Kirsty Anna MacColl (10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) was an English singer and songwriter, daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl. She recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" and cover versions of Billy Bragg's "A New England" and the Kinks' "Days". Her first single, "They Don't Know", had chart success a few years later when covered by Tracey Ullman. MacColl also sang on a number of recordings produced by her then-husband Steve Lillywhite, most notably "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues. Her death in 2000 led to the "Justice for Kirsty" campaign.
Kirsty MacColl was born in Croydon, Surrey (now in South London), the daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl (1915–1989) and dancer Jean Newlove (1923–2017). Her father was born in England of Scottish parents. MacColl and her older brother, Hamish MacColl, grew up with their mother in Selsdon, in Croydon, where she attended Park Hill Primary School, Monks Hill High School and John Newnham High School, making appearances in school plays. At the time of her birth, her father had been in a relationship with folk singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Peggy Seeger since 1956 (a relationship that would continue until his death in 1989), and already had a son with her.
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Links to Peel[]
Peel first played tracks from the singer early in her music career in the late 70's on his radio programmes, but never played any further tracks after her first solo hit, "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" in 1981.
After Peel's death in 2004, it was later found out that he had a copy of her album, 'Desperate Character' in his Record Collection: M.
Shows Played[]
- 30 May 1979: They Don't Know (7") Stiff
- 1981
- 02 June 1981: There's A Guy Works Down The Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis (7") Polydor
- 11 June 1981 (John Walters): There's A Guy Works Down The Chipshop Swears He's Elvis (7") Polydor
- 25 December 1981 (TOTP): There's A Guy Works Down The Chipshop Swears He's Elvis