Saturday 10 October 2009

Liturgy for the Nativity of Kirsty MacColl (10/10/59)

Kirsty is among the premier rank of Beaker saints.  Just for being so feisty, and her singing voice, and the brilliant lyrics.  And the cleverness.  And "Chipshop".  And we miss her.

The Beaker Folk have various honorary titles for Kirsty, including "Queen of New York City", "Electric Landlady" and, of course, "Celestine".

 

We call to mind the mystical presence with us of the Community of Former Folk

Archdruid: There's an angel floating round my house.  Floating round my house.
All: There's an angel floating round this house.  Floating round this heart.  Round this head.


Archdruid: From an uptown apartment to a knife on the A-Train
All: It's not that far.

Archdruid: From the sharks in the penthouse to the rats in the basement
All: It's not that far.

Archdruid: To the bag-lady frozen asleep on the church steps
All: It's not that far.

Lapse into pre-Reformation theology regarding forgiveness

Archdruid: You just haven't earned it yet, baby.

Rejection of the hierarchy's attempt to control the dispensation of grace

All: It's my affair, it's up to me and not to you.  It's my affair.  Oh Yeah.

The Archdruid's response to such rebellion


All: And also with you.

The Traditional Beaker Hymn: Mambo de la Luna

Meditation on the apparent pointlessness of social action

Archdruid: I don't want to change the world
All: I'm not looking for a New England.

Dismissal

Archdruid: I look to the future and see a thousand setting suns.

All: And tomorrow never comes.

Happy 50th, Kirsty.  There's still an empty bench in Soho Square.

Justice for Kirsty                                                Kirstymaccoll.com

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