DESCRIPTION:
"Dirty Old Town" is a song written by Ewan MacColl in 1949 that was made popular by The Dubliners, & recorded by The Pogues for their 2nd album, Rum Sodomy & The Lash.

The song was written in reference to Salford, Lancashire, England, the city where Ewan MacColl was brought up. Salford is, in fact, a city. When he first wrote the song, the local council were unhappy at having Salford called a dirty old town and, after considerable criticism, the words of the song were changed from "smelled a Spring on the Salford wind" to "smelled a spring on the smoky wind".