Released 1992 Length 3:47 Writer(s) Pat Gallagher | Genre Celtic rock, Folk rock Label Cooking Vinyl Producer(s) Mudd Wallace | |
"Las Vegas (In the Hills of Donegal)" is a song by the Irish folk rock group Goats Don't Shave. It was a top 10 hit for the band in 1992, reaching #4 on the Irish singles chart.
Contents
Lyrics and meaning
The lyrics of the song tell of the speaker's desire to turn County Donegal, described to be fame-less and unknown, into a gambling hub, ala Las Vegas. He speaks of walling it off from the rest of Ireland while legalizing casinos and brothels. There are several references made to people from popular and business culture including Jack the Ripper, Neil Blaney, Brigitte Nielsen, Mike Tyson and Donald Trump.
Release and reception
It was first released by the Goats Don't Shave in 1992 with the release of their album, The Rusty Razor. The song found new popularity in the 2000s, not only among people from County Donegal, but people from all over Ireland. The album was a mix of modern material and traditional Irish folk written mostly by Pat Gallagher; their second album 'Out In the Open' harked back to Pat's rockier days with his band 3PM, a very good mix of rock and folk. For more Celtic mixes see HIGHW(A)Y 483
Cover versions
The song has been covered by many other artists including The Dubliners and The Saw Doctors.
Legacy
The song was blared from the Croke Park PA system after Donegal won the Sam Maguire Cup in 2012.