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.
Roman Garden
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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In her satin shoes she was down
He held her by the waist
In a fond embrace she spins round
Oh those silken lips
Soft and pink, aching to be kissed
Oh they ached to love
And to be loved
Was this love?
Let us dream a while in roman gardens
Statues walk and talk in the pale moonlight
A breath of wind stirs the surface of the lake
It's so cold
I am yours and you are mine tonight
Vicar sat with a vacant stare
In his wicker chair he was down
Take a look at his open book
Where the answers may be found
Colonel polishing his marble tomb
He'll be taken soon, taken to the seat
Softly, softly creeps the mist
The earth is kissed a loving touch
Let us dream a while in roman gardens
Statues walk and talk in the pale moonlight
A breath of wind stirs the surface of the lake
It's so cold
I am yours and you are mine tonight
Standing silent on the lawn
Waiting for the dawn I am down
My heart is breaking with the day
She fades away, she is gone
She is gone
Let us dream a while in roman gardens
Statues walk and talk in the pale moonlight
A breath of wind stirs the surface of the lake
It's so cold
I am yours and you are mine tonight
The song "Roman Garden" by Kirsty MacColl is a hauntingly beautiful piece that tells a story of fleeting love and heartbreak. The lyrics describe a romantic encounter between two people, possibly strangers, who find each other in a charming Roman garden. The singer describes the moment when the couple met, with the man holding the woman in a fond embrace as she spun around in her satin shoes. The moment is bittersweet, as the singer wonders if this love is real and true.
The lyrics then transport the listener to the dreamy Roman garden, where statues come to life in the pale moonlight, and a breath of wind stirs the surface of the lake. The singer reminisces about this surreal moment, declaring their love for each other and savoring the cold night, knowing that they are bound to each other for that moment in time.
The song then takes a melancholic turn in the final verse, with the singer standing alone, waiting for the dawn, as the woman fades away and is gone. The air of hopelessness leaks into the lyrics, making the song all the more poignant and beautiful.
Overall, "Roman Garden" by Kirsty MacColl is a beautiful and heartfelt song that explores the fleeting nature of love. It transports the listener to a dreamlike state with its beautiful and detailed lyrics, making it difficult not to get lost in the moment.
Line by Line Meaning
And so she left her room
She departed from her room
In her satin shoes she was down
She was walking in her satin shoes
He held her by the waist
He grabbed her at the waist
In a fond embrace she spins round
She spun around while they were hugging fondly
Oh those silken lips
Her lips were smooth and silky
Soft and pink, aching to be kissed
Her lips were soft and pink, and it seemed like they desired to be kissed
Oh they ached to love
Her lips desired to experience love
And to be loved
She wanted to be loved
Was this love?
She was questioning whether what she was feeling was love
Was this love?
She was still questioning whether what she was feeling was love
Let us dream a while in roman gardens
Let's imagine for a moment in Roman Gardens
Statues walk and talk in the pale moonlight
The statues in the pale moonlight appear to be walking and talking
A breath of wind stirs the surface of the lake
The surface of the lake moves due to the slight wind blowing
It's so cold
The environment is quite cold
I am yours and you are mine tonight
Tonight, we belong to each other
Vicar sat with a vacant stare
The Vicar sat motionlessly, with a blank expression
In his wicker chair he was down
He was sitting down in his wicker chair
Take a look at his open book
The book he was reading was open
Where the answers may be found
He might find the answers to his queries there
Colonel polishing his marble tomb
The Colonel was cleaning/polishing his marble tomb
He'll be taken soon, taken to the seat
He will die soon and be taken to his resting place
Softly, softly creeps the mist
The mist is creeping slowly
The earth is kissed a loving touch
The earth is gently embraced with love
Standing silent on the lawn
Standing quietly on the grass
Waiting for the dawn I am down
She is waiting for the dawn and feeling down
My heart is breaking with the day
She is heartbroken with the arrival of the day
She fades away, she is gone
She slowly disappears and is now gone
She is gone
She is no longer here
Let us dream a while in roman gardens
Let's dream a little more in Roman Gardens
Statues walk and talk in the pale moonlight
The statues continue to walk and talk in the pale moonlight
A breath of wind stirs the surface of the lake
The wind continues to move the surface of the lake
It's so cold
It is still very cold
I am yours and you are mine tonight
Tonight, we continue to belong to each other
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sukhdev singh
This Roman Garden is not for everyone : MMXX AD