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.
Falling for Faces
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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He drove her home one night and made her happy
He used to phone her after work at the weekend
And took her out when he had some money to spend
Falling for faces, changing places
Just like the hard cases out on the ... (?)
And pretty soon when they had run out of things to say
Ideas came to her she tried to ignore
Got what she wanted but now she wasn't so sure
Falling for faces, changing places
Just like the hard cases out on the ... (?)
The light of the screen grew too bright in her dreams
She was searching for something she'd lost in her teens
Misunderstandings caused by lack of honesty
They got him worried, got her feeling guilty
Felt so sincere but she was easily impressed
And every time she had the chance she got undressed
Falling for faces, changing places
Just like the hard cases out on the ... (?)
Falling for faces
Falling for faces
In Kirsty MacColl's song "Falling for Faces", the lyrics tell the story of a woman who falls for a man solely based on his appearance. She describes him as having a face that she's seen on the TV, and when he drives her home, it makes her happy. As they begin to see each other more frequently, she realizes that they don't have much to talk about, but she continues to see him because he takes her out and spends money on her. However, as time goes on, she begins to feel unsatisfied and realizes that she's looking for something that she lost in her teenage years. Despite the misunderstandings caused by their lack of honesty, she continues to fall for his face and gets undressed every chance she gets.
The lyrics are a commentary on the superficiality of relationships based solely on physical appearance, and the emptiness that can result from that. The singer is seeking something deeper and more meaningful, but is unable to find it in this relationship. It's a cautionary tale about the dangers of falling for someone based on their looks rather than getting to know them as a person.
Line by Line Meaning
He had the kind of face she'd seen on the TV
She was attracted to him because he looked like the typical handsome man she saw on television.
He drove her home one night and made her happy
He made her happy by being kind and taking her home, which she appreciated.
He used to phone her after work at the weekend
He would call her on the weekends after work to talk and make plans.
And took her out when he had some money to spend
He would take her out and treat her when he had extra money to spend.
Falling for faces, changing places
She finds herself constantly attracted to good-looking men and moves on to new relationships frequently.
Just like the hard cases out on the ... (?)
She compares herself to the tough people out on the streets who also go from one relationship to another.
After a while she used to see him every day
They started seeing each other more often and developed a routine for spending time together.
And pretty soon when they had run out of things to say
They ran out of interesting things to talk about, which made the relationship feel stale.
Ideas came to her she tried to ignore
She had new ideas and thoughts that she didn't want to confront because they might challenge her view of the relationship.
Got what she wanted but now she wasn't so sure
She initially got what she wanted from the relationship, but now she's unsure if it's what she truly wants.
The light of the screen grew too bright in her dreams
Her addiction to television and media made her compare her relationships and life to what she saw on screen.
She was searching for something she'd lost in her teens
She was looking for something she lost in her youth and thought she could find it through relationships.
Misunderstandings caused by lack of honesty
Their relationship suffered because they weren't truthful with each other.
They got him worried, got her feeling guilty
Their dishonesty caused him to worry and her to feel guilty about their relationship.
Felt so sincere but she was easily impressed
She thought he was genuine, but in reality, she was easily impressed by superficial things.
And every time she had the chance she got undressed
She was quick to engage in physical intimacy with him whenever she had the opportunity.
Contributed by Adeline P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.