See 11 more photos
Kirsty MacColl
435,209 plays (50,661 listeners)
female vocalists, pop, singer-songwriter, folk, 80s… see all
Kirsty Anna MacColl (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 was probably most recognizable in the United States as the writer of “
They Don’t Know”. Tracey Ullman’s version, helped by a video guest-starring Paul McCartney, reached Number 2 in the UK in 1983 and the Top Ten in North America. She had more success in her native England, where her 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.
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.
MacColl was probably most recognizable in the United States as the writer of “
They Don’t Know”. Tracey Ullman’s version, helped by a video guest-starring Paul McCartney, reached Number 2 in the UK in 1983 and the Top Ten in North America. She had more success in her native England, where her 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.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.
Videos
-
Play
Kirsty MacColl - They Don't Know
-
Play
Kirsty MacColl - Don't Come the Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim
-
Play
Kirsty MacColl - Walking Down Madison
-
Play
Kirsty MacColl - Days TOTP
Top Albums
Top Tracks
| 1 |
|
|||
| 2 |
|
Days
full track
|
||
| 3 |
|
|||
| 4 |
|
In These Shoes
full track
|
||
| 5 |
|
|||
| 6 |
|
|||
| 7 |
|
Free World
full track
|
||
| 8 |
|
|||
| 9 |
|
Innocence
full track
|
||
| 10 |
|
|||
| 11 |
|
|||
| 12 |
|
You Just Haven't Earned It Yet Baby
full track
|
||
| 13 |
|
|||
| 14 |
|
|||
| 15 |
|
In These Shoes?
full track
|
Shoutbox
-
fergusmcphail wrote:
<3
-
captainpovey wrote:
Happy Birthday Kirsty. There is the usual gathering on Sunday in Soho Square : http://www.kirstymaccoll.com/information/news/index.htm
-
YControl755 wrote:
Every time I listen I think about her being gone, unfortunately. Can't help it. And listening to something like "Soho Square" with that in mind is certainly chilling.
-
Spaceicorn wrote:
i don't really think about her being gone, though some things become kind of poignant, like the imagery of songs like titanic days, and he's on the beach. it's somewhere between sad and chilling. i'm glad you can tell that she had such a brilliant time making the whole tropical brainstorm album though.
-
Tabletter wrote:
She makes me happy. Then I realise that she's gone, and that makes me sad.
-
mlamond77 wrote:
The true voice of an angel - much missed.
-
anaisaalonso wrote:
in these shoes??? I don't think so. I love that song!!!!!
-
tangueramonica wrote:
My favourite song of hers.Great.What a tragic end.God bless you Kirsty.
-
coolbeanie wrote:
Amazing! I just bought Kite off iTunes! I can't believe I only just discovered her. A fantastic songwriter!
-
madmusicaddict wrote:
What talent prematurely snuffed out... Tropical Brainstorm still remains my favourite.
-
ffg wrote:
Such a wonderful talent, so missed.
-
sayheyheyhey wrote:
Love Kirsty? Love divas? Then come walking down Madison in these shoes to Divas!, a brand new Last.FM group where you can celebrate the music of the greatest divas in the world - http://www.last.fm/group/Divas%21
-
[deleted-user]
wrote:
My favorite for her songs
-
Reductorsonico wrote:
Yesterday I talked about Kirsty with my wife and we are hearing her since last night. So lovely voice.
-
s66blade wrote:
Best female voice. Ever. Sadly missed.
-
Spaceicorn wrote:
sun on the water <3
-
danndo wrote:
although she met her tragic end to soon, i've been a fan since i was like 16, and i love her witty, true, and honest lyrics....and that voice!!! all her albums are good, but my fave is tropical brainstorm.....in these shoes??? what a awesome experience!
-
bluetooth38 wrote:
I have only just found one of my all time favorites.
-
[deleted-user]
wrote:
I saw the documentary on bbc4 with her mother who went out to Mexico to find out what really happened. The owners of the boat wont come forward and admit they were wrong. It was so heartbreaking.
-
Tabletter wrote:
Just returned from London; saw her bench in Soho square!!
Listeners
-
isisshek
Listening now
to In These Shoes -
jetsetbaxter
Top Listener
-
madmusicaddict
Top Listener
-
Levanticus
Top Listener
-
sjdrape
Top Listener
-
captainpovey
Top Listener
Recent Activity
- frandezu, topcornerglynde, cosmicexile and 10 other people added Kirsty MacColl to their libraries. 1 hour ago
- expedidor tagged Kirsty MacColl with ‘genius’. yesterday morning
- expedidor, craig44, sachsyone and 2 other people added Kirsty MacColl to their libraries. yesterday morning
- Roselass tagged Kirsty MacColl with ‘singer-songwriter’, ‘british’, ‘folk’ and ‘female vocalists’. Friday evening
- edsgasfarm, tacka73, zoomug and 9 other people added Kirsty MacColl to their libraries. Friday evening
- tilleul_finland tagged Kirsty MacColl with ‘interesting’. Thursday evening
- thrupponly, flyboy7, kujothecat and 4 other people added Kirsty MacColl to their libraries. Thursday afternoon
- crystal_smile tagged Kirsty MacColl with ‘british’, ‘pop’ and ‘female vocalists’. Wednesday afternoon
- Mzbocelli, dafyddbh, hydranellie and 16 other people added Kirsty MacColl to their libraries. Wednesday morning
- manxmaid tagged Kirsty MacColl with ‘female vocalists’. August 2008
Related Journals
-
My Top 10s, as requested by zorros_ho
by camomile-tea |
6 Aug 2008 | 
3 comments
-
Recommended new releases, part III
by marco78train |
24 Jun 2008 | Add comment
-
Punk-folkowy zawrót głowy
by Blondasek |
24 May 2008 | 3 comments
Groups (15)
-
Europeans Against The World
3,675 members
-
New Wave
2,161 members
-
We Hate Comic Sans
697 members
-
Ectophiles Guide to Good Music
601 members
-
Leftist Nutjobs
310 members
