Backing Vocals

Jane Aire

Kirsty is in the backing chorus on the 1978 single Yankee Wheels and the following year’s album Jane Aire & the Belvederes.

Daniel Balavoine

When Frida was in Paris recording her Shine album in 1984, she and Kirsty provided backing vocals for French singer Daniel Balavoine on the song Dieu que c'est beau. Daniel Balavoine and Kirsty co-wrote The Face for Frida's album.

Billy Bragg

Kirsty sings on quite a few Bragg titles: Greetings to the new brunette & The passion on his 1986 album Talking with the Taxman about Poetry, and Sexuality, Cindy of a thousand lives & Bad penny on the 1991 album Don't try this at home . Kirsty appears in the video for Sexuality. The CD single includes two alternative mixes: the Manchester Remix is fairly close but the London Remix is dancier and has more prominent "ooh aah" vocals.

Bad penny appears only on the CD single and also features KM doing one of her sha-la-la-la shuffles on the fade (the song’s also available on the B-side collection Reaching to the converted but beware! They've edited Kirsty right out of the mix by chopping it off 20 seconds before the end so for the full Kirsty & Bill experience you need to hunt down that CD single - thanks to RM2).

Jake Burns

Kirsty appears on the ex Stiff Little Fingers man’s 1986 single She grew up, later captured on his 2002 compilation On Fortune Street.

David Byrne

A very important session for Kirsty since she imported many of the musicians to add flavours to Electric Landlady, not least My affair, which later proved to be years ahead of its time given the explosion of Latin influence all over her final album Tropical Brainstorm ten years later. This was a 1989 album (No. 52), Rei Momo and Kirsty appears on the songs Independence Day, Make believe Mambo, The call of the wild, The Dream Police, Don't want to be part of your world & Lie to me

Climie Fisher

Never let a chance go by was a 1988 single from the Climie Fisher album Everything, produced by Steve Lillywhite. Note that another album track, This is me, was later released as a single and includes a 12" version of the song on which Kirsty is slightly more in evidence, with a subdued choir effect towards the end.

Mary Coughlan

Kirsty sings on Invisible to you (co-written and produced by Pete Glenister) from Mary’s 1990 album Uncertain pleasures.

Crossfire Choir

Kirsty is credited with backup vocals on The last word from 1986’s self-titled release Crossfire Choir. The band recall having fun hanging out with Kirsty, Steve and the boys.

Engine Alley

Another Lillywhite production, the 1992 album A Sonic Holiday featured the single Song for Someone.

Frida

Frida brought in Kirsty to add vocals to her 1984 album Shine, notably on the songs One little lie, The face, Chemistry tonight and That's tough. The album was produced by Steve Lillywhite and recorded at the Studios de la Grand Armée in Paris. Kirsty co-wrote the songs mentioned. Also of note is the 12" version of Shine, which is well worth finding for fans of Kirsty’s backing vocals.

Happy Mondays

Kirsty is most prominent on the MacColl mix of Hallelujah - released in 1989 and later captured on the Loads collection.

John Wesley Harding

Kirsty appears on Here comes the groom, the the first album by British artist John Wesley Harding in 1990. Song in question is Affairs of the heart.

Holly Johnson

Boyfriend 65 on Holly’s 1991 album, Dreams that money can't buy.

Jona Lewie

This 1980 single, (You'll always find me in the) Kitchen at parties appears on the reissued version of the 1978 album On the other hand there's a fist; Kirsty also appears on the track A bit higher.

Ewan MacColl

On the 1990 compilation, Black and white includes The Manchester Rambler, a 1983 recording crediting Kirsty in the company with Peggy Seeger, her brother Hamish and half brothers Calum and Neill. We are dubious. She is credited with mixing The joy of living with Steve Lillywhite.

Matchbox

I want out (1983 single), Hot loving from the 1982 album Crossed line. Since Kirsty is credited as lead vocalist, this also appears on the main Singles and Discography pages. She also makes an appearance on a song called Hot loving, though far less prominently.

Chucho Merchan

1998 album, Ocean songs
People uniting

Chucho Merchan was commissioned by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to write this collection of songs to commemorate the 1998 International Year of the Ocean and to help raise global awareness of ‘planet ocean’. The song People Uniting features Kirsty and Chucho on lead vocals. Source: PM

Morrissey

A 1989 single, Interesting drug is included on Bona drag, which also has Kirsty and Morrissey's synchronised singing on Interesting drug. His 1994 single The more you ignore me, the closer I get appeared on the CD reissue of Viva hate, as did I'd love to. Originally this was the B side of The more you ignore me ... , and was produced by Steve Lillywhite.

Van Morrison

Though nothing ever came of it, Kirsty did go to the studio to record with Van, with Mick Glossop engineering. Steve Lillywhite recalls "Kirsty spent most of the time playing pool waiting for Van to show up, when Van showed she didn't have much time to sing and consequently I don't think it turned out particularly special... " Since this collaboration is repeatedly mentioned in the list of backing vocal honours it's worthy of inclusion here, since it is a frequently asked question...

Alison Moyet

Kirsty sings the part of the ‘Elysian Chorus’ on the song Wishing you were here, which reached No. 72 in the UK singles chart. Pete Glenister co-wrote most of the 1991 album (Hoodoo) and produced it.

Robert Plant

1988 No. 10 album, Now and Zen: The way I feel, Why, White clean and neat, Tall cool one.

The Pogues

Kirsty with the Pogues… The now classic Fairytale of New York dates originally from the 1987 album If I should fall from grace with God. The 12" remix of the title song features Kirsty prominently, unlike the album version. She can also be heard on the chorus of A pair of brown eyes on the CD single! Two years later, Kirsty sings harmony vocal on Lorelei on their album Peace and Love.

Riff Regan

This is an unconfirmed appearance on one of two 1979 singles, You Call Me Lucky/ Jacoby Island and The Only One/ The Lucky Dub. Miles Tredinnick was, as Riff Regan, the former singer of the band London. Miles says, “Liam Sternberg was producing my records at exactly the same time as Kirsty’s using the same musicians and at the same recording studio (Island in Basing St, West London.) I can certainly remember turning up for my sessions and Kirsty already being there having completed her sessions. She would then hang around whilst I did my vocals and may well have sung backing on something but I can’t honestly remember." Source: PM

Rolling Stones

1986 No. 4 album, Dirty work featured a single One hit (to the body). On the whole it's impossible to hear Kirsty at all on the track - she said "it was like a big party with lots of people in the studio, so when they needed backing vocals, they just said: 'Everyone who could sing, come in here'."

Peggy Seeger

Kirsty is credited on Peggy Seeger's Penelope isn't waiting any more. Although Kirsty is listed as playing guitar on one song, Peggy recalls, “Kirsty did not play any instruments on that recording” though she “was a chorus member.” This is the earliest date of any known releases featuring Kirsty. The discovery of this record is surprising, since Kirsty was soon to make an appearance on vinyl with the Drug Addix. It has however been confirmed by Kirsty's mother Jean, though the circumstances are unclear. Source: VR

Shakin' Pyramids

A Scottish band in the late 70s, It hurts to be in love appears on their album Celts & Cobras. Jane Aire is also credited.

Sharon Shannon

The Libertango track is in all but name a Kirsty MacColl song - in the Folk Roots review, “a licentiously smouldering Grace Jones song with Kirsty MacColl purring outrageously over Shannon's tango accordion.”.

Shriekback

A 1983 single, Lined Up, issued as a 7" & 12" and then on Shriekback - The Infinite on Kaz Records. Source: BN

Simple Minds

The 12" single extended mix of Speed your love to me is highly Kirsty-friendly, the original is sourced from Sparkle in the rain, as is Street hassle.

The Smiths

The 1986 No.38 compilation Louder than bombs includes Ask (also 1986 No.14 single) and Golden lights. Rumoured backing vocals on the song Bigmouth Strikes Again stem from a session she did for the song (confirmed by Kirsty herself) though, according to Mozipedia, for the final version Morrissey used his own vocals, speeded up and credited to ‘Ann Coates’. There may still be an uncredited “Aah” in there… Source: RW/ LB/ TH

Squire

A 1980 single, My mind goes round in circles b/w Does Stephanie know?, and reissued on the 1985 compilation The Singles album and 1992 compilation Big Smashes. Kirsty is credited on the back - "Harmony Vocals (Courtesy Of Herself)". Source - JE.

Talking Heads

Kirsty appears on 1988 Naked’s (Nothing but) Flowers and also Bill, which appears on CD versions. Kirsty also made an appearance in the video for Flowers.

Tot Taylor

In addition to general backing chorus duties, Kirsty does one of her choir things on 1981’s 31 Love from Playtime, and may well also feature on Every night at Eight and The Chocolate Song. Five years on, she appears on The girl with everything (compiled on the album Jumble soul). Source: JE

Anthony Thistlethwaite

Kirsty sings on Red jeans on the 1994 album Cartwheels.

Tom Tom Club

Say I am and Dark sneak love action from 1992’s Dark sneak love action.

Tracey Ullman

1983 album You broke my heart in 17 places - vocals throughout, and a co-production credit on the title track. Tracey also recorded the more readily available version of Kirsty’s You caught me out on an album of the same name, and a version of Terry.

The Wonderstuff

Their 1991 No.3 album Never loved Elvis featured Welcome to the cheap seats. The single remix features Kirsty much higher in the mix. Finally, the version issued on “Reel 2” of the two CD set is dubbed the Naked Mix, "We've removed our ramshackle performance from this song in order to make Kirsty's sweet tones audible."

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