Five fantastic Dropkick Murphys songs not be missed on St. Patrick's Day

"Hang 'Em High"

This is the opener to a fantastic Dropkick Murphys album called Going Out in Style. Of course, the band has not left us and continues to make new music, thankfully. The record features other gems such as the title track to the album as well as "Memorial Day." But the group has a way of knowing exactly how to start any album as if they are about to jump on stage.

It takes 27 seconds for the track to truly start but the lead-up is amazing. A drum solo starts the song, followed by an aggressive guitar couple with a group saying, "Hang 'em high!" If you have not heard the track, you might not know what is about to follow but you know the waiting will be worth it. But once everything kicks in, you will be on a four-minute rush of fun.

"(F)lannigan's Ball"

This song might pre-date the 1800s but the Murphys' version appears on The Meanest of Times which also features "The State of Massachusetts," and "Johnny, I Hardly Knew Ya." If you do not own this album and claim to be a Dropkick Murphys fan then I might ask you, "Why?" Sure, they have loads of excellent studio records, and an abundance of fine live albums, but The Meanest of Times is one of their best.

The tune is about a person who throws a party after inheriting some land after he himself has been living in abject poverty. So the track is really about patience and hope but the whole thing ends in a good old-fashioned brawl as the way any good party should. Like every other song on this list, however, the band makes it all sound like such an awesome time.

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