St. Patrick’s Day calls for traditional Irish food, lucky green decorations, and, of course, the best Irish songs to sing along to over a pint of Guinness. The greatest thing about putting together a playlist of St. Patrick’s Day songs is there is so much variety to choose from. There are those traditional Irish folk songs that have be recorded and re-interpreted over the years. There are straight-ahead bangers that just so happened to be recorded by bands who come from Ireland. There are the hybrid acts, which somehow manage to combine the old with the new. There are those perennial staples like Van Morrison, new songs from artists like Ed Sheeran, and famous needle-drops from unforgettable movies like The Departed or The Commitments. And then there’s U2, whose frontman Bono famously quips that his group is constantly reapplying for a job, “and the job is best band in the world.”
With such strong traditions to draw from, it’s hard to narrow it down to just 25 songs, but here are our favorite Irish songs for your St. Patrick’s Day playlist. Put on your best Riverdance outfit and get ready to do your funkiest jig (or at least some approximation of one).
1. “Where the Streets Have No Name” — U2
Bono wrote this song while visiting Ethiopia after hearing a story about Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland. The singer wanted to challenge the idea that a person’s religion and income could be guessed by the street they lived on, and instead encourage unity by forgetting about street names.
2. “The Boys Are Back In Town” — Thin Lizzy
Guess who just got back today? This unlikely hit was part of the 1976 Jailbreak album, helping the band earn its first gold record. The song placed at number eight in the U.K. and number 12 in the United States.
3. “The Irish Rover” — The Dubliners & The Pogues
Celebrating 25 years together, The Dubliners thought it was the perfect time to collaborate with “Fairytale of New York” band The Pogues for this Irish folk song. It has been sung by a dozen artists since its original release in 1960.
4. “Zombie” — The Cranberries
Lead singer Dolores O’Riordan was deeply affected by the 1993 IRA bombing in Warrington, and wrote it in memory of the two young victims — Johnathan Ball and Tim Parry. The song took the band in a different direction protesting terrorism, and has become a widely recognized anthem.
5. “I’m Shipping up to Boston” — Dropkick Murphys
The 2006 Academy Award-winning Best Picture, The Departed, helped the band and song gain popularity. Considered Celtic punk, it sold over a million digital copies, and is nearing double platinum.
6. “On Raglan Road” — Luke Kelly
In 1966, famous poet Patrick Kavanagh approached singer Luke Kelly at a Dublin pub and asked if his love poem Raglan Road could be adapted into a song. It is set to the tune of “The Dawning of the Day,” a traditional Gaelic song.
7. “The Foggy Dew” — The Chieftains & Sinead O’Connor
Sinead O’Connor lent her voice for a mournful rendition of the traditional Irish ballad with The Chieftains. The song, originally heard in 1840, is about the Easter Rising of 1916 and encourages Irishmen to fight for Ireland.
8. “Dirty Old Town” — The Pogues
The 1949 folk song is associated with Irish artists, like The Dubliners, and U2. In fact, it was written by Englishman Ewan MacColl, who memorialized his hometown of Salford, near Manchester. Now, the Pogues’ version of the song is the walk-on music for Salford City FC.
9. “Seven Drunken Nights” — The Dubliners
What began as a spoken tale became widely known when The Dubliners shared it in 1967. It reached number one in Ireland and number seven in the U.K. The song is about a man who comes home after a night of drinking and notices signs of his wife’s lover, but chooses to believe her terrible explanations.
10. “Brown Eyed Girl” — Van Morrison
Considered one of Van Morrison’s signature songs, the catchy tune hit number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1967. But its popularity didn’t stop several radio stations from banning it because of the line, “Making love in the green grass.”
11. “Whiskey in the Jar” — Thin Lizzy
Since the 1950s, a number of artists have performed this Irish song — most incongruously Metallica, who in 1999 won a Best Hard Rock Performance Grammy for their take on the tune.
12. “The Rocky Road to Dublin” — The High Kings
The High Kings’ folky music style brought to life the 19th century Irish song about a man who travels from Liverpool to his home in Ireland. Along the way, he comes across beautiful women, thieves, and even spends time with pigs at sea.
13. “Beautiful Day” — U2
You don’t have to be a dedicated U2 fan to recognize this 2000 hit. The optimistic track won three Grammy Awards for Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The helped skyrocket the album it was featured on to multi-platinum status.
14. “Song for Ireland” — Luke Kelly
An ode to the beautiful hills of Ireland, Luke Kelly used his distinct voice to give the masses a song in 1985 they could forever sing with pride and joy.
15. “The Blower’s Daughter” — Damien Rice
Damien Rice left his first single for listeners to speculate who he was singing about, leading many to believe it’s about his clarinet teacher’s daughter. Despite being released in 2001, it didn’t place in U.K. charts until three years later.
16. “Galway Girl” — Ed Sheeran
On St. Patrick’s Day 2017, Sheeran announced his new song which was immediately loved, reaching number two in U.K. charts and number one in the Irish single charts.
17. “C’est La Vie” — B*Witched
Although the Irish girl group’s debut single had a rocky start, the upbeat tune topped the charts throughout Europe and U.S. In 2013, the singers admitted the song was actually about sex.
18. “Danny Boy” — Elvis Presley
This mournful ballad has been heard around the world for over a century. After it was written in Great Britain, it made its way to Ireland, and was brought across the pond by migrants coming to the States. The song has been played at several funerals, including, President JFK, Princess Diana, and Elvis Presley’s.
19. “The Fields of Athenry” — Paddy Reilly
Set during the Irish Potato Famine, the song tells the tale of a man who is caught stealing food for his hungry family, and is sent away to serve his punishment in a foreign land. Paddy Reilly wasn’t the first artist to cover it, but his version was number four on Irish charts for 72 weeks straight! You can often hear Irish sports fans singing the song at matches.
20. “Only Time” — Enya
Many may not know this song by its title, but Enya’s angelic voice makes it hard to forget. The Irish singer’s lyrics became a symbol of hope after the tragic 9/11 attacks, and has even been featured on a Friends episode.
21. “Nothing Compares 2 U” — Sinéad O’Connor
This song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Top 100 and stayed on the charts for 21 weeks, making it synonymous with Sinéad O’Connor in the United States. In fact, the song was written by Prince and recorded by his protégé band, The Family, first.
22. “I Don’t Like Mondays” — The Boomtown Rats
Bob Geldof may be best known for writing charity singles like Band Aid’s “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” and putting on mega-concerts like Live Aid, but before all that he was a member of the Irish band the Boomtown rats. The legend has it that this song was inspired by a school shooting in 1979. When asked why she did it, the 16-year-old perpetrator said, “I don’t like Mondays.”
23. “Riverdance” — Bill Wheelan
It sounds like a cliché, but “Riverdance” still holds the record for the most weeks in the No. 1 spot on the Irish Singles Chart. It’s holding steady at 18 weeks — the closest competitor, at 15 weeks, is “Despacito.”
24. “Breathless” — The Corrs
The Corrs were a band known for blending pop-rock with traditional Irish sounds. “Breathless” is their biggest stateside hit, spending 20 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. And, if you want a mid-2000s flashback, you might remember it from the movie The Wedding Date.
25. “Try a Little Tenderness” — The Commitments
Sure, The Commitments aren’t a real band — they’re a movie band from the film of the same name, a story about an underdog group of musicians in Dublin that wants to perform soul music. As a result, the soundtrack has plenty of covers to choose from, including Mack Rice’s “Mustang Sally,” Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools,” and this slow tune made famous by the Ray Noble Orchestra. (And, if you’re open to using Irish movie songs, don’t forget about “Falling Slowly” from Once.)