From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology

Last updated

From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology
Kirsty MacColl From Croydon to Cuba An Anthology 2005 album cover.jpg
Box set by
Released2005
Recorded1979-2000
Genre
Length3:56:23
Label Virgin
Kirsty MacColl chronology
The One and Only
(2001)
From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology
(2005)
The Stiff Years
(2005)

From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology is a three disc box set by the British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released by Virgin in 2005. It reached No. 98 on the UK Albums Chart. [1]

Contents

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svg [2]
musicOMH favourable [3]
The Telegraph favourable [4]

Upon release, Dave Thompson of AllMusic described the set as a "marvel" and one which leaves listeners "wondering precisely how MacColl's genius passed so many people by". [2] John Murphy of musicOMH considered it a "long overdue retrospective" and summarised: "Although there are some omissions, this anthology is still a compulsory purchase for anyone who wants to know more about one of the more cruelly over-looked figures of British music." [3]

Robert Sandall of The Telegraph commented: "This box set offers a comprehensive reminder of just how characterful a talent departed the planet when Kirsty MacColl [died] in 2000. Not all of the 65 tracks here are classics - like most box sets, this contains a sprinkling of rare or unreleased what-nots which collectors love but others skip. But the story they tell is riveting." [4]

Track listing

Adapted from the box set liner notes. [5]

Disc one

No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."They Don't Know" Kirsty MacColl Non-album single, 19793:02
2."You Caught Me Out"MacColl, Pete Briquette, Simon Crowe Abandoned single, 1979; [upper-alpha 1] previously unreleased3:24
3."Keep Your Hands off My Baby" Carole King, Gerry Goffin Non-album single, 19812:59
4."There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis"MacColl, Philip Rambow Desperate Character , 19813:08
5."Hard to Believe"MacCollDesperate Character2:19
6."See That Girl"MacCollDesperate Character3:00
7."Queen of the High Teas"MacCollB-side of "You Still Believe in Me", 19812:28
8."I Want Out" (Matchbox feat. Kirsty MacColl)Brian Hodgson, Ray Peters, Tony ColtonCrossed Line, 19822:42
9."You Still Believe in Me" Brian Wilson, Tony Asher Non-album single, 19812:57
10."Rhythm of the Real Thing"MacColl, Simon Climie B-side of "Berlin", 1983 [upper-alpha 2] 4:58
11."Berlin"MacCollNon-album single, 1983 [upper-alpha 3] 3:34
12."Camel Crossing"MacCollFrom the Real sessions, 1983; [upper-alpha 4] previously unreleased5:21
13."Roman Gardens"Hamish MacColl, Gavin Povey Kirsty MacColl , 1985; from the Real sessions4:57
14."Sticked and Stoned"MacCollFrom the Real sessions; previously unreleased3:46
15."Terry"MacColl, PoveyNon-album single, 19833:51
16."A New England" Billy Bragg Non-album single, 19843:48
17."Patrick"MacCollB-side of "A New England"3:04
18."He's on the Beach"MacColl, PoveyNon-album single, 19853:30
19."Innocence" (Single remix)MacColl, Pete Glenister Kite , 19894:02
20."Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim"MacCollKite3:46
21."Closer to God"MacCollB-side of "Free World", 19893:54
22."Fairytale of New York" (The Pogues feat. Kirsty MacColl) Shane MacGowan, Jem Finer Single, 1987; If I Should Fall from Grace with God , 19884:33
Total length:79:14

Disc two

No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."Free World"MacCollKite2:37
2."You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby" Morrissey, Johnny Marr Kite2:49
3."Tread Lightly"MacColl, GlenisterKite3:17
4."The End of a Perfect Day"MacColl, MarrKite3:21
5."Mother's Ruin"MacColl, GlenisterKite3:55
6."Dancing in Limbo"MacCollKite2:51
7."Days" Ray Davies Kite3:55
8."Still Life"MacColl, RambowB-side of "Days", 19892:51
9."Clubland"MacCollB-side of "Innocence", 19892:59
10."Other People's Hearts"MacColl, PoveyB-side of "Don't Come The Cowboy With Me, Sonny Jim", 19902:59
11."Don't Run Away from Me Now"MacColl, RambowB-side of "Innocence", 19894:04
12."Please Help Me, I'm Falling" Don Robertson, Hal BlairB-side of "Days", 19893:36
13."Miss Otis Regrets/Just One of Those Things" (Kirsty MacColl and the Pogues) Cole Porter Red Hot + Blue , 19902:58
14."All the Tears That I Cried"MacColl, Mark E. Nevin B-side of "My Affair", 19912:45
15."Walking Down Madison"MacColl, Marr Electric Landlady , 19914:39
16."London Bridge Is Falling Down" Winsford Devine, add. lyrics by MacCollOuttake from the Electric Landlady sessions, 1991; previously unreleased4:52
17."My Affair"MacColl, NevinElectric Landlady5:23
18."All I Ever Wanted" (Re-recorded single version)MacColl, Marshall Crenshaw Non-album single, 1991; original version from Electric Landlady3:38
19."Halloween"MacColl, NevinElectric Landlady3:39
20."We'll Never Pass This Way Again"MacCollElectric Landlady4:20
21."Count On Me" (Demo)MacColl, Nevin1993 demo; previously unreleased2:39
22."Dear John" (Demo)MacColl, Nevin1993 demo; previously unreleased2:43
Total length:78:17

Disc three

No.TitleWriter(s)OriginLength
1."Angel"MacColl Titanic Days , 19933:51
2."Soho Square"MacColl, NevinTitanic Days4:23
3."Bad"MacCollTitanic Days2:45
4."Can't Stop Killing You"Marr, MacCollTitanic Days4:03
5."Titanic Days" (Single edit)MacColl, NevinTitanic Days3:37
6."Tomorrow Never Comes"MacColl, NevinTitanic Days4:46
7."Caroline"MacColl Galore , 19952:55
8."I Am Afraid" Dave Couse 1995 session outtake; previously unreleased3:15
9."The Butcher Boy"TraditionalB-side of "Caroline", 19953:56
10."As Long As You Hold Me"Bragg Mad Love soundtrack, 19954:34
11."Perfect Day" (Kirsty MacColl and Evan Dando) Lou Reed Galore3:49
12."Sail Away" (Ghostland and Kirsty MacColl) Randy Newman Beautiful People soundtrack, 19993:13
13."Libertango" (Sharon Shannon feat. Kirsty MacColl) Astor Piazzolla, Barry Reynolds, Dennis WilkeyLibertango, 2003 [upper-alpha 5] 4:23
14."Golden Heart"MacColl, Neill MacCollB-side of "Mambo de la Luna", 1999; bonus track on Tropical Brainstorm US version, 20003:22
15."Mambo de la Luna" (Single edit)David Ruffy, MacColl, GlenisterTropical Brainstorm3:31
16."In These Shoes?"MacColl, GlenisterTropical Brainstorm3:38
17."England 2 Columbia 0"MacCollTropical Brainstorm3:46
18."Celestine"MacCollTropical Brainstorm3:34
19."Good for Me"James Knight, MacCollB-side of "In These Shoes?", 2000; bonus track on Tropical Brainstorm US version4:10
20."Manhattan Moon" Philip Chevron 2000 demo; [upper-alpha 6] previously unreleased3:34
21."Sun On the Water" (Demo)MacColl, Glenister1999–2000 demo; [upper-alpha 7] previously unreleased4:09
Total length:79:26

Production

Adapted from the box set liner notes. [5]

Charts

Chart (2005)Peak
position
UK Albums Chart (OCC) [1] 98

Notes

  1. Shortly before its October 1979 release date, MacColl and her label Stiff parted company, so "You Caught Me Out" was not commercially released as a single at that time. Test pressings and white label promos exist. [6]
  2. This track was referenced as being issued as a 1983 single (as a B-side) in this album's liner notes, but no actual copy -- whether a stock copy, promo copy, test pressing or acetate -- has ever surfaced.
  3. This track was referenced as being issued as a 1983 single A-side in this album's liner notes, but no actual copy -- whether a stock copy, promo copy, test pressing or acetate -- has ever surfaced.
  4. Recorded January 1983 during sessions for MacColl's shelved second album Real. [5]
  5. Originally released on Sharon Shannon's 1997 album Each Little Thing. The version featured on From Croydon to Cuba is a remix from Shannon's 2003 collaborations album Libertango. [5]
  6. December 2000 demo written for the in-progress musical Jack Rooney: In Person by Philip Chevron and Declan Lynch. [5]
  7. Demo recorded during the Tropical Brainstorm sessions. [5]

Related Research Articles

The Beatles' bootleg recordings are recordings of performances by the Beatles that have attained some level of public circulation without being available as a legal release. The term most often refers to audio recordings, but also includes video performances. Starting with vinyl releases in the 1970s, through CD issues in the late 1980s, and continuing with digital downloads starting in the mid 1990s, the Beatles have been, and continue to be, among the most bootlegged artists.

<i>Kite</i> (Kirsty MacColl album) 1989 studio album by Kirsty MacColl

Kite is the breakthrough second album by Kirsty MacColl, released in 1989. Produced by her then-husband Steve Lillywhite, it was her first album for Virgin Records. The album included MacColl's hit cover of the Kinks' "Days", as well as two tracks written with Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr. On 6 October 1989, it was certified silver by the BPI.

This is the discography of British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl.

<i>Tropical Brainstorm</i> 2000 studio album by Kirsty MacColl

Tropical Brainstorm is the fifth and final studio album by Kirsty MacColl, released in 2000. It was inspired by her trips to Cuba, and many tracks include Spanish or Portuguese lyrics. The album was released with three extra tracks in the US.

<i>Galore</i> (Kirsty MacColl album) 1995 compilation album by Kirsty MacColl

Galore is a compilation album released by Kirsty MacColl in 1995. It features material previously released on the studio albums Desperate Character (1981), Kite (1989), Electric Landlady (1991) and Titanic Days (1993), among other tracks by MacColl, totalling eighteen songs. Some of the tracks differ from their original releases; a couple of songs, such as "Innocence", are alternate takes, while "Miss Otis Regrets" is a different edit that omits the second half, "Just One of Those Things", performed by the Pogues. On release the album peaked at No. 6, MacColl's highest ever charting album.

<i>Electric Landlady</i> 1991 studio album by Kirsty MacColl

Electric Landlady is Kirsty MacColl's third studio album. Released in 1991, it was her second Virgin Records release and second collaboration with producer/husband Steve Lillywhite. The title is a pun on Jimi Hendrix's album Electric Ladyland.

<i>Titanic Days</i> Album by Kirsty MacColl

Titanic Days is the fourth studio album by Kirsty MacColl, released in 1993. Containing eleven tracks, Titanic Days was sometimes hard to get in years after its release, but it was remastered and re-released in 2005 by ZTT with a second CD of non-album tracks and some live recordings, including a version of "Miss Otis Regrets". In 2012, another remastered re-issue of the album was released by Salvo/ZTT, which again featured a second disc of bonus tracks. This is the final album to be produced by her then-husband Steve Lillywhite, before they divorced several years after the release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">They Don't Know (Kirsty MacColl song)</span> 1979 single by Kirsty MacColl

"They Don't Know" is a song composed and first recorded in 1979 by Kirsty MacColl. Though unsuccessful, the song was later recorded by Tracey Ullman in 1983. Ullman's version reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 8 in the US.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Days (The Kinks song)</span> 1968 single by the Kinks

"Days" is a song by the Kinks, written by lead singer Ray Davies, released as a single in 1968. It also appeared on an early version of the album The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society. It now appears as a bonus track of the remastered CD. On the original Pye 7N 17573 label, the name of the song is "Day's" owing to a grammatical error.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry (Kirsty MacColl song)</span> 1983 single by Kirsty MacColl

"Terry" is a song by Kirsty MacColl, released as a single in October 1983, and charting at No. 82 in the UK the following month. It was her first release after returning to Stiff Records, and was the last in a run of poorly selling singles released between "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" and "A New England". The music video featured an appearance from actor and comedian Ade Edmondson, who played MacColl's rejected boyfriend who got her back after fighting off a rival man. The photo on the front sleeve features MacColl and Chris Heester.

<i>Desperate Character</i> 1981 studio album by Kirsty MacColl

Desperate Character is the first solo album of British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released in 1981. The album was re-released in March 1985 as Kirsty MacColl, with three tracks replaced with other songs. The album has been remastered and received a CD release for the first time on 8 October 2012 on the Union Square Music label and features the original twelve track listing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirsty MacColl</span> English singer and songwriter (1959–2000)

Kirsty Anna MacColl 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Free World (song)</span> 1989 single by Kirsty MacColl

"Free World" is a song by British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, which was released in 1989 as the lead single from her second studio album Kite. It was written by MacColl and produced by Steve Lillywhite. "Free World" reached number 43 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for seven weeks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dear John (Eddi Reader song)</span> 1994 single by Eddi Reader

"Dear John" is a song by Scottish singer-songwriter Eddi Reader, which was released in 1994 as the third and final single from her second studio album Eddi Reader. It was written by Kirsty MacColl and Mark E. Nevin, and produced by Greg Penny. "Dear John" reached No. 48 in the UK and remained in the charts for two weeks. In 1995, the song was nominated for "Best song musically and lyrically" at the Ivor Novello Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">In These Shoes?</span> 2000 single by Kirsty MacColl

"In These Shoes?" is a song by British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, which was released in 2000 as the second single from her fifth studio album Tropical Brainstorm. It was written by MacColl and Pete Glenister, and produced by MacColl, Glenister and Dave Ruffy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mambo de la Luna</span> 1999 single by Kirsty MacColl

"Mambo de la Luna" is a song by British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, which was released in 1999 as the lead single from her fifth studio album Tropical Brainstorm. It was written and produced by MacColl, Pete Glenister and Dave Ruffy.

<i>The Best of Kirsty MacColl</i> 2005 compilation album by Kirsty MacColl

The Best of Kirsty MacColl is a compilation album by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl. It was released by EMI in 2005 and reached No. 12 in the UK. The one-disc compilation, which was aimed at more casual fans of MacColl, followed the release of the three-disc set From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology earlier in the year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">He's on the Beach</span> 1985 single by Kirsty MacColl

"He's on the Beach" is a song by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, which was released in 1985 as a non-album single by Stiff Records. It was written by MacColl and Gavin Povey, and produced by Steve Lillywhite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">All I Ever Wanted (Kirsty MacColl song)</span> 1991 single by Kirsty MacColl

"All I Ever Wanted" is a song by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, which was released in 1991 as the third and final single from her third studio album Electric Landlady. It was written by MacColl and Marshall Crenshaw, and produced by Steve Lillywhite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Caught Me Out (song)</span> 2023 single by Kirsty MacColl

"You Caught Me Out" is a song written by Kirsty MacColl, Pete Briquette and Simon Crowe. It was originally recorded by MacColl in 1979, with Liam Sternberg as the producer, but the intended single release later that year was shelved. In 2023, it was issued as a limited edition 7-inch single. Versions have also been recorded by Australian singer Christie Allen and British-American singer/actress Tracey Ullman.

References

  1. 1 2 "KIRSTY MACCOLL | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". Officialcharts.com. 31 December 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  2. 1 2 Dave Thompson (26 April 2005). "From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology - Kirsty MacColl | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  3. 1 2 John Murphy (28 March 2005). "Kirsty MacColl – From Croydon To Cuba: An Anthology". musicOMH. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
  4. 1 2 12:01AM GMT 26 Mar 2005 (26 March 2005). "Pop CDs of the week: Kirsty MacColl, Will Smith, New Order, Ladysmith Black Mambazo". Telegraph. Retrieved 14 July 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 From Croydon to Cuba: An Anthology (CD liner notes). Kirsty MacColl. Virgin. 2005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  6. "You Caught Me Out". kirstymaccoll.com. Retrieved 19 July 2021.