At this time of year, my favourite Christmas song is Fairytale of New York. It’s a kind of anti-Christmas song of people down on their luck and yet it has optimism and hope inside the misery. I love the melody and the words that drive it on as does the drum rhythm. We may be down but we’re not out – keep going.
It reminds me as well of Kirsty McColl who sings it. She sadly lost her life on 18th December 2000 in a terrible accident when she was swimming with her son and saw a powerboat coming straight for them. She just had time to push him out of the way but was instantly lost herself.
I had met Kirsty a few times. I didn’t move in those circles but I knew Jean her mum very well. She was a choreographer who taught me everything I know about Laban movement. She was a very generous-hearted mother and invited me and other people to parties at Kirsty’s house in Ealing. At one of those parties, I bumped into Shane MacGowan of the Pogues and when he smiled at me, he was missing his front teeth. It was a crazy crossover mashup of people from theatre and rock worlds.
When poor Kirsty died Jean was of course, completely shaken. It became a cause for her. She wanted justice for her Kirsty. It turned out that the powerboat owner was a very wealthy Mexican businessman from Cozumel where it happened but it was never proved that he was the driver. That boat should never have been in that part of the harbour and eventually, a man was found guilty and fined 90 dollars and given a suspended prison sentence of two years and 10 months. It seemed a travesty.
Jean worked tirelessly on her campaign but the case was officially closed in 2009 with no further consequences.
So, whenever I hear Fairytale of New York I think back to Kirsty and her smiling face but also the tragic circumstances of her death. I never get tired of hearing it but it’s always bittersweet.
I think it’s better to remember what she and Shane gave us. I particularly love the lines…
“I could have been someone
Well so could anyone
You took my dreams from me
When I first found you.
I kept them with me babe
I put them with my own
Can’t make it all alone
I’ve built my dreams around you”
