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 Gonzรกlez Nova (owner of Comercial Mexicana), who was on board with several members of his family. A boathand, Josรฉ 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 Gonzรกlez 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.
Heยs On The Beach
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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I'd run in to from time to time
And long before he moved away
We used to share a taste for wine
Still I never knew that he was sad back then
He said, the time had come, for him, to take a holiday
There's something in the air
And sunshine everywhere
He's on the beach
I know he's changed somehow, he sends us postcards now
I'm not sure where he is, but he is out of reach
When he called me up one day
And said that he was going away
I thought he meant a week in France
And not 12,000 miles to Sydney Bay
Still he had to take his chances
He said, the time had come for him to make a move away
And he says it's brilliant there
There's something in the air
And sunshine everywhere
He's on the beach
I know he's changed somehow, he writes us postcards now
He's on his own again and he is out of reach
(I bet he gets it on the beach)
And I don't blame him
Leaving was the best thing he could do
He longed for changes
I just hope he's happy when he does the things he thinks he has to do
And he tries, and he tries, yes he tries
But he's a little bit hard on himself
So now he's trying to be someone else
And he says, he says, he says it's brilliant there
There's something in the air
And sunshine everywhere
He's on the beach
I know he's changed somehow, it's in his postcards now
He's on his own again, so far out of reach
And he says it's brilliant there
There's something in the air
And sunshine everywhere
He's on the beach
I know he's changed somehow, it's in his postcards now
He's in Australia, so far out of reach
And he says it's brilliant there
In Kirsty MacColl's song "He's On The Beach," the singer reminisces about a friendship with a man who moved away, while also acknowledging that he had some underlying sadness that she was unaware of at the time. He mentions that the man recently called him and said that he was leaving, and he initially assumed he was just going on a trip to France. However, the man was actually moving 12,000 miles away to Sydney Bay, Australia. Despite being skeptical at first, the man reports back to the singer that the new location is "brilliant," and that he feels a sense of freedom in the air. The singer recognizes that the man has changed and has become somewhat elusive, yet she is content to hear about his new life through occasional postcards.
The lyrics suggest that the man who moved away was on a path of self-discovery. He was likely unhappy with his life before, which is why he longed for change and decided to make such a drastic move. The beauty of living in Australia has given him a new sense of hope and possibility, and he feels freer to be himself than he did before. The singer recognizes that the man is trying to become the best version of himself, but perhaps he is too hard on himself at times.
Overall, the song seems to celebrate the power of transformation and the importance of taking risks in life. It suggests that sometimes we need to leave behind what is comfortable and known in order to find greater happiness and fulfillment.
Line by Line Meaning
He was just a friend of mine
He was someone I knew but not intimately.
I'd run in to from time to time
Our meetings were sporadic and unplanned.
And long before he moved away
He was already planning to leave.
We used to share a taste for wine
We enjoyed drinking wine together.
Still I never knew that he was sad back then
I was unaware of his emotional state during that period.
He said, the time had come, for him, to take a holiday
He told me he needed to take a break.
And he says it's brilliant there
He thinks his new location is wonderful.
There's something in the air
There's an intangible quality to the atmosphere.
And sunshine everywhere
The weather is always sunny.
He's on the beach
He's spending time on the coastline.
I know he's changed somehow, he sends us postcards now
He's different and he's keeping in touch by sending postcards.
I'm not sure where he is, but he is out of reach
I don't know his exact location, but he's not easily reachable.
When he called me up one day
He contacted me once.
And said that he was going away
He informed me he was leaving.
I thought he meant a week in France
I assumed he was only traveling for a short time to France.
And not 12,000 miles to Sydney Bay
He traveled a much farther distance than I had expected.
Still he had to take his chances
He had to take risks to seek new opportunities.
He said, the time had come for him to make a move away
He expressed that it was time for him to relocate.
And I don't blame him
I'm not upset with him for leaving.
Leaving was the best thing he could do
It was a beneficial decision for him to depart.
He longed for changes
He was seeking a different lifestyle.
I just hope he's happy when he does the things he thinks he has to do
I wish he finds fulfillment in his actions.
And he tries, and he tries, yes he tries
He engages in persistent efforts.
But he's a little bit hard on himself
He criticizes himself unnecessarily.
So now he's trying to be someone else
He's transforming his personality and adapting to new surroundings.
And he says, he says, he says it's brilliant there
He repeatedly tells us how great it is in his new location.
He's in Australia, so far out of reach
He's currently residing in Australia, which is difficult to access.
Lyrics ยฉ BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GAVIN POVEY, KIRSTY MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Fitz Jon
Kirsty was an incredible talent and an incredible HUMAN being Beautiful voice Beautiful human being R.I.P KIRSTY
Adam M
Why would anyone give this a thumbs down? It's one of the greatest pop songs ever!
Toyota Kawasaki
Because music is subjective.
norman no
mexican coastguards
BrazilianMegaMan
@norman no actually laughed at that
Jim Baker
TOTALLY AGREE
goplad1
Such a great talent. Kirsty wrote such great catchy pop songs. I discovered her a bit late but like they say better late than never.
Felixstowe Foam Forge
Like so many of Ms Macolls' songs this one is a combination of beautiful vocals and bitter sweet lyrics. Sorely missed talent. And gorgeous to boot.
Matthew Welch
The jangly paisley rhythm that evokes the West Coast sound of California was big in this era, but fits this song particularly well. An upbeat sound that could easily place this setting in California, instead of Australia.
The "happy" sound paired with the "sad" tone in her resigned lyrics is the magic that makes Kirsty's songs so beautiful and compelling. And it's interesting that using the jangly sound of California from the 60s/80s here seems ironic, to bust the mythos of Sunny California or "Brilliant" Australia the music evokes. They're gorgeous places - but happiness isn't guaranteed there.
Robert Chambers
A beautiful song from a beautiful songwriter and performer. A song that tells a story and you can picture her thoughts unlike a lot of music today. Long live real music and long live the music and imagination that was Kirsty MacColl x