MacColl began her career in the late 1970s UK punk rock scene, singing backing vocals for Drug Addix. Her UK hits included the 1981 single "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis", a cover of Billy Bragg's "A New England" in 1985, a duet with Shane MacGowan of The Pogues on "Fairytale of New York" in 1987, and a cover of The Kinks' song "Days" in 1989. She was probably most recognizable in the United States as the writer of "They Don't Know" a hit in 1979.
After a break from the music industry for much of the 1990s, several trips to Cuba and Brazil restored MacColl's creative muse, and the world music-inspired (particularly Cuban and other Latin American forms) Tropical Brainstorm, often described as her finest work, was released in 2000.
On 18 December 2000, while swimming in a restricted diving area with her family on a holiday in Cozumel, she was killed in a collision with a powerboat while managing to drag her son out of its path. The boat was owned by Mexican supermarket millionaire Guillermo González Nova (owner of Comercial Mexicana), who was on board with several members of his family. A boathand, José Cen Yam, claimed to have been driving the boat and was found guilty of culpable homicide and, under Mexican law, allowed to pay a fine of 1034 pesos (about USD 90) in lieu of a prison sentence of that many days. However, eyewitnesses contradict Cen Yam's claim to have been driving and also González Nova's claim that the boat was travelling at a speed of only one knot. MacColl's family are campaigning for a judicial review into the events surrounding her death, including an application to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The BBC has featured on several of its channels a documentary by Olivia Lichtenstein, entitled Who Killed Kirsty MacColl?
In 2001, a bench was placed by the southern entrance to London's Soho Square as a memorial to her, after a lyric from one of her most poignant songs: "One day I'll be waiting there/ No empty bench inSoho Square.
Designer Life
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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And a blonde new girl in your bed
You've everything you ever wished for
Happy little bubblehead
And you can't fill it up with promises
You can't fill it up with lies
And you can't fill it up with business lunches
Oh but you can try
Just a girl that you despise
Welcome to designer living
This is your designer life
There's a big house high on a hilltop
And another house in spain
Mummy's little soldier's riding on the gravy train
And my you're looking lovely
May you stay forever young
May you never get a conscience
About the things that you have done
Who am I to criticise you?
Just a girl to twist the knife
Welcome to designer living
This is your designer life
Who am I to criticise you?
Just a girl that you despise
Welcome to designer living
This is your designer life
This is your designer life
You and your designer life
The lyrics to Kirsty MacColl's Designer Life offer a satirical social commentary on the modern obsession with material possessions and shallow pursuits of happiness. The song describes a person who has everything they have ever wanted, including a new car, a new partner, and multiple houses, yet finds themselves feeling empty and unfulfilled. The phrase "Happy little bubblehead" implies that this person's happiness is superficial and based solely on external factors.
The second verse highlights the idea of inheriting wealth and privilege, with the line "Mummy's little soldier's riding on the gravy train." This line suggests that the person in question has not earned their wealth or success, but rather has been handed it by their family. The final lines of the song suggest that the person will never have to face the consequences of their actions or feel guilty for their actions, further highlighting the idea of a shallow and meaningless existence.
Overall, the song is a scathing commentary on the superficiality of modern society and the emptiness of a life based solely on material possessions.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a brand new car in your driveway
You have acquired a new car that gives you a sense of satisfaction and congratulation
And a blonde new girl in your bed
You have found a new romantic partner who is visually appealing to you.
You've everything you ever wished for
You have everything that you have ever wanted or hoped for in your life.
Happy little bubblehead
You are experiencing a sense of joy and happiness while being oblivious to the outside world.
And you can't fill it up with promises
You cannot bring fulfillment or contentment to yourself or others simply by making promises.
You can't fill it up with lies
You cannot achieve true happiness through deception, lies, or dishonesty.
And you can't fill it up with business lunches
You cannot bring happiness or fulfillment by simply entertaining clients over lunch or dinner.
Oh but you can try
While true happiness may not be attainable through those means, one can still attempt to find it in their own way.
Who am I to criticise you?
I recognize that I am not in a position to make negative judgments regarding your life choices.
Just a girl that you despise
Despite my lack of authority to critique, I can sense that you hold disdain towards me.
Welcome to designer living
Congratulations on achieving what you have long desired through your choices in life.
This is your designer life
You have designed your own life and created the circumstances in which you now exist.
There's a big house high on a hilltop
You have also acquired a large and impressive residence on top of a hill.
And another house in spain
Additionally, you possess another residence located in the country of Spain.
Mummy's little soldier's riding on the gravy train
You have benefited significantly from personal connections and relationships, especially the support of your family.
And my you're looking lovely
You are physically attractive, and your appearance does not match your opportunistic and exploitative lifestyle.
May you stay forever young
I hope that you always hold on to your youth and vibrancy despite your questionable choices and actions.
May you never get a conscience About the things that you have done
I hope that you never regret or feel guilty about the decisions that you have made in your life.
Just a girl to twist the knife
You seem to take pleasure in causing pain and discomfort to others, especially those who are seen as inferior or less fortunate than yourself.
This is your designer life
Your existence and its components have been manufactured deliberately and purposefully by your own volition.
You and your designer life
Your life and the world you inhabit have been orchestrated entirely by you.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KENNETH SCOTT CROUCH, KIRSTY MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind