You know that feeling when a song starts and you can basically smell the stale beer and cigarette smoke of a 1990s Irish pub? That’s exactly what happens the second that bassline kicks in. We’re talking about The Commitments Mustang Sally, a track that somehow managed to take a 1965 Mack Rice soul standard and turn it into the definitive anthem of working-class Dublin. Honestly, it shouldn't have worked. A bunch of white kids from the Northside playing deep Memphis soul? On paper, it sounds like a disaster. But instead, it became a cultural phenomenon that redefined what a movie soundtrack could actually achieve.
Most people don't realize how much of a gamble this was for director Alan Parker. He wasn't looking for polished session musicians. He wanted grit. He wanted people who looked like they’d spent their last tenner on a bus pass and a pack of smokes. When Andrew Strong—who was only sixteen at the time, which is absolutely mental—opened his mouth to sing, he didn't sound like a teenager. He sounded like he’d been shouting over jackhammers for forty years. That raw, gravelly texture is why their version of "Mustang Sally" isn't just a cover; it’s a total reclamation.
The Raw Power of the 1991 Recording
If you go back and listen to the Wilson Pickett original, it’s smooth. It’s got that classic Stax Records polish. But The Commitments Mustang Sally is different. It’s heavier. The brass section—featuring real-life musicians like Félim Gormley and Dick Meany—punches through the mix with this aggressive, almost desperate energy. It’s the sound of a band trying to escape their reality through four chords and a "ride, Sally, ride" refrain.
The recording sessions at Ringsend Road Studios were legendary for being intense. Parker wanted the music to feel live, even though it was a studio production. They weren't using the over-sanitized digital clicks we hear in pop today. It was analog. It was messy. You can hear the strain in Strong’s voice during the breakdown, and that’s the magic. It’s imperfect. In a world of Auto-Tune, that imperfection feels like a warm hug from a very loud, very talented stranger.
Why Andrew Strong’s Vocal Changed Everything
Think about it. A sixteen-year-old boy from Omagh. He walks into an audition because his dad, Rob Strong (a legendary Irish blues singer himself), was involved in the production. Andrew wasn't even supposed to be the lead. But once they heard that voice? Game over.
His delivery on "Mustang Sally" is what experts call "vocal fry" on steroids. He attacks the vowels. He doesn't just sing "all you wanna do is ride around," he snarls it. This gave the song a blue-eyed soul credibility that usually takes decades to develop. It’s the reason the soundtrack went Triple Platinum in the UK and stayed on the Billboard charts for over a year. People weren't buying a movie tie-in; they were buying a soul revival.
The Cultural Impact: From Dublin to the World
The movie came out in 1991, based on the Roddy Doyle novel. It was a gritty look at the "Hardest Working Band in Showbands," and The Commitments Mustang Sally became its beating heart. Before this, soul music was often seen as something vintage or "classic rock" territory. Suddenly, it was cool again. Every wedding band in the Western world had to learn it. Every karaoke bar from Sydney to Seattle heard a drunk version of it.
But for the cast, it was a bit of a double-edged sword. They weren't a "real" band, yet they were being asked to tour like one. They performed at the Grammys. They opened for icons. The tension between being actors playing musicians and actually becoming the musicians they were portraying is a huge part of the "Commitments" lore.
The Breakup That Wasn't Really a Breakup
There’s a common misconception that the band broke up because they hated each other. Sorta. In reality, they were never a permanent entity. They were a cast. Maria Doyle Kennedy went on to have an incredible acting career (you've probably seen her in The Tudors or Outlander) and a successful folk music path. Glen Hansard, who played Outspan Foster, literally won an Oscar for Once.
But despite their individual successes, they are constantly asked about that one song. It’s the shadow they can’t escape. There’s something a bit poetic about that—a group of fictional characters who became so real that the world refused to let them stop being the Commitments.
Why "Mustang Sally" is the Perfect Soul Template
Musically, the song is a masterclass in tension and release. It’s a standard 12-bar blues structure, mostly. But the Commitments' arrangement adds a layer of "The Big Man" energy—referencing Clarence Clemons and the E Street Band style.
- The Bassline: It’s a walking pattern that keeps the tempo from dragging.
- The Backing Vocals: The "Commitment-ettes" (Angeline Ball, Maria Doyle Kennedy, and Bronagh Gallagher) provide the soulful "ride, Sally, ride" that balances Andrew Strong’s grit.
- The Horns: They use a "call and response" technique that mimics the classic Gospel roots of soul music.
It’s easy to play, but hard to play well. Most bands rush the tempo. The Commitments version stays right in the pocket. They let the song breathe. When the guitar solo kicks in, it’s not flashy shredding; it’s rhythmic and punchy. It’s working-man’s guitar.
The Legacy of the Sound
If you look at the Irish music scene post-1991, you can see the fingerprints of this movie everywhere. It validated the idea that Irish artists could tackle genres outside of traditional folk or U2-style stadium rock. It paved the way for a more diverse sonic landscape in Dublin.
Interestingly, Mack Rice, who wrote the song, actually saw a massive resurgence in royalties thanks to this specific version. While Wilson Pickett made it a hit, The Commitments Mustang Sally made it a standard for a new generation. It’s one of those rare moments where a film creates a reality that eclipses the fiction.
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People still argue about which version is better. Purists will always point to Pickett. But for anyone who grew up in the 90s, or anyone who loves the raw, unpolished side of music, the Dublin version is the definitive one. It has more dirt under its fingernails.
Realities of the "Commitments" Curse
It wasn't all gold records and standing ovations. The fame was sudden and, for some, overwhelming. Andrew Strong struggled with the "Commitments" label for years, trying to establish himself as a solo artist away from the shadow of Joey "The Lips" Fagan and Jimmy Rabbitte. It's tough when your most famous work happens before you're old enough to legally buy a pint in the pubs you're singing about.
The film's legacy is also tied to the economic state of Ireland at the time. Dublin was a different city then. High unemployment, grim prospects. The music in the film represented a way out. When they sing "Mustang Sally," they aren't just singing about a girl in a car; they're singing about the desire to go somewhere, anywhere, that isn't a cramped flat in Barrytown.
How to Capture That Sound Today
If you’re a musician trying to recreate the vibe of The Commitments Mustang Sally, you have to stop trying to be perfect. That's the biggest mistake.
- Lower the Gain: The guitars in the movie weren't overly distorted. They were "crunchy." Think Fender Twin Reverbs pushed just a little too hard.
- Focus on the Pocket: The drummer, Dicky (played by Johnny Murphy, who was actually much older than the rest of the cast), plays behind the beat. It gives the song that "slouchy" feel.
- The Horn Section is Non-Negotiable: You can't do this song with a synthesizer. You need moving air. You need the physical vibration of a trumpet and a sax hitting the same note slightly out of tune with each other.
- Vocals from the Gut: Don't sing from your throat. You have to shout-sing. You have to sound like you’re arguing with the audience and winning.
Actionable Insights for Soul Enthusiasts
To truly appreciate the depth of this track, you have to look past the "wedding song" reputation it has earned over the last thirty years. It's a piece of cinema history that saved a genre for a decade.
- Listen to the "Commitments Vol. 2" Album: Most people stop at the first soundtrack. The second one has "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "I Thank You," which are arguably even better showcases of the band's raw power.
- Watch the Documentary "The Commitments: Looking Back": It features interviews with the cast twenty years later and details the grueling rehearsal schedule they endured to look like a real band.
- Explore the Stax Records Catalog: If you love this sound, dive into Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, and Isaac Hayes. The Commitments were essentially a love letter to the 1960s Stax era.
- Check Out the West End Musical: If you're ever in London or catch a touring production, the stage show recreates the energy of the film with a live cast that actually plays their own instruments, keeping the spirit of the original Dublin Northside soul alive.
The brilliance of the Commitments wasn't that they were the best soul band in the world. It was that they believed they could be. When you hear those opening bars of "Mustang Sally," you’re hearing that belief. It’s loud, it’s proud, and it’s unapologetically Irish. It remains a testament to the idea that soul isn't about where you're from, but where you're trying to go.