If you carried a guitar or a mandolin into a bar in the United States and just started playing, you would probably get a few funny looks. In Ireland, however, it’s unusual not to see someone playing an instrument at the pub on a Friday night. Largely neglected even by Americans with Irish ancestry, Ireland’s rich musical culture is as fun-loving as it is morose. Instead of just nodding your head to Irish tunes this March, learn to sing along. Grab a pint of the black stuff and let Release guide your playlist this Parade Day.

There are a certain number of songs that any self-proclaimed fan of Irish music should know. Just as there are jazz standards, which are ingrained in the genre’s culture, the equivalent exists in Irish music. Though covered by every Irish musician worth the whiskey they drink, The Dubliners have recorded some of the most popular renditions of these traditional songs.

Capitalizing on recordings of folk standards and originals alike, The Dubliners are one of the most prolific Irish groups of all time, practically revered as royalty on the Emerald Isle. You’ll be able to find versions of these songs performed by dozens of artists; however, The Dubliners have particularly good renditions of nearly all of them including “Molly Malone,” “Whiskey in the Jar,” “Black Velvet Band” and the once politically controversial “Seven Drunken Nights.” With a whimsical spirit and a dedication to musicianship that seems long gone, artists like The Dubliners, The Clancy Brothers, and The Irish Rovers paved the way for modern Irish groups, who have taken the genre to new heights.

Secondary only to The Dubliners in terms of cultural importance are The Pogues, a Celtic punk group, who rose to prominence in the ’80s and borrowed traditional elements of yesteryear in a less-than-tame approach to Irish music. Derived from póg mo thóin, the Gaelic expression for “kiss my ass,” even their namesake embodies the band’s unruly personality. Fronted by the perpetually drunk Shane MacGowan, The Pogues ushered folk music into the next generation with passionately slurred vocals and a youthful appeal. If you’re looking for a place to start listening, their first three albums are particularly noteworthy and represent the band in their prime. The Pogues’ sophomore and junior LPs, “Rum, Sodomy & the Lash” and “If I Should Fall From Grace With God,” are their magna opera, absolute classics worthy of complete listens.

MacGowan has a certain socially conscious political edge (and the worst oral hygiene you will ever see), yet he carries himself with an attitude that seems to say “screw all the pain, let’s get drunk.” These two albums are full of heartbreak and despair but are matched with an equally upbeat presence that embodies who the Irish are, a people who face hardship directly and combat it with a resilient smile. For the introductory listener, “If I Should Fall From Grace With God,” “A Pair of Brown Eyes,” “Dirty Old Town,” “Bottle of Smoke” and “Sally MacLennane” are all quality tracks that should provide a general understanding of The Pogues. If you find yourself in the holiday spirit, look no further than one of their greatest hits, “Fairytale of New York,” one of the only decent Christmas songs ever committed to tape.

Leaving Galway Bay and the fighting spirit of County Cork behind, Irish music has developed significantly in the U.S. as well. If you haven’t enjoyed the musical suggestions so far, you may find a bigger appreciation for contemporary groups, such as Flogging Molly. With songs like “Drunken Lullabies” and “What’s Left of the Flag,” Flogging Molly merge pub tradition with distortion — and they’re not the only ones to do so. Artists like the Dropkick Murphys and The Tossers have a similar appeal. Check out Dropkick’s popular song “I’m Shipping Up to Boston” and The Tossers’ “Whiskey Makes Me Crazy.” While the Dropkick Murphys take a more punk approach to the genre, The Tossers have more traditional sensibilities, which are evident in their cover of “The Rocky Road to Dublin,” a fiery twist on the classic tune.

It’s impossible to digest decades worth of ethnic tradition in just a few days or even in the few weeks before St. Patrick’s Day. However, a better understanding of the genre can make the holiday that much more fun. Enjoy the festivities this weekend, or as the Irish say, the craic. By exploring some of these musical suggestions, you may find that Irish music wasn’t quite what you thought.