The Essential Collection | ||||
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Compilation album by | ||||
Released | 1993 | |||
Length | 52:54 | |||
Label | Stiff Records | |||
Kirsty MacColl chronology | ||||
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The Essential Collection is a compilation album by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released by Stiff Records in 1993. It contains seventeen tracks covering MacColl's early recording career for Stiff and includes those released as singles and B-sides, as well as selections from her debut album Desperate Character (1981). The last three tracks are included as bonus tracks. [1]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Chris Woodstra of AllMusic described the compilation as a "fine collection", with "some of the best singles [MacColl] ever [wrote]". He added: "She wrote melodic pop singles that managed to recast the classic girl-group sound of the '60s into a style that was contemporary and timeless." [2]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" | Kirsty MacColl, Philip Rambow | 3:09 |
2. | "A New England" | Billy Bragg | 3:51 |
3. | "Patrick" | MacColl | 3:07 |
4. | "Eighty Year Old Millionaire" | MacColl | 2:52 |
5. | "See That Girl" | MacColl | 3:04 |
6. | "Until the Night" | MacColl, Phil Johnstone | 3:10 |
7. | "Just One Look" | Doris Payne, Gregory Carroll | 2:18 |
8. | "He Thinks I Still Care" | Roysden D. Lipscombe, Steve Duffy | 2:57 |
9. | "They Don't Know" | MacColl | 3:03 |
10. | "Turn My Motor On" | MacColl | 2:24 |
11. | "Please Go to Sleep" | MacColl | 2:31 |
12. | "Terry" | MacColl, Gavin Povey | 3:55 |
13. | "Quietly Alone" | MacColl | 2:40 |
14. | "Teenager in Love" | MacColl, Rambow | 2:38 |
15. | "A New England" (12" version) | 7:56 | |
16. | "Terry" (12" version) | 5:19 | |
17. | "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" (Country version) | 3:44 |
"Fairytale of New York" is a song written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan and recorded by their London-based band the Pogues, featuring English singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl on vocals. The song is an Irish folk-style ballad and was written as a duet, with the Pogues' singer MacGowan taking the role of the male character and MacColl playing the female character. It was originally released as a single on 23 November 1987 and later featured on the Pogues' 1988 album If I Should Fall from Grace with God.
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.
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.
"My Affair" is a song by British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, which was released in 1991 as the second single from her third studio album Electric Landlady. It was written by MacColl and Mark E. Nevin, and produced by Steve Lillywhite. "My Affair" reached No. 56 in the UK and remained in the charts for two weeks. A music video was filmed to promote the single.
"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.
"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.
"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.
"Don't Come the Cowboy with Me Sonny Jim!" is a song by British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, which was released in 1990 as the fourth and final single from her second studio album Kite. It was written by MacColl and produced by Steve Lillywhite. The song reached No. 82 in the UK and remained in the charts for four weeks. A music video was filmed to promote the single, directed by Sarah Tuft.
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.
"Walking Down Madison" is a 1991 song by Kirsty MacColl featuring Aniff Cousins. It charted at No. 23 on the UK Singles Chart and impacted a number of Billboard charts.
"Caroline" is a song by British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released in February 1995 as a single from her compilation album Galore. The song was written by MacColl, and produced by Victor Van Vugt and MacColl. "Caroline" reached number 58 in the UK Singles Chart and remained in the top 100 for two weeks.
"Angel" is a song by British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released in 1993 as the lead single from her fourth studio album Titanic Days. It was written by MacColl and produced by Steve Lillywhite. For its release as a single, "Angel" was remixed with additional production by Gregg Jackman. The song reached number 87 in the UK Singles Chart and number 26 on the US Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
A New England: The Very Best of Kirsty MacColl is a compilation album by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl. It was released by Union Square Music in 2013 and reached No. 41 in the UK. The standard edition of the compilation contains 21 tracks. A limited edition release exclusive to Amazon was also issued with a bonus disc of 10 promotional videos and five art cards.
The One and Only is a compilation album by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl. It was released by Metro in 2001 and reached No. 34 on the UK Budget Albums Chart. The compilation features fourteen tracks from MacColl's recording career under Stiff Records.
What Do Pretty Girls Do? is a live compilation album by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released by Hux Records in 1998. The compilation features fifteen tracks recorded across four BBC Radio One sessions between 1989 and 1995.
All I Ever Wanted: The Anthology is a two-disc compilation by the British singer and songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released by Salvo in 2014. The set contains 43 tracks from across MacColl's career and a 32-page booklet.
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.
"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.
"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.
"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.