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.
El Paso
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I fell in love with a Mexican girl
Night-time would find me in Rosa's Cantina
Music would play and Felina would whirl
One night a wild young cowboy came in
Wild as the West Texas wind
Dancing and daring, a drink he was sharing
So in anger I challenged his right for the love of this maiden
Down went his hand for the gun that he wore
My challenge was answered, in less than a heartbeat
The handsome young stranger lay dead on the floor
Out through the back door of Rosa's I ran
Out where the horses were tied
I caught a good one, it looked like it could run
Up on its back and away I did ride
Just as fast as I could from the West Texas town of El Paso
Out to the badlands of New Mexico
I saddled up and away I did go
Riding alone in the dark
Maybe tomorrow a bullet may find me
Tonight nothing's worse than this pain in my heart
And at last here I am on the hill overlooking El Paso
I can see Rosa's Cantina below
Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys
Off to my left ride a dozen or more
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me
I have to make it to Rosa's back door
Something is dreadfully wrong for I fear
A deep burning pain in my side
Though I am trying to stay in the saddle
I'm getting weary, unable to ride
But my love for Felina is strong and I rise where I've fallen
Though I am weary I can't stop to rest
I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle
I feel the bullet go deep in my chest
From out of nowhere Felina has found me
Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side
Cradled by two loving arms that I'll die for
One little kiss and Felina goodbye
Kirsty MacColl's song "El Paso" is a story about a cowboy who falls in love with a Mexican girl in the West Texas town of El Paso. The cowboy frequents Rosa's Cantina at night to see Felina dance, and they eventually fall in love. However, one night, a wild cowboy comes in and tries to steal Felina's heart. The singer challenges the cowboy to a duel, and to his surprise, he wins. He runs out of Rosa's Cantina and takes a horse to escape, fearing his life. Unfortunately, he's shot and killed while riding towards the hills overlooking El Paso. Felina is the last person to kiss him on the cheek before he dies.
The song paints a picture of the violent Wild West, which was notorious for gunfights, duels, and bandits. The singer is compelled to challenge the wild cowboy because he's fighting for his love for Felina, even though they only met recently. He's trying to protect his honor and reputation as a cowboy, too, showing that violence was an integral part of the cowboy culture. The singer isn't a trigger-happy gunslinger, but rather a man who's trapped in the machismo culture that rules the Wild West, as he mentions he didn't want to fight in the first place.
Line by Line Meaning
Out in the West Texas town of El Paso
The song's protagonist traveled to the town of El Paso in West Texas.
I fell in love with a Mexican girl
The singer fell in love with a girl from Mexico while in El Paso.
Night-time would find me in Rosa's Cantina
The singer would spend his evenings at Rosa's Cantina while in El Paso.
Music would play and Felina would whirl
Felina, the artist's love interest, would dance to the music at Rosa's Cantina.
One night a wild young cowboy came in
One evening, a young, wild cowboy entered Rosa's Cantina.
Wild as the West Texas wind
The cowboy was very wild, just like the wind in West Texas.
Dancing and daring, a drink he was sharing
The cowboy was dancing and taking risks, whilst sharing a drink with Felina.
With wicked Falina, the girl that I loved
The cowboy was sharing a drink with Felina, whom the artist had fallen in love with.
So in anger I challenged his right for the love of this maiden
The artist became angry and challenged the cowboy's right to love Felina.
Down went his hand for the gun that he wore
The cowboy reached for the gun he was carrying.
My challenge was answered, in less than a heartbeat
The cowboy accepted the singer's challenge immediately.
The handsome young stranger lay dead on the floor
The cowboy was killed by the artist in their duel.
Out through the back door of Rosa's I ran
The singer fled from Rosa's Cantina through the back door.
Out where the horses were tied
The singer went outside where the horses were tied.
I caught a good one, it looked like it could run
The singer found a good horse that he thought could run quickly.
Up on its back and away I did ride
The artist rode the horse out of El Paso as quickly as he could.
Just as fast as I could from the West Texas town of El Paso
The artist rode away from El Paso as fast as he possibly could.
Out to the badlands of New Mexico
The singer rode to the badlands of New Mexico.
I saddled up and away I did go
The singer saddled up his horse and rode off.
Riding alone in the dark
The artist rode alone in the dark of night.
Maybe tomorrow a bullet may find me
The artist knows that tomorrow he may be shot and killed.
Tonight nothing's worse than this pain in my heart
Currently, the artist's emotional pain is worse than any physical pain he may face.
And at last here I am on the hill overlooking El Paso
The singer has finally reached a hill that overlooks El Paso.
I can see Rosa's Cantina below
The artist can see Rosa's Cantina from where he's standing.
Off to my right I see five mounted cowboys
The singer sees five cowboys on horseback to his right.
Off to my left ride a dozen or more
To the singer's left, there are a dozen or more people riding horses.
Shouting and shooting, I can't let them catch me
The people on horseback are shouting and shooting, and the singer must outrun them.
I have to make it to Rosa's back door
The artist must reach the back door of Rosa's Cantina to be safe.
Something is dreadfully wrong for I fear
The artist senses that something bad is about to happen.
A deep burning pain in my side
The singer feels a deep, burning pain in his side.
Though I am trying to stay in the saddle
Despite the pain, the singer is trying his best to stay on his horse.
I'm getting weary, unable to ride
The artist is growing tired and is unable to continue riding.
But my love for Felina is strong and I rise where I've fallen
The artist loves Felina so much that he will get up and keep going, even if he falls down.
Though I am weary I can't stop to rest
The artist can't stop to rest, even though he is tired.
I see the white puff of smoke from the rifle
The singer sees a puff of smoke from a rifle being fired.
I feel the bullet go deep in my chest
The artist feels a deep pain in his chest after being shot.
From out of nowhere Felina has found me
Felina has appeared out of nowhere and has found the singer.
Kissing my cheek as she kneels by my side
Felina is kneeling beside the singer and kissing his cheek.
Cradled by two loving arms that I'll die for
The singer is being held in Felina's loving arms, which he would die for.
One little kiss and Felina goodbye
After giving the artist one last kiss, Felina says goodbye.
Contributed by Evelyn E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Tarquin45
I believe that this is the only recording of the Marty Robbins classic sung by a female singer.
portugasque
Yes as far I could research it, it is.
Michael Dark
WOW.................. NO COMMENT'S. I just Luuuuuuuuuuvvvvvvvvvvvvv this version. Listen to the humor.
Michael Dark
@portugasque I have this on the 'B' side of a CD Single. Very high on my all time top 100 song's.
portugasque
I know, right? So it's not much of a video but the song is brilliant and was nowhere to be found before this upload. Appreciate the appreciation.