“A New England (BBC Recording)” – Kirsty MacColl with Billy Bragg
(Words/music: Billy Bragg, available on What Do Pretty Girls Do?, Hex 1998)
I’m a relatively new convert to Billy Bragg (and to those in need of convincing, go seek the Must I Paint You a Picture collection for a strong career overview), but one of the most compelling parts of Bragg’s personality is his propensity to champion other singers. Whether it’s sharing the stage with younger performers (recently Brit singers Estelle and Kate Nash, among others), collaborating with established acts (most famously with Wilco on the Mermaid Avenue discs), or championing artists rights to own their own intellectual property, few have done more to help cultivate a creative environment in popular music over the past twenty years. More importantly, Bragg’s collaborations come across as genuine endorsements of those he works with; rather than working with high profile bands or rising singers to raise his own public image, Bragg invests his time in causes (or, in this case, performers) he believes in, offering whatever he can to help their creative growth.
Still, it’s high praise for Bragg to share perhaps his most iconic song with Kirsty MacColl, although I wouldn’t blame him if he just wanted to hear his words sung by someone with as beautiful a voice as her. MacColl, best known as the firery foil to Shane MacGowan in the Pogues’ “Fairytale of New York,” sings “A New England” like it’s her own song, telling Bragg’s tale of teenage longing through her clear, vibrant voice. In this version, recorded for the BBC, MacColl and Bragg trade verses and create a conversational tone. While Bragg’s original sounds like a young man declaring his place in the world, this version sounds like two friends catching up on the past with each other. In particular, MacColl’s final verse (which Bragg wrote specifically for her), seems focused on the past – it’s the only of the three verses set exclusively in the past tense (where the other two verses compare the past to the present), and appropriately carries the perspective that only time brings. Even if they sound older, they still sound like they’re having fun, as their voices harmonize together and they laugh during the goofy instrumental break. I’ve never seen Bragg live, but I’m told he retains the final verse in his solo performances as a tribute to MacColl, who died in 2000.
More on Kirsty MacColl: Allmusic | Amazon MP3 | Emusic | Last.fm
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