"Can't Stop Killing You" is a song by British singer and songwriter

Kirsty MacColl Kirsty Anna MacColl (10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) was a British singer and songwriter, daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl. She recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He ...

, which was released in 1993 as the second single from her fourth studio album ''

Titanic Days ''Titanic Days'' is the fourth studio album by Kirsty MacColl, released in 1993. Containing eleven tracks, ''Titanic Days'' was sometimes hard to get in years after its release, but it was remastered and re-released in 2005 by ZTT Records, ZTT w ...

''. It was written by MacColl and

Johnny Marr Johnny Marr (born John Martin Maher, 31 October 1963) is an English musician, songwriter and singer. He first achieved fame as the guitarist and co-songwriter of the Smiths, who were active from 1982 to 1987. He has since performed with numerous ...

, and produced by Victor Van Vugt and Baboon Farm. The song reached No. 20 on the US ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

Modern Rock Tracks Alternative Airplay (formerly known as Modern Rock Tracks (1988–2009) and Alternative Songs (2009–2020)) is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in ''Billboard'' magazine since September 10, 1988. It ranks the 40 most-played ...

and remained on the chart for seven weeks.

Background

Speaking of the song, MacColl told Dawn Eden of ''Videowave'' in 1993: "When I wrote the song, it was a very cinematic piece and the characters were like film characters to me. It wasn't a particularly autobiographical song." MacColl said of the lyrical message on abusive relationships: "People do have this terrible fear of being alone ndthat's why

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get married and everything else, but there comes a point where you have to say 'Ok, well if this relationship's doing my head in all the time, why do you keep going back to it?'"

Music video

The song's music video was directed by Tim Hunter. MacColl told ''Videowave'': "When we came to make the video, I wanted to do it like I'd seen it in my head. We got a couple of great actors in it and I was really pleased with the performances they gave. he video'squite funny in a way and it's sort of frightening as well. I think it's a weird combination of scary and crazy."

Critical reception

Upon release, Andrew Boyd of the ''

Reading Evening Post The ''Reading Post'' (until 2009, the ''Reading Evening Post'') was an English local newspaper covering Reading, Berkshire and surrounding areas. The title page of the paper featured the Maiwand Lion, a famous local landmark at Forbury Gardens. Th ...

'' felt the song's melody "hints at ohnny Marr'sElectronic work." Jim Farber of New York's '' Daily News'' noted the song's "bold rock riff". In a review of ''Titanic Days'', Brenda Herrmann of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television ar ...

'' commented: "MacColl's one of the few songwriters that can occasionally latch on to bits of

Elvis Costello Declan Patrick MacManus Order of the British Empire, OBE (born 25 August 1954), known professionally as Elvis Costello, is an English singer-songwriter and record producer. He has won multiple awards in his career, including a Grammy Award in ...

-ian wit without seeming contrived, as in her single "Can't Stop Killing You"." Diana Valois of ''

The Morning Call ''The Morning Call'' is a daily newspaper in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1883, it is the second longest continuously published newspaper in the Lehigh Valley, after ''The Express-Times''. In 2020, the newspaper permanently closed its Al ...

'' wrote: "Darkly wary, at times unsettling, MacColl's lyrics ritualize the memories of a past love ("Soho Square") or bear the mental and physical stigma of abuse ("Can't Stop Killing You")." Mitch Schafer of ''

The Tampa Tribune ''The Tampa Tribune'' was a daily newspaper published in Tampa, Florida. Along with the competing ''Tampa Bay Times'', the ''Tampa Tribune'' was one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area. The newspaper also published a ''St. Pe ...

'' commented: "...and you'll likely be tapping your toes and singing along to "Can't Stop Killing You," before you realize it's about a serial murderer." Steve Hall of '' The Indianapolis Star'' felt the song was a "cinematic rockers about a psychopath and one of his victims". ''

Mirabella ''Mirabella'' was a women's magazine published from June 1989 to April 2000. It was created by and named for Grace Mirabella, a former ''Vogue'' editor in chief, in partnership with Rupert Murdoch. It was originally published by News Corporati ...

'' wrote: "On "Can't Stop Killing You," she explores a realm of quiet inner terror set on top of prickly rock 'n' roll guitars." Ira Robbins of ''

Trouser Press ''Trouser Press'' was a rock and roll magazine started in New York in 1974 as a mimeographed fanzine by editor/publisher Ira Robbins, fellow fan of the Who Dave Schulps and Karen Rose under the name "Trans-Oceanic Trouser Press" (a reference to ...

'' felt the song "sounds like an Anglofied

Carly Simon Carly Elisabeth Simon (born June 25, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, memoirist, and children's author. She rose to fame in the 1970s with a string of hit records; her 13 Top 40 U.S. hits include "Anticipation" (No. 13), " The Right Thin ...

classic". Both ''

'' and Neil McKay of '' Sunday Life'' considered the song a highlight from ''Titanic Days''.

Track listing

;CD single (Australian release) #"Can't Stop Killing You" - 4:12 #"Touch Me" - 3:34 #"Fabulous Garden" - 3:13 ;CD single (US promo) #"Can't Stop Killing You" - 4:04

Personnel

- vocals, keyboards * Mark E. Nevin - guitar * Pete Glenister - guitar * Gary Tibbs - bass * David Ruffy - drums * Ray Dodds - congas Production * Victor Van Vugt, Baboon Farm - producer, engineer * Steve Lillywhite - mixing on "Can't Stop Killing You"

Charts

References

{{authority control 1993 songs 1993 singles Kirsty MacColl songs Songs written by Kirsty MacColl Songs written by Johnny Marr I.R.S. Records singles