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.
Things Happen
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
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Just to see some stupid boy who never turns around
He never sees the girl whose dreams have told her he's the one
Still she gets excited whenever Friday comes
There is no reason in love's sweet plan
It's deeper than the sea
Things happen, we fall in love
It just comes naturally
Anyone who saw her in the street would never know
The passion of the feeling she never puts on show
We can not choose the ones with whom we think that we belong
Just when you're not looking someone comes along
There is no reason in love's sweet plan
It's deeper than the sea
Things happen, we fall in love
It just comes naturally
There she stands, clothes around her feet
Choosing what to wear so she can just stand in his street
"please, oh please, this time I'll make him mine"
She begs of her reflection in her dressing table shrine
Oh, there is no reason in love's sweet plan
It's deeper than the sea
Things happen, we fall in love
It just comes naturally
The song "Things Happen" by Kirsty MacColl is a melancholic yet realistic depiction of unrequited love. The lyrics follow the story of a girl who spends her Friday nights riding across town just for the chance to see a boy who never turns around. Despite the fact that the boy never acknowledges her, the girl continues to hold onto the hope that he's the one for her, simply because her dreams have told her so. The lyrics suggest that this kind of love has no rhyme or reason, that it's something that just happens naturally without any kind of planning or reasoning.
The second verse describes how the girl keeps her feelings hidden, choosing to keep her passion inside of her rather than showing it to the world. The song implies that there's no real way to control who we fall in love with, that it's something that just happens when we're not looking for it. The chorus reiterates this idea, saying that love has no reason or plan to follow, it's just something that occurs naturally.
The final verse depicts the girl standing in front of her mirror, trying to figure out what to wear so she can just stand in his street, hoping he'll notice her. She pleads with herself and her reflection, hoping that this time she'll be able to capture his attention. The lyrics suggest that unrequited love can be all-consuming, making us focus on the object of our affection to the detriment of everything else.
Line by Line Meaning
Every Friday night she rides the whole way over town
Without fail, every Friday night she goes across town to see a boy who doesn't notice her.
Just to see some stupid boy who never turns around
She goes to a lot of trouble just to catch a glimpse of a boy who never really acknowledges her.
He never sees the girl whose dreams have told her he's the one
Despite her conviction that he's the one, he never takes notice of the girl, who is just a dreamer.
Still she gets excited whenever Friday comes
Nevertheless, every upcoming Friday brings the girl a lot of excitement.
There is no reason in love's sweet plan
Love doesn't have to be justified or make sense; it is simply the way it is.
It's deeper than the sea
Love is more profound and extensive than the sea.
Things happen, we fall in love
Love develops naturally without any given reason.
Anyone who saw her in the street would never know
No one could tell from the girl's street demeanor that she hides such strong emotions.
The passion of the feeling she never puts on show
She keeps the intensity of her emotions under wraps and does not broadcast them.
We can not choose the ones with whom we think that we belong
We often do not have control over who we believe is the right person for us.
Just when you're not looking someone comes along
When you don't expect it, the right person may come along.
There she stands, clothes around her feet
She stands with her clothes and shoes discarded around her in her bid to choose the perfect outfit for her love interest.
Choosing what to wear so she can just stand in his street
She tries to dress up nicely so that she can just stand outside his house and not even interact with him.
"please, oh please, this time I'll make him mine"
She pleads with her reflection on the dressing table to give her the confidence to make him hers this time.
She begs of her reflection in her dressing table shrine
She appeals to her reflection, which has become her dressing table shrine, for assistance in making her love interest hers.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GRAHAM GOULDMAN, KIRSTY MACCOLL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
onehundredfigurehead
I have been looking for this song for a long time! Ever since my computer crashed and I lost my version of it.. Such a joy to hear it again after a few years.
yetanotherdavid
Amazingly spare, simple arrangement of a clever, heartbreaking song about young love.
TheChoofy1
Heart breakingly perfect song by on of the kindest sweetest humans of our time.
Lauretta Roper
That's sweet, thanks for sharing. Few people will have heard of it and fewer know about the Graham Gouldman connection. Shame it wasn't on Tropical Brainstorm... I suppose a lot of B sides get lost in the mists of time.