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.
Fifteen Minutes
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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Seven times in seven days
I've sat and wished my life away
I know the greyness comes and goes
But the sun don't shine
And the snow don't snow
There's suzy-ann with her tits and curls
For those vicious boys and their boring girls
You know it makes me sick but it's a bozo's world
Then there's always the cash
Selling yourself for some trash
Smiling at people that you cannot stand
You're in demand
Your fifteen minutes start now
City banker looks are in
The heartless heart, the chinless chin
And you'd spill your beans for just a pint of gin
How you got so holy
And became so thin
In Sunday papers every week
The silly words you love to speak
The tacky photos and the phoney smiles
Well it's a bozo's world and you're a bozo's child
Then there's always the cash
Selling yourself for some trash
Smiling at people that you cannot stand
You're in demand
Your fifteen minutes start now
Then there's always the fame!
Autographs now and again
People who saw you on blankety blank
Or in the bank
Your fifteen minutes start now
Kirsty MacColl's "Fifteen Minutes" is a commentary on the artificiality of fame and the sacrifices that come along with it. The lyrics convey a sense of apathy and discontentment towards the culture of celebrity, as the singer views it as a "bozo's world." The first verse bemoans the mundane routine of daily life, while also highlighting the cultural fixation on conventionally attractive and mediocre individuals. The second verse further criticizes the culture of fame, decrying the loss of authenticity and privacy that comes with being in the public eye.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the transactional nature of fame, with lines like "selling yourself for some trash" and "smiling at people that you cannot stand." The singer is aware of the compromises that come with trying to achieve success in the entertainment industry and is critical of those who deign to participate in it. The song closes with a wry acknowledgement of the fleeting nature of fame, with the line "your fifteen minutes start now," suggesting that even for those who achieve success, it is often short-lived.
Line by Line Meaning
Seven times in seven days
I've been bored and unproductive for a week.
I've sat and wished my life away
I've been daydreaming about a more exciting life.
I know the greyness comes and goes
I know that my boredom is temporary.
But the sun don't shine
But things don't seem to be getting any better.
And the snow don't snow
And there's no excitement or change happening.
There's suzy-ann with her tits and curls
There's a mediocre person named Suzy-Ann who gets attention.
Where mediocrity excels
Where average people are celebrated.
For those vicious boys and their boring girls
For the popular people and their uninteresting partners.
You know it makes me sick but it's a bozo's world
It upsets me, but this is a world that celebrates mediocrity.
Then there's always the cash
You can always sell yourself for money.
Selling yourself for some trash
Accepting unfulfilling work for the money.
Smiling at people that you cannot stand
Remaining polite to people you dislike.
You're in demand
Your skills are needed, but the work might not be ideal.
Your fifteen minutes start now
You have a chance to become famous or successful.
City banker looks are in
Blatantly superficial attributes are valued.
The heartless heart, the chinless chin
A lack of empathy and weak chin are fashionable.
And you'd spill your beans for just a pint of gin
You're willing to give away personal information for a small reward.
How you got so holy
How did you become so respected.
And became so thin
And how did you become so successful and wealthy.
In Sunday papers every week
You're in the press every week.
The silly words you love to speak
You say things that are trivial but entertaining.
The tacky photos and the phoney smiles
You take cheesy pictures and feign happiness.
Well it's a bozo's world and you're a bozo's child
It's a world that celebrates mediocrity, and you're part of it.
Then there's always the fame!
There's always the option to become famous.
Autographs now and again
You'll have to sign autographs occasionally.
People who saw you on blankety blank
People will recognize you from TV appearances.
Or in the bank
Or even in the bank.
Your fifteen minutes start now
You have a chance to become famous or successful.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: KIRSTY MAC COLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind