Kirsty Anna MacColl (Croydon, England, UK on 10 October 1959 - 18 December … Read Full Bio ↴Kirsty Anna MacColl (Croydon, England, UK on 10 October 1959 - 18 December 2000) was a British pop singer-songwriter. She was the daughter of dancer Jean Newlove and noted folk singer Ewan MacColl.
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.
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.
In These Shoes%3F
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
I once met a man with a sense of adventure
He was dressed to thrill wherever he went
He said: Let's make love on a mountain top
Under the stars on a big hard rock
I said: In these shoes?
I don't think so
I said: Honey, let's do it here
So I'm siting at a bar in Guadalajara
In walks a guy with a faraway look in his eyes
He said: I've got a powerful horse outside
Climb on the back, I'll take you for a ride
I know a little place, we can get there for the break of day
I said: In these shoes?
No way, Jose
I said: Honey, let's stay right here
No le gusta caminar No puede montar a caballo
(I don't like to dance, I can't ride a horse)
Como se puede bailar? Es un escandolo
(How can I dance? It's a scandal)
Then I met an Englishman
Oh, he said
Won't you walk up and down my spine
It makes me feel strangely alive
I said: In these shoes?
I doubt you'd survive
I said: Honey, let's do it
Let's stay right here
No le gusta caminar No puede montar a caballo
(I don't like to dance, I can't ride a horse)
Como se puede bailar? Es un escandolo
(How can I dance? It's a scandal)
He was dressed to thrill wherever he went
He said: Let's make love on a mountain top
Under the stars on a big hard rock
I said: In these shoes?
I don't think so
I said: Honey, let's do it here
So I'm siting at a bar in Guadalajara
In walks a guy with a faraway look in his eyes
Climb on the back, I'll take you for a ride
I know a little place, we can get there for the break of day
I said: In these shoes?
No way, Jose
I said: Honey, let's stay right here
No le gusta caminar No puede montar a caballo
(I don't like to dance, I can't ride a horse)
Como se puede bailar? Es un escandolo
(How can I dance? It's a scandal)
Then I met an Englishman
Oh, he said
Won't you walk up and down my spine
It makes me feel strangely alive
I said: In these shoes?
I doubt you'd survive
I said: Honey, let's do it
Let's stay right here
No le gusta caminar No puede montar a caballo
(I don't like to dance, I can't ride a horse)
Como se puede bailar? Es un escandolo
(How can I dance? It's a scandal)
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Royalty Network, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PETER WILFRED GLENISTER, KIRSTY MCCOLL, WILLIAM CORREA, MELVIN CLARK LASTIE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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