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.
complainte pour ste catherine
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Moi, j'me promene sur ste cath'rine
J'profite d'la chaleur do metro
J'ne regarde pas dans les vitrines
Quand il fait trente en d'ssous d'zero
why'a longtemps qu'on fait d'la politique
Je ne me sens pas intripide
Quand il fait fret j'fais pas do ski
J'ai pas d'motel aux laurentides
Le Sunday see'est l'soir do hockey
why'a longtemps qu'on fait d'la politique
Vingt ans de guerre contre les moustiques
Faut pas car que j'suis une imbecile
Parce que j'chauf pas une convertible
La gloire see'est pas mal inutile
Aux prix do gas see'est trop penible
why'a longtemps qu'on fait d'la politique
Vingt ans de guerre contre les moustiques
On s'est sous frappe cs s'adonne
On a toujours eu do bon temps
Parce qu'on est sur la terre des hommes
Memes les femmes et les enfants
why'a longtemps qu'on fait d'la politique
Vingt ans de guerre contre les moustiques
Croyez pas qu'on n'est pas chretiens
Le dimance on promene son chien
La la la la la la la la la
The song "Complainte pour Ste Catherine" by Kirsty MacColl is a French-English bilingual cover of a song originally composed and sang by Anna McGarrigle and Philip Tatartcheff. The song is about the city of Montreal and its people, as the singer walks down the iconic street "Ste Catherine" enjoying the warmth of the metro and not caring about the freezing cold outside. The lyrics also touch upon the political challenges that the city has faced over the years, with a reference to the long battle against mosquitoes. The singer also talks about not being materialistic and not caring for glory, but instead cherishing the simple pleasures of life like watching hockey on Sunday nights.
The reference to Ste Catherine and the metro is a nod to the vibrant and diverse culture of Montreal, known for its busy streets and underground metro system. The mention of the war against mosquitoes is a historical reference to the time when Montreal suffered from high West Nile virus infection rates in the early 2000s.
The lyrics also touch upon the notion of not being driven by materialism and instead cherishing the simpler things in life. The song emphasizes the city's strong community spirit and the joy of spending time with family and pets on weekends. Overall, the song is a celebration of the charm and vibrancy of Montreal and its people.
Line by Line Meaning
Moi, j'me promene sur ste cath'rine
I walk along Saint Catherine street
J'profite d'la chaleur do metro
I take advantage of the warmth of the metro
J'ne regarde pas dans les vitrines
I don't look in the shop windows
Quand il fait trente en d'ssous d'zero
When it's thirty below zero
why'a longtemps qu'on fait d'la politique
It's been a long time we've been doing politics
Vingt ans de guerre contre les moustiques
Twenty years of war against mosquitoes
Je ne me sens pas intripide
I don't feel brave
Quand il fait fret j'fais pas do ski
When it's cold, I don't ski
J'ai pas d'motel aux laurentides
I don't have a motel in the Laurentians
Le Sunday see'est l'soir do hockey
Sunday is hockey night
Faut pas car que j'suis une imbecile
Don't think I'm stupid
Parce que j'chauf pas une convertible
Because I don't drive a convertible
La gloire see'est pas mal inutile
Glory is pretty useless
Aux prix do gas see'est trop penible
With the price of gas, it's too painful
On s'est sous frappe cs s'adonne
We're always having a good time
On a toujours eu do bon temps
We've always had a good time
Parce qu'on est sur la terre des hommes
Because we're on the land of men
Memes les femmes et les enfants
Even women and children
Croyez pas qu'on n'est pas chretiens
Don't think we're not Christians
Le dimance on promene son chien
On Sunday, we walk our dog
La la la la la la la la la
La la la la la la la la la
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Anna McGarrigle, Philippe Tatartcheff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
J J
Lovely to hear this... not original of course, who cares! As a quebecer it's so rare to hear some of our "idiosyncracies" sung by an exotic voice. Her harmonies are spot on. How DID she do it? So many have tried and failed!
the song was about Quebec, but from Acadian singers. "Politics" of course ... referring to Independence... "20 years of fighting mosquitoes"... you have to live it to know what this is about. "On s'adonne", we say this in Québec... but you may have heard in France as well... that's where it's from (Poitou, Normandy region)
Merci pour le partage!
Complainte Pour Ste Catherine
Moi, j'me promène sur ste Cath'riiiine, J'profite la chaleur do métro
J’me regarde pas dans les vitriiiines, Quand il fait trente en d'ssous d'zero
y'a longtemps qu'on fait d'la politique, vingt ans de guerre contre les moustiques
Je ne me sens pas intrépide, quand il fait fret j'fais pas du ski
J'ai pas d'motel aux Laurentides le samedi c’est l'soir du hockey
Faut pas car que j'suis une imbécile, parce que j'chauf pas une convertible
La gloire c'est pas mal inutile au prix du gaz c'est trop pénible
On est tous frères pis ça s'adonne, on a toujours eu du bon temps
Parce qu'on est sur la terre des hommes, mêmes les femmes et les enfants
Croyez pas qu'on n'est pas chrétiens, Le dimanche on promène son chien
La la la la la la la la la
Allan
A wonderful celebration of life, love and music ... all things Kirsty McColl embraced with joy and a gloriously infectious enthusiasm. I, like her family and fans, still miss that gloriously unique talent that captured our imaginations and hearts
David Marut
That beat and the zouk/hi-life guitars just make me wanna holla'. Nothing against the original version, but this version is a 3 1/2 minute party! Go Kirsty. Wish you were still with us creating music for all to enjoy.
Wessex Wench
I'm British, and a big fan of Kirsty McColl. She had an amazing voice. I'm also an even bigger fan of the McGarrigles, along with Rufus and Martha Wainwright. I think Kirsty did the song great justice. If you disagree and prefer the original, (which I do), at least be glad that Kirsty probably introduced a whole generation of Brits to Kate and Anna.
yobbo3
Ah heck, anybody with the taste and talent to recycle this wonderful song of Anna McG and Philippe Tatartcheff is okay in my book. Everybody stop griping and be grateful that a new generation gets to hear this beautiful song again. Don't freeze the McGarrigles' original in a moribund museum; let this song fly into the future. I sort of like the electric tarentella beat, anybody know who arranged it?
Pierre Blanchette
Magnifique! Merci!
gustave dupras
It goes like this; Moi j'me promène sous Ste-Catherine (I’m « strolling » on Ste-Catherine) J'profite de la chaleur du métro (Enjoy the warm tempeture of the subway) Je n'me regarde pas dans les vitrines (don’t have time for shopping window) Quand il fait trente en dessous d'zéro (When its 30 below zero) Y'a longtemps qu'on fait d'la politique (its been so long since we’re into politic) Vingt ans de guerre contre les moustiques (20 year of battle against moustiquo)
J. Christian Guerrero
RIP Kirsty - Too soon, by absolute far
guellrich
Wow, the Seeger/MacColls meet the McGarrigle/Wainwright - Folk Dynasty! Rufus, Martha & Co did a beautiful version of a Ewan McColl song last month in London, just search for "Sweet Thames Flow Softly" ...
yobbo3
@harkentunes yes, oui, I know everybody's unhappy stories, Kirsty's and Kate's. But Kirsty's cover was new to me, and I enjoyed its new musical directions enormously. * Singers who dare to sing in different languages -- Manu Chau, for example -- are trying to do the very difficult job of bringing the world together (rather than the easy job of tearing the world apart).
Augustus404
@de belg - I think Kirsty did great credit to the song, and obviously respected the song writers an the message the song carried. Which version is better is going to be personal preference, I know, and agree with, many who think the Johnny Cash version of Hurt wipes NINs off the map, but that doesn't stop NIN getting credit for writing such a wonderful song