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.
Maybe It's Imaginary
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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Maybe it's imaginary, I'd like to know
What's the world coming to and where will it go?
The hole in the sky where the sunshine gets in
It dries up the land as it mucks up your skin
And I don't know why, who will reveal?
Maybe it's imaginary, maybe it's real
But what is the point if it's poisoned within?
Now I don't know why we say ok
Maybe it's imaginary, hope it's not too late
And when in the summer we go to the sea
The things floating by aren't what we want to see
And I'd change it all if I had one wish
I'd never go swimming with those nuclear fish
Maybe those imaginary rivers run dry
But if it's true then I'd like to know why
I don't know much but I'd like to know why
In this song, Kirsty MacColl expresses her concerns about environmental issues and the damage humans have inflicted on the planet. She questions whether the problems we face are imaginary or real, and wonders where the world is heading. MacColl sings about the hole in the sky caused by pollution, which dries up the land and damages our skin. She seems to be at a loss as to why these problems exist and who will address them.
The song also touches on the problem of contaminated food and water, questioning the point of washing and peeling if they are already poisoned from within. MacColl again expresses her confusion and uncertainty in the face of these issues. She also mentions the disappointment of seeing unpleasant things like pollution when enjoying summer activities like swimming in the sea. She wishes she could change things, and expresses a desire to understand the root cause of these problems, even if they may be imaginary.
Overall, this song can be interpreted as a call to action for people to pay more attention to the damage we are causing to the environment and to take steps to address it. MacColl’s lyrics suggest that she is both frustrated and concerned about the state of the world, and is looking for answers.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe it's imaginary, I'd like to know
The singer is unsure whether the problems in the world are real or simply a figment of her imagination, and she wants to know the truth.
What's the world coming to and where will it go?
The singer wonders about the future of the world and where it will end up if things continue on the same path.
The hole in the sky where the sunshine gets in
It dries up the land as it mucks up your skin
The singer is referring to the ozone layer that protects the earth from the sun's harmful UV rays, but it's also causing damage to the environment by drying out the land and causing skin damage to people and animals.
And I don't know why, who will reveal?
Maybe it's imaginary, maybe it's real
The singer doesn't know why these issues exist, and she's questioning whether they're real or not.
We wash all the food and we peel off the skin
But what is the point if it's poisoned within?
People take precautionary measures to clean the fruits and vegetables they consume, but it's useless if the food they eat is already contaminated with toxins.
Now I don't know why we say ok
Maybe it's imaginary, hope it's not too late
The singer is concerned about the fact that people are too complacent about these issues and hopes that it's not too late to address them.
And when in the summer we go to the sea
The things floating by aren't what we want to see
The singer is referring to the pollution in the oceans that affects beachgoers in the summer.
And I'd change it all if I had one wish
I'd never go swimming with those nuclear fish
The singer wishes she could fix all the environmental issues and prevent the dangerous consequences, such as swimming with radioactive fish.
Maybe those imaginary rivers run dry
But if it's true then I'd like to know why
The singer again questions whether these problems are real or not and if the rivers actually are drying up, she'd like to know the cause.
I don't know much but I'd like to know why
The singer doesn't have all the answers but wishes to know why these issues are occurring to begin with.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: KRISTY MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind