Get lucky with these 13 songs for St. Patrick's Day

You've heard the expression "the luck of the Irish." Shamrocks, four-leaf clovers, leprechauns with their pots of gold and all that. With St. Patrick's Day approaching, that got us thinking about songs about luck.

No, not John and Yoko's sarcastically political "The Luck of the Irish," the 1972 tune in which they sang: "You should have the luck of the Irish/ You'd be sorry and wish you were dead/ You should have the luck of the Irish/ And you'd wish you was English instead."

Instead we offer a dozen songs in various genres about luck — enjoying good luck, suffering through bad luck and wishing for luck. Plus a lucky 13th tune because, well, this week we had a Friday the 13th.

By: Emerson Lake & Palmer (1970)

Fun fact: Bassist/guitarist Greg Lake wrote this, his first-ever composition, at age 12. This FM-radio staple featured one of the first Moog synthesizer solos.

Key lyric:

He had white horses

All dressed in satin

And waiting by the door

Ooh, what a lucky man he was

By: Madonna (1983)

Fun fact: This was the future superstar's first Top 10 pop hit.

You must be my lucky star

'Cause you make the darkness seem so far

By: Mary Chapin Carpenter (1992)

Fun fact: In this perky country favorite, the singer wins the lottery and celebrates at a bar, where she meets Dwight Yoakam and Lyle Lovett.

Key lyric:

Hey, the stars might lie, but the numbers never do.

I feel lucky, I feel lucky, yeah

"Lucky"

By: Jason Mraz featuring Colbie Caillat (2009)

Fun fact: After this snared a Grammy for best pop collaboration with vocals, Mraz did a remix with rapper Lil Wayne.

By: Albert King (1967)

Fun fact: This blues chestnut, co-written by Stax soul men Booker T. Jones and William Bell, was also recorded by Cream.

Key lyric:

Born under a bad sign

Been down since I began to crawl

"Superstition"

By: Stevie Wonder (1972)

Fun fact: This was his first No. 1 song since his debut single, "Fingertips Pt. 2," nine years earlier.

Key lyric:
Very superstitious,
Writing's on the wall,
Very superstitious,
Ladders bout' to fall
Thirteen month old baby,
Broke the lookin' glass
Seven years of bad luck,
The good things in your past

By: Alanis Morissette (1995)

Key lyric:

A traffic jam when you're already late

A "no smoking" sign on your cigarette break

It's like 10,000 spoons when all you need is a knife

It's meeting the man of my dreams

And isn't it ironic, don't you think?

By: Danzig (1999)

Fun fact: This song was recorded in 1994 by Johnny Cash for his late-career comeback "American Recordings."

Key lyric:

Bad luck wind been blowin' on my back

With the number '13' tattooed on my neck

That ink starts to itch

Black gon' turn to red

By: Frank Sinatra (1954)

Fun fact: Uncredited, Ol' Blue Eyes sang this Jule Styne/Sammy Cahn tune for the movie of the same name; it won the Oscar for best song.

Three coins in the fountain

Each one seeking happiness

Thrown by three hopeful lovers

Which one will the fountain bless?

By: Paul Simon (1975)

Key lyric:

I had a long streak of bad luck

But I pray it's gone at last

By: Motorhead (1980)

Fun fact: This gambling-themed full-tilt rocker became the signature tune for Lemmy Kilmister's metal band.

The pleasure is to play

Makes no difference what you say

I don't share your greed

The only card I need is the Ace of Spades

By: Daft Punk (2013)

Key lyric:

She's up all night for good fun

I'm up all night to get lucky

By: "My Fair Lady" songwriters Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe (1956)

Fun fact: Sung by Eliza Doolittle's dad in the Broadway musical, it also became a hit for pop-jazz singer Jo Stafford.

But with a little bit of luck you'll run amok

Twitter: @JonBream • 612-673-1719