The annual tradition now at F&M…

Kirsty MacColl

Two days late (sorry Kirsty)

It is now 10 years since she was robbed of her life.

The Pogues and Kirsty MacColl - Fairytale of New York

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It was Christmas Eve babe
In the drunk tank
An old man said to me, won’t see another one
And then he sang a song
The Rare Old Mountain Dew
I turned my face away
And dreamed about you

Got on a lucky one
Came in eighteen to one
I’ve got a feeling
This year’s for me and you
So happy Christmas
I love you baby
I can see a better time
When all our dreams come true

They’ve got cars big as bars
They’ve got rivers of gold
But the wind goes right through you
It’s no place for the old
When you first took my hand
On a cold Christmas Eve
You promised me
Broadway was waiting for me

You were handsome
You were pretty
Queen of New York City
When the band finished playing
They howled out for more
Sinatra was swinging,
All the drunks they were singing
We kissed on a corner
Then danced through the night

The boys of the NYPD choir
Were singing “Galway Bay”
And the bells were ringing out
For Christmas day

You’re a bum
You’re a punk
You’re an old slut on junk
Lying there almost dead on a drip in that bed
You scumbag, you maggot
You cheap lousy faggot
Happy Christmas your arse
I pray God it’s our last

I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can’t make it all alone
I’ve built my dreams around you.

Along with my new wife, we attended the memorial service at St Martin-In-The-Fields.
In the service various people involved with her life gave a eulogy about their memories of Kirsty.
Also there were some of her songs performed by Holly Johnson and others.
Near the end of the proceedings everybody sang one of her tunes, featured below:

Kirsty MacColl
» Don’t Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim !
»
Some boys with warm beds and cold, cold hearts
Can make you feel nothing at all
They’ll never remember and they’ll never mind
If you’re counting the cracks in the wall
They’re quick and they’re greedy
They never feel guilty
They don’t know the meaning of hurt
The boots just go back on
The socks that had stayed on
The next time they see you
They treat you like dirt
The next time they treat you like dirt

Now don’t come the cowboy with me Sonny Jim
I know lots of those and you’re not one of them
There’s a light in your eyes tells me somebody’s in
And you won’t come the cowboy with me

Don’t be too rough on my cold, cold heart
It’s all I’ve got left to me now
I fell out of favour with heaven somewhere
And I’m here for the hell of it now
Some girls play cowboys
And some boys play harder to get
But they’re got just the same
They smile and say cheese
They’re so eager to please
But they’ll never remember your name
The names and the places all change

But don’t come the cowboy with me Sonny Jim
I know lots of those and you’re not one of them
There’s a light in your eyes tells me somebody’s in
And you won’t come the cowboy with me

Did somebody tell you I’m lonely as hell?
I didn’t expect you to know me so well
If I learned a lesson it’s how to bounce back again
Sometimes I bounce off the wall
And sometimes my head hits the floor

So don’t come the cowboy with me Sonny Jim
I know lots of those and you’re not one of them
There’s a light in your eyes tells me somebody’s in
And you won’t come the cowboy
Oh don’t come the cowboy with me Sonny Jim
I know lots of those and you’re not one of them
There’s a light in your eyes tells me somebody’s in
And you won’t come the cowboy with me

EXTRA TIME:
A repost of a football related tune:

Kirsty MacColl
» Kirsty MacColl – England 2, Columbia 0
»
Oh you shouldn’t have kissed me and got me so excited
And when you asked me out I really was delighted
So we went to a pub in Belsize Park
And we cheered on England as the sky grew dark
Oh you shouldn’t have kissed me cause you started a fire
But then I found out that you’re a serial liar

You lied about your status
You lied about your life
You never mentioned your three children
And the fact you have a wife
Now it’s England 2 Colombia nil
And I know just how those Colombians feel

If you hadn’t passed out while I was talking to your friend
It could have really ended badly cause you very nearly had me
If he hadn’t taken pity on my heart full of desire
I might never have found out you’re a serial liar

You lied about your status
You lied about your life
You forgot you have three children
You forgot you have a wife
Now it’s England 2 Colombia 0
And I know just how those colombians feel

It is not in my nature to ever pick the winning team
Sometimes I think I’m happy then I remember it’s a dream
Now it isn’t in my nature to ever pick a winner
I always pick a bastard who would have me for his dinner

I can never possess the object of my desire
Cause he’s bound to turn out to be a serial liar
Ok I didn’t mention my kids, I thought I’d wait a bit
But I am free and single and he’s a lying git

Cause he lied about his status
He lied about his life
He forgot he had three children
He forgot he had a wife
And it’s England 2 Colombia nil
I know just how those Colombians feel

So I got into a taxi and sobbed all the way home
Called my friend up in sao paulo and cried down the phone
I played some tragic music and I lay down to die
But later I woke and I hadn’t stopped crying

You should never have kissed me, you tasted of deceit
Your perfume was adultery but I’m not a piece of meat
So I’ll be the one that you couldn’t acquire
I found out in time you’re a serial liar

You lied about your status
You lied about your life
And I pity your three children
And I pity your poor wife
Now you can go to hell
I’m going to Brazil
Still it’s England 2 Colombia nil

4 Replies to “You’re a bum, You’re a punk”

  1. ‘Fairytale…’ was played on the ipod on the way to work this morning. Still in my top 5 favourite Christmas songs, along with ‘Last Christmas'(!!!), and The Waitresses’ ‘Christmas Wrapping’. ‘England 2, Columbia 0’ is a work of pure genius. Kirstly wrote lyrics that were funny, witty, and told stories that were ordinary, but made you think about the situation. The only other person who can do that is Chris Difford. Still feel very sad about Kirsty, and I’m hoping that, one day, her mum will see justice.

    I’ll raise a scrumpy or two to Kirsty, as we approach Saturday.

    Much love to all for Christmas…Darren

  2. I’ve just watched a revealing documentary about Fairytale of New York that the BBC screened a few years ago. I hadn’t realised that she suffered from stagefright for a while and that playing with The Pogues helped her to get back on stage again. There was a degree of fortune involved in her being chosen to sing on Fairytale, but I can’t imagine anyone else doing a better job. Of course, she had many great songs before and after that and it’s a shame that she’s still not around. Thanks for the reminder, Webbie

  3. One of the truly great wordsmiths ever to record. Her, and Chris Difford. ‘Fairytail…’ remains one of my favourite Christmas songs, together with ‘Christmas Wrapping’ by The Waitresses, ‘I Believe In Father Christmas’ by Greg Lake, and ‘Frosty The Snowman’ by The Cocteau Twins.

    ‘England 2, Columbia 0’ is a fantastic song, with very clever lyrics, and sung in a way no-one else possibly could. I hope her mum gets justice some day soon.

    With that in mind…Merry Christmas y’all!!! And a Happy New Year…Darren

  4. Sorry folks. I sent two posts, thinking the original wouldn’t get posted, so please accept my festive apologies. The sentiments are exactly the same, though. Be safe out there, people!!!

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