Fan-Favorite Irish Ballad, Created by a Late Music Icon, Just Received a New Tribute
Dropkick Murphys are having one of those weeks where everything seems to hit at once.
The Boston punk band just released their version of "The Body of an American," a track featured on the upcoming tribute album 20th Century Paddy – The Songs of Shane MacGowan, honoring the late Pogues frontman.
The cover leans into the band's signature mix of grit and Celtic storytelling, paying homage to one of the artists who helped shape their own sound.
For Dropkick Murphys, the song isn't just another recording. Frontman Ken Casey has long credited MacGowan as a major influence, and the band has been performing the song live for years. Now, it officially joins a tribute project that also includes contributions from artists like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits and Hozier, underscoring MacGowan's wide-reaching impact across genres.
That sense of crossover hasn't stopped there.
The band also has new music heading to shelves this week in a different form: a split vinyl release with Haywire titled New England Forever, arriving in stores June 26.
The project finds both bands covering each other's songs while contributing originals, creating a back-and-forth tribute to their shared regional roots and working-class punk identity.
Beyond the studio, Dropkick Murphys are also seeing their music move into television. Their track "Dropped On My Head," originally a bonus cut from For The People, has been chosen as the theme for the upcoming crime drama The Westies, a series centered on New York's infamous Irish-American gang scene.
Meanwhile, the band's live momentum continues to build.
Earlier this month, Dropkick Murphys joined Springsteen,76, and a lineup of major artists for Music America: The Songs That Shaped Us, a special event celebrating American music history.
Their set included an acoustic version of "The Fields of Athenry," a collaboration with Springsteen on "I'm Shipping Up to Boston," and a group performance of "American Land."
And they're not slowing down. The band returns to touring in the UK, Ireland, and Europe starting June 25, followed by festival appearances across North America, including Rocklahoma and Vans Warped Tour dates in Mexico and Florida.
Later this year, they'll join the Power To The People Festival in Maryland alongside Foo Fighters, Tom Morello, Joan Baez and others, before heading to Australia and New Zealand with Rise Against.
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This story was originally published June 22, 2026 at 11:23 AM.