A New England
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| "A New England" | |||||
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| Single by Kirsty MacColl | |||||
| A-side | A New England | ||||
| B-side | Patrick, |
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| Released | December 1984 | ||||
| Format | 7" Vinyl, 12" Vinyl, 12" picture disc | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Label | Stiff Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Billy Bragg | ||||
| Producer | Steve Lillywhite | ||||
| Kirsty MacColl singles chronology | |||||
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"A New England" is a song by Billy Bragg that was successfully covered by Kirsty MacColl in 1984. Produced by her then-husband Steve Lillywhite[1], the song was her biggest solo hit - reaching #7 in the UK charts and #8 in Ireland.
Bragg's original version of the song, included on his album Life's a Riot with Spy Vs Spy, had only two verses. MacColl thought the song was too short, and so Bragg wrote a further two verses for her, which she consolidated into one. Since MacColl's death, Bragg has included the additional verse in performances of the song as a tribute.[2]
The opening lines of the song ("I was 21 years when I wrote this song/I'm 22 now, but I won't be for long") are identical to the opening lines of Paul Simon's song "Leaves that are Green," which appears on Simon and Garfunkel's 1966 album Sounds of Silence. In concert, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on 27 September 2006, Bragg stated that Simon and Garfunkel had a strong influence on him, and that he took the line from their song intentionally.
Bragg says that the song had its origins in seeing two satellites flying alongside each other. Searching for romantic inspiration, he had to make do with "space hardware". [3] He has also admitted that melody was stolen from Thin Lizzy. [4]
[edit] Track listing
- "A New England" (Billy Bragg)
- "Patrick" (K. MacColl)
- "I'm Going Out with an 80 Year Old Millionaire" (K. MacColl)
"I'm Going Out with an 80 Year Old Millionaire" was only included in the 12" release.
[edit] Other Versions
This song was sung by Mackenzie Crook and Gemma Arterton in the 2008 film Three and Out whilst walking home together from a Pub in the Lake District after mistaking a satellite for a shooting star in the night sky. Influential melodic hardcore punk band Lifetime also covered the track. The song has also been covered acoustically by Jamie T, Jonah Matranga and The King Blues.
[edit] References
- ^ "freeworld - Kirsty MacColl: Official Releases". http://kirstymaccoll.com/music/discog/index.htm. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
- ^ "freeworld - Kirsty MacColl: singles". http://kirstymaccoll.com/music/singles/index.htm. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
- ^ "BBC Sold on Song". http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/indepth/newengland.shtml. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
- ^ "Billy Bragg in an interview with Alan Thompson, BBC Sold on Song". http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/soldonsong/songlibrary/indepth/newengland.shtml. Retrieved on 2009-05-18.
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