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Backing Vocals

Jane Aire

1978 single, Yankee Wheels
1979 album, Jane Aire & the Belvederes.
Individual songs not identified.

A poppy recreation of the 60s girl group sound. Jane Aire emerged from Akron Ohio at the same time as Rachel Sweet as part of the Liam Sternberg movement - coinciding with the arrival on the scene of Kirsty. The album is OK, I really liked it at the time and saw Jane supporting Lene Lovich on tour in the UK.

Best tracks are probably Love is a fire and Come see about me. Kirsty's vocals are there but not dominant. The Stiff sound was based on a core of really great players intermingling between Graham Parker's Rumour, the Edge (including the momentous Lu Edmonds) and Ian Dury's Blockheads.

Daniel Balavoine

1984 album & single.
Dieu que c'est beau

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. Balavoine was apparently once in a theatre show called Abbacadabra with B.A.Robertson.

This has a very eighties arrangement, it probably sounded better back then. Kirsty and Frida sing a sort of "a-ya-ya-ya-ai" accompaniment. Thanks for Joe in Ohio for sending me the tape and Angelique for the photo. Find out all about Daniel at the excellent website at www.balavoine.fr.fm.

Billy Bragg

1986 album, Talking with the Taxman about Poetry
Greetings to the new brunette,The passion

The "difficult third album" it says on the sleeve of . It's a good collection of songs in the Bragg house style. The highlights for me are Levi Stubbs' tears and Greetings to the new brunette (featuring insistent bvox from KM). Actually the album is packed with Bragg classics - add Ideology, Honey I'm a big boy now, There is power in a Union and Wishing the days away.  

In case you don't know, Bragg is one of the most important and enjoyable performers in British music. Note - sometimes Brunette is credited in singles listings as "Billy Bragg with Johnny Marr and Kirsty MacColl". The actual credit (as shown) is just to Bragg, though the back of the sleeve includes Johnny & Kirsty as guest musicians. Brunette is featured on the retrospective Must I paint you a picture? along with Bragg's original take on A New England.

Billy Bragg

1991 album, Don't try this at home
KM: Sexuality, Cindy of a thousand lives, Bad penny

Another of the higher rated Bragg albums with standouts in Sexuality, Dolphins, Rumours of war and Accident waiting to happen.

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 (sorry, that might be Gina G).

The track 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 now 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). Sexuality and Cindy are also featured on the retrospective Must I paint you a picture?.

Jake Burns

1986 single, She grew up
2002 Compilation, On Fortune Street

Ex front man with Stiff Little Fingers - his second solo single on the Survival label was a bouncy take on the "We'll never grow old" song. This time we have grown up - but we've never grown old. Oh yes, she grew up ... and she still loves to dance. Fine bvox. Stiff Little Fingers are still to be found treading the boards from time to time. 

According to Clint, "there is (also) a song called The Money Shot and it featured Kirsty on lead vocals. I'm pretty sure that the band was Jake Burns, but I was in my car at the time and couldn't write it down. Now my memory is fuzzy. The song was quite rocky and the lyrics were excellent! I haven't been able to find any mention of it anywhere on the net, and was hoping maybe you have heard it or could let me know where I might find it. I suspect it might be a Jake Burns B-Side?"

David Byrne

1989 album (No. 52), Rei Momo
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

Latin rhythms (Cumbia, merengue, samba, rumba and charanga for starters) with Byrne's unique vocal style and lyrical touch on top. Kirsty sings on about half of the album, most prominently on Part of your world. A good one, and hugely influential for Kirsty since she imported many of the musicians to add flavours to Electric Landlady, not least the creation of the Latin-pop classic My affair, which has since proved to be years ahead of its time given the explosion of Latin influence all over Tropical Brainstorm.

Climie Fisher

1988 album, Everything
Never let a chance go by, This is me (1988 single)

Never Let A Chance Go By, produced by Steve Lillywhite, is a track on the Climie Fisher album Everything.  Judging by the standards applied to the other songs in this section, this song isn't that vitally important, but I thought you ought to know about it. You can barely hear Kirsty on the song, and the album can only be recommended for very occasional listening. Source - AA/TO. Note that This is me was released as a single on EMI EM58, and includes a 12" version of the song in addition. Kirsty is slightly more in evidence on the second track with a subdued choir effect towards the end.

Mary Coughlan

1990 album, Uncertain pleasures
Invisible to you (also 1990 single)

Kirsty only sings on one track (co-written and produced by Pete Glenister), Invisible to you. It also appears on the compilation album A woman's heart 2 along with songs by Mary Black, Sinead Lohan, Dolores Keane and more. Mary is an Irish singer who started performing relatively late in life (well into her thirties) but she is an assured and convincing live performer melding jazz and blues into a sort of dreamy Irish standards style.

Crossfire Choir

1986 album, Crossfire Choir
The last word

An 80s rock album featuring Dennis Ambrose (bass), Eddie Freeze (guitar, keyboards), Brad Peet (drums) and Jay Pounders (guitar, lead vocals). It was produced by Mr. Lillywhite (of course) and Kirsty's vocal contribution not especially prominent, so only worth seeking out if you're one of those completist types! Honest hard working guys though, and they enjoyed hanging out with Kirsty.

Engine Alley

1994 album, Engine Alley
Song for someone (also a 1994 single)

The band are Irish and contemporaries of Hothouse Flowers (I think they have had personnel in common too). Kirsty sings on only one song, and the album was co-produced by Steve Lillywhite.  Song for Someone was issued as a single in Ireland. The band describe the song as a big atmospheric ballad and is always a favourite at gigs. This album was originally released as A Sonic Holiday - for overseas export it was "ill-advisedly bastardized". Find out why on the band's excellent website. 

Frida

1984 album (reissue 2005), Shine
One little lie, The face, Chemistry tonight, That's tough
1984 single, Shine (12" version)
1994 compilation, Agnetha & Frida, the voice of Abba

Solo album by former Abba singer Frida. Not brilliant but Kirsty co-wrote the songs mentioned as well as singing on the album. That's tough was on the original vinyl version but is now only available on a CD from Spectrum Music called Agnetha and Frida: The Voice of Abba. This is a compilation of their solo recordings. Obviously Abba need no introduction but certainly the "boys" have fared far better commercially since their demise. On the Shine 12" version (VOGUE VG114-311091) you get Kirsty singing the line "Don't let the sun go down" all on her own. Simon Climie also features on the track. Shine was reissued in 2005, including the 12" version.

Happy Mondays

1989 single
1995 compilation (No. 41), Loads

A joyful racket from Shaun Ryder's Madchester trailblazers the Happy Mondays. Kirsty is prominent on the MacColl mix of Hallelujah - released in 1989 and later captured on this "Best of" collection.

John Wesley Harding

1990 album, Here comes the groom
Affairs of the heart

Kirsty appears on the first album by British artist John Wesley Harding, his vocal can be reminiscent of Elvis Costello especially in songs like You're no good. Pete and Bruce Thomas of Costello's Attractions are in the band, but at the time of release Elvis was between Spike and Mighty like a rose so we would have to say that the Thomases traded up to a better outfit! The album is a grower, worth a listen (as indeed are any of his later releases, including a faithful tribute to English folk legend Nic Jones).

Holly Johnson

1991 album, Dreams that money can't buy
Boyfriend 65

Kirsty appears on Holly's second solo album (after Frankie Goes to Hollywood).  Holly & Kirsty went way back - she also appeared fleetingly with Frankie on German TV show Musikladen, Holly designed the sleeve artwork for the Angel single, and he performed Don't come the cowboy with me, Sonny Jim! at her public memorial service in London.

Jona Lewie

1980 single, (You'll always find me in the) Kitchen at parties
1978 album, On the other hand there's a fist (1992 CD reissue only)
(You'll always find me in the) Kitchen at parties, A bit higher

Marvellous single from Stiff star Jona Lewie, reputedly Kirsty's first recording session at Stiff (Source - TH). The young Kirsty certainly had a chance to shine with the prominent chorus call and repeat style echoing Jona's lyrics. This single marginally outcharted his other hit, Stop the cavalry, which reached number 11 around Xmas 1980. Jona was also the curiously named Terry Dactyl & the Dinosaurs, charting seven years previously with Seaside Shuffle and On a Saturday night, which remained his biggest hit reaching number 4 in the UK charts in January 1973. Who said the Stiff roster was totally hip? According to Lou, Jona appeared on TOTP with Kirsty doing backing wearing a yellow dress. On the CD reissue Kirsty also sings backup on the track A bit higher.

Ewan MacColl

1990 compilation, Black and white
The Manchester Rambler (1983 recording)

In the early nineteenth century walking was the quickest way out of Manchester. By the end of the century, the railways offered the prospect of escape to the Peak District for the workers (rambling was a working class creation) In the 1950s there were so many ramblers each week that they hired trains! This wasn't entirely happy with much access to the high ground being denied by the owners of the grouse moors and this culminated in the mass trespass on Kinder, the inspiration for this, Ewan's first great song - written when he was 17. Cooking Vinyl's Ewan MacColl retrospective credits Kirsty on the track, in company with Peggy Seeger, her brother Hamish and half brothers Calum and Neill. She is also credited with mixing The joy of living with Steve Lillywhite. 

Matchbox

1982 album, Crossed line
I want out (1983 single), Hot loving

Best known for the 1979 hits Rockabilly rebel and When you ask about love. Eight Top 75 hits altogether, they progressively made less impact until this one missed the chart altogether, which is a real shame because it was actually a fine track with Kirsty adding duet lead vocals. 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. Check out this fan page in Russian! They appear to have reformed in 1998 and released another album.

Chucho Merchan

1998 album, Ocean songs
People uniting

Chucho Merchan (who later was the flamboyant leaping figure in the Tropical brainstorm touring band) 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

1989 single, Interesting drug
1989 compilation, Bona drag

This is another compilation album which features Kirsty and Morrissey's synchronised singing on Interesting drug.

Morrissey

1994 single, The more you ignore me, the closer I get
1998 album, Viva hate (CD reissue only)
I'd love to

I'd love to was originally the B side of The more you ignore me ... , and was produced by Steve Lillywhite. It features a lovely Please Go To Sleepesque vocal from Kirsty.

Source: RW/ LB

Van Morrison

Unreleased material

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

1991 album, Hoodoo
Wishing you were here

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 album with Alison, and produced it.

Robert Plant

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

A fairly average rock album. The best tracks are Heaven knows, Tall cool one, The way I feel and Ship of fools. Kirsty is audible on a few songs but it hardly rates as an essential purchase unless you're already a Robert Plant fan. Some of the songs are included on his retrospective, Sixty Six to Timbuktu.

The Pogues

1987 album, If I should fall from grace with God
Fairytale of New York (also 1987 & 1991 single), If I should fall from grace with God (12" remix version), A pair of brown eyes (live)

Great but flawed album. Best tracks are the title song, Fairytale, Thousands are sailing and Turkish song of the damned though I have a perverse liking for the frenetic curse that is the Bottle of Smoke. This is one album that's worth adding to the collection. The 12" remix of the title track (featured on the CD single) is worth catching too - it 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!

The Pogues

1989 No. 5 album, Peace and love
Lorelei

Kirsty sings harmony vocal on Lorelei. The album itself is not the best of the band's output, but there are some good moments in there.

Riff Regan (Miles Tredinnick)

Unconfirmed appearance on one of two 1979 singles, You Call Me Lucky/Jacoby Island and The Only One/The Lucky Dub

As Riff Regan, Miles was the former singer of punk combo London and made four singles, all self-penned and moving towards a more melodic sound. He later embarked on a successful career as a TV & stage comedy writer. Miles says, "I'm asked this one a lot about Kirsty and the honest answer is that I don't know for sure what she sang on. What I do know is that 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
and single One hit (to the body)

Dull album from one of the all time great bands with a pointless remake of Harlem Shuffle and a sub Clash reggae number which unfortunately turns out to be out of the better tracks (Too rude). The other pass marks go to One hit (to the body). On the whole it's practically 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

1977 album, Penelope isn't waiting any more

Kirsty is credited on Peggy Seeger's highly rated "album of women's songs", while Neill MacColl plays guitar - Alan Prosser and Ian Telfer of the Oysterband complete the instrumental lineup. Although Kirsty is listed as playing guitar on one song, Peggy recalls, "As I remember, Kirsty was a chorus member on that album. Kirsty would have been 18. I am sure, however, that Kirsty did not play any instruments on that recording." The chorus is prominent on songs such as Poor old maids though you can't tell Kirsty apart from the other members, Caroline Frantome and Sally Hesmond-Halgh. This is the earliest date of any known releases featuring Kirsty. The discovery of this record is surprising, since Kirsty often claimed she hated folk music when she was a teenager, and was soon to make an appearance on vinyl with pub-punk band the Drug Addix. It has been confirmed by Kirsty's mother Jean, though the circumstances are unclear. Source: VR

Shakin' Pyramids

It hurts to be in love (and possibly more)
1982 album, Celts & Cobras

"A Scottish neo-rockabilly quartet from the late '70s, Shakin' Pyramids originally formed around twin guitarists, James G. Creighton and Railroad Ken, with harmonica player Dave Duncan. Debut album Skin 'Em Up was followed by an EP recorded with skiffle star Lonnie Donegan. Celts & Cobras was their swansong, the energy and verve of their debut had been replaced by a stultifying maturity, and the group disbanded soon after." Source: AMG.

"Kirsty McColl (sic) and Jane Aire are credited with backing vocals, but not on specific titles. . . she's not as buried as she was on Dirty Work but her role remains somewhat unclear, at least to me. The album itself is easily half-decent, maybe even a little better. Very Stray Cats-like, often bordering on the Everly Bros. (one of the other covers is Phil Everly's You Can Bet) in a slightly skiffle kind of way." JE. Cuba Libre/Virgin Records - catalog 204773/V2216

Sharon Shannon

1997 album, Each little thing
2003 compilation, Libertango
Libertango

Sharon Shannon is an electrifying Irish button accordion and fiddle player who took the UK folk music scene by storm in the early nineties. This album continues her accomplished march past the boundaries of contemporary folk music. The Libertango track is in all but name a Kirsty MacColl song - in the Folk Roots review, "most stunning of all, a licentiously smouldering Grace Jones song with Kirsty MacColl purring outrageously over Shannon's tango accordion. Sharon Shannon's ahead of the game. I just hope we can all keep up with her." Buy this, or the more recent and probably more accessible "best of" album called simply Libertango.

Shriekback

1983 single, Lined Up - Y Records 1983. issued as a 7" & 12" and then on Shriekback - The Infinite - Kaz Records LP/CD and possibly re-issued by Shriekback on more recent collections ... if I put my thinking hat on, there are more ... all the best, BN

Simple Minds

1984 album, Sparkle in the rain
Speed your love to me (also 1984 single with album & 12" versions), Street hassle

One of the better Simple Minds commercial albums with winners in Waterfront, Speed your love to me and Up on the catwalk. The 12" single extended mix of Speed your love to me is highly Kirsty-friendly and is a far superior cut of the track.

The Smiths

1986 No.38 compilation, Louder than bombs
Ask (also 1986 No.14 single), Golden lights.

Yet another Smiths compilation - but a good one! Ask is a mighty slice of pop music, Golden lights is a version of an old Twinkle song and, frankly, it's a bit of a duffer despite our Kirsty's best attentions. Worth a listen though - it's most unusual.

ALSO! Kirsty sings an uncredited "Aah" on Bigmouth strikes again from the Smiths album The Queen is dead - Source - TH (as told by KM). Ask also appears on the 1992 compilation Best of the Smiths 2.

Squire

1985 compilation, The Singles album (reissued in 2007)
1992 compilation, Big Smashes
1980 single, My mind goes round in circles, Does Stephanie know?

The A-side is very good, the B-side's not bad. Kirsty is credited on the back - "Harmony Vocals (Courtesy Of Herself)". Source - JE Though they never received the recognition they deserved, Squire was one of the earliest and finest mod-revival bands of the late '70s. Like the founders of the revival, the Jam, Squire were able to transcend the limits of the genre with their high quality blend of pop smarts and songcraft which drew equal parts from punk spirit and '60s sensibilities. Stage One Records - catalog STAGE2. The compilations are on Hi-Lo Records, founded by Squire singer Anthony Meynell.

Talking Heads

1988 No. 3 album, Naked
(Nothing but) Flowers, Bill (CD only)

(Nothing but) Flowers is one of the better songs on this album (all time great band, this was not their best). Bill is also available on the 12" version of Blind. According to RoanInish, Kirsty also made an appearance in the video for (Nothing but) Flowers). This song is also included in their long box set Once in a Lifetime.

Tot Taylor

1981 album, Playtime
31 Love +

Tot Taylor was the man behind the Compact Organisation. The sleeve notes say "Put it on in the living-room and listen from the kitchen for the best effect." Melody Maker said: "the impresario reconstructs the suburban dream not for the sake of obvious satire, but in pursuit of the sad, sympathetic conviction that if you sing hard and long enough the song must have a happy ending. Tot Taylor is a genius out of time." In addition to general backing chorus duties, Kirsty does one of her choir things on 31 Love, and may well also feature on Every night at Eight and The Chocolate Song. Source: JE

Tot Taylor

1986 compilation, Jumble soul
The girl with everything (also 1981 single)

A single from the lounge lizard, not sure if it predates the Playtime album or not. The song is also included on a highly listenable 1986 compilation album of Tot's called Jumble Soul (London Popular Arts TOTAL 4). Kirsty's contribution is "joining in on the "oh oh oh oh"'s during the chorus". Source: JE

Anthony Thistlethwaite

1994 album, Cartwheels
Red jeans

Anthony has mixed with Robin Hitchcock & the Egyptians, the Waterboys, World Party, Midge Ure and an offshoot of Talk Talk. Some interesting company there, and on this album players include Dave Ruffy, Steve Wickham, Youth, Donal Lunny, Sharon Shannon, Dave Mattacks, Simon Edwards and even Ralph McTell on some backing vocals. It's more poppy than folk though. The sleeve photography is universally fine too. Recommended. The Kirsty featured track is fine, with a hook of "I keep dreaming these dreams and I never think back to when you wore red jeans and I always wore black."

Tom Tom Club

1992 album, Dark sneak love action
Say I am, Dark sneak love action

Tom Tom Club sprang from Talking Heads marvellous rhythm section. Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz specialised in sparkling rhythmic invention on such classics as Genius of love or indeed their first hit Wordy Rappinghood. Says John Walsh: "Kirsty is credited for background vocals but not by track....Definitely the title track and Say I Am but with the Tom Toms vocals being so similar so close to Kirsty's its very difficult to tell on first listen where else she might be hiding!" Please note that this CD/LP was only issued in the US - so this is a rare Kirsty appearance which is unavailable in her home country! I found it though :-) It's an excellent album, even the cover version of You Sexy Thing (honestly, er, yeow!).

Tracey Ullman

1983 album, You broke my heart in 17 places
Vocals throughout, co-production on the title track

Album by top drawer British comedy actress, good fun but not a classic work. Kirsty's vocals have to contend with the Flying Pickets, Rosemarie Robinson, the Sapphires, the Wealthy Tarts, Clare Torry (of "Great gig in the sky" fame) and Miriam Stockley. Her involvement as mentor and songwriter are more important on this release. Best tracks are Shattered and Move over darling [No. 8 single] although They don't know [No. 2] is a pleasing version. Also backing vocals on a B side called Falling in and out of love - thanks, Laurent.

Tracey Ullman

1984 album, You caught me out

Featuring Tracey's version of the title track, and Terry, also captured on The very best of Tracey Ullman which includes all of the 17 Places album apart from the title track! 

The Wonderstuff

1991 No.3 album, Never loved Elvis
Welcome to the cheap seats

The Wonderstuff suddenly shot to prominence in the UK with this release although they didn't last too long afterwards. Cheap seats and Size of a cow are the standout hits and are basically a joyful noise. Note that the album version of Cheap seats ain't a patch on the single remix (see below).

"I'm pretty sure that Our Kirst does some uncredited "ahhh" type vocals on False Start, which is a brief tune that segues into Cheap Seats.  Oh yeah, Kirsty also appears in the video for Cheap Seats. Haven't seen it in years, but if I recall correctly she dances with Miles Hunt and is wearing a red (or possibly green) dress." RM2

The Wonderstuff

1994 compilation, If the Beatles had read Hunter (singles collection)
Welcome to the cheap seats (remix)

The single remix of the Cheap Seats features Kirsty much higher in the mix and therefore significantly more prominently. That plus a better job on the orchestral break thingy make it, in my mind, a much better version. RM2

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." (getting confused now, not sure if this is the same mix on "Hunter" or not - anyone?) It is certainly the version of necessity for Kirsty fans. FW

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