, a reality show that featured the Boston Police Department, which aired on TNT in 2013. At the same time, Captain Morgan used “Prisoner’s Song” in its commercials.

Aside from still rocking the fans with its brand of music, the Dropkick Murphys haven’t held anything back when it came to putting out an energetic performance each time the group was on stage. Even after twenty-five-plus years, there is no sign of Ken Casey or the rest of the Dropkick Murphys crew slowing down anytime soon.

Top 10 Dropkick Murphys Songs

# 10 – Fields of Athenry

“Fields of Athenry” became a popular fan favorite from 2003’s Blackout, the fourth studio album by the Dropkick Murphys. Technically, this is a traditional Irish folk song, but the energetic performance that Dropkick Murphys poured into it felt out of this world. This was a great way to pay homage to the Irish without sounding too folksy. Originally, this 1979 folk ballad was written by Pete St. John and recorded by Danny Doyle about the famine that swept the Irish nation during the 1840s.

Told as a man who stole food while trying to feed his family, it shared what became of his fate when he was sent to a penal colony in Australia. By the 1980s, this had become a favorite song at sporting events in Ireland. There have been various versions of “Fields of Athenry” covered by several artists aside from Dropkick Murphys. However, none have brought the same energetic Celtic-themed flair as the men from Massachusetts did.

# 9 – The Boys Are Back

“The Boys Are Back” was a 2013 song by Dropkick Murphys that declared they were back to pick up where they left off. This came from the album, Signed and Sealed in Blood, and it was performed as a punky Celtic-style celebration that only the talent pool of the Dropkick Murphys could pull off. Designed as a song to let go and make some noise, “The Boys Are Back” had no trouble encouraging listeners to enjoy yet another great song from one of the music industry’s most energetic rock bands.

# 8 – Time to Go

2003’s “Time to Go” was a song written specifically about the NHL’s Boston Bruins. It has since become an anthemic favorite for the city’s hockey fans. Also featured on the popular video games Tony Hawk’s Underground and NHL 2005, the Dropkick Murphys performed this song live at TD Garden during the intermission of a game featuring the Bruins. Like many people who call Boston home, the band members of Dropkick Murphys are avid sports fans who love their teams. “Time to Go” became the perfect rev-up song that did more than just rev up hockey games played by the Bruins.

# 7 – Worker’s Song

In 2003, Dropkick Murphys released Blackout, along with “Worker’s Song” as a tribute to the American working class. Like many other songs produced by the group from Massachusetts, it didn’t hold anything back in exposing how badly the government and society, in general, have treated men and women who constantly struggle just to make ends meet. Instead of being thanked for all that they do, the working class is often abused by authority figures who seem to care nothing about them. “Worker’s Song” revealed the reality of a population that suffers from low pay, high living costs, and is sent to fight wars they don’t always believe in.

# 6 – 10 Years of Service

“10 Years of Service” was the song Al Barr performed during his 1998 audition for the lead singer role with Dropkick Murphys. Prior to joining this band, he was the lead singer for its top rival, the Bruisers. This was a newly written song that was the first big hit from the album, The Gang’s All Here. The music video for it won over a mainstream audience, and it further spiked the popularity of this Massachusetts-based band in 1999. As a band, the Dropkick Murphys often rallied on behalf of workers and veterans who sacrifice so much yet get so little in return. In some cases, their lives are lost in the process. This was a highly energetic song that hammered home strong messages about how badly people are treated by those in positions of power who couldn’t care less about their well-being.

# 5 – The Season’s Upon Us

Released in 2013, “The Season’s Upon Us” was a Christmas song from the Dropkick Murphys that became one of its biggest hits. It came from the group’s eighth studio album, Signed and Sealed in Blood. On the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart, it was a number twenty-three hit. In Canada, it peaked at number 42, and it was popular enough in Australia to peak at number 69. The beauty of “The Season’s Upon Us” was its humorous doses of reality: the holiday season isn’t always as festive as it seems.

# 4 – Rose Tattoo

Signed And Sealed In Blood by Dropkick Murphys

“Rose Tattoo” was released in 2013 from Sign and Sealed in Blood. It became one of the most popular hits from the Dropkick Murphys and remains a cult favorite to this day. This was a great song to pay tribute to lost loved ones as a heartfelt classic. It also didn’t hold back the rockin’ sound, especially with the version featuring Bruce Springsteen when these two talents teamed up. After the tragedy of the Boston Marathon bombing, Springsteen and the Dropkick Murphys performed as part of a charity concert as a tribute to the lives that were stolen at what should have been an enjoyable event.

The inspiration from the mandolin was nothing short of incredible, adding even more charm to a really good song. Part of the inspiration came from Ken Casey’s memory of his grandfather. On his arm, he sports a rose tattoo as a memorial to his grandfather who raised him after Casey’s father died. On the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart, “Rose Tattoo” peaked as high as number twenty-five. It remains an all-time favorite among fans who can relate to it through their own memories and experiences.

# 3 – The State of Massachusetts

The guitar solo featured in “The State of Massachusetts” was one of the song’s highlights, while the mandolin lent this Celtic-influenced rock number its melodic gem. If there was ever a song that defined the Dropkick Murphys as a band, as well as its fans, this is it. On the US Billboard Hot Rock & Alternative Songs Chart, “The State of Massachusetts” became a number fourteen hit.

This was a great song that showcased the pride of the New England state and the incredible legacy it has created as one of the earliest settlements that helped shape the growth and development of the United States of America. Since the start of its career, the Dropkick Murphys have rallied on behalf of the working class. When it comes down to political differences, it’s not about which party has its act together. It’s about who really cares for the people and who doesn’t. This has been a loud and clear statement the band has made since it began in 1996.

# 2 – Tessie

Originally, “Tessie” came from a 1902 Broadway musical, The Silver Slipper. It became a major favorite for baseball fans, especially those who followed the Boston Red Sox. In 2004, the Dropkick Murphys kicked up “Tessie” a few notches with their own version, as it highlighted how the Royal Rooters fan club helped the Boston Americans win the World Series for the first time in 1903. According to the Celtic-style rock group, the idea behind its version of “Tessie” was to rev up the spirit of the Rooters and the Red Sox.

The Boston Red Sox won their first championship in 86 years after defeating the Colorado Rockies in the 2007 World Series. The second version of “Tessie” featured backing vocals from the team’s players at the time, Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Damon, and Lenny DiNardo. This became the Boston Red Sox’s new theme song and was featured in the soundtrack for the 2005 baseball-themed movie Fever Pitch. It also became part of the tracklist belonging to MVP Baseball 2005.

# 1 – I’m Shipping Up to Boston

Fans of the 2006 cult classic The Departed are likely to remember “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” as the song that played wonderfully, paired with a movie that benefited greatly from it. As a result, the movie also boosted the song’s popularity, making it a cult classic. The intro of “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” was amazing, and it’s a hard riff to top as it has since become a favorite that fans will listen to over and over again without tiring. This was independently released in 2007 after the Dropkick Murphys left Hellcat Records.

The Meanest of Times was the first album the group released on its own label, Born & Bred, and was distributed by the Alternative Distribution Alliance. During the 2007 MLB championship season that led to the World Series face-off against the National League’s Colorado Rockies, the American League’s Boston Red Sox star Jonathan Papelbon often performed a little dance to this song. He also did this when the team had its victory parade in downtown Boston. Although “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” didn’t crack into the US Billboard Hot 100, it sold enough copies to become certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also certified silver by the UK’s British Phonographic Industry (BPI).