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A New England Lyrics

I was twenty one years when I wrote this song
I'm twenty two now, but I won't be for long
People ask me when will I grow up to understand
Why all the girls I knew at school
Are already pushing prams

I loved you then as I love you still
Though I put you on a pedestal,
You put me on the pill
I don't feel bad about letting you go
I just feel sad about letting you know

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl

I loved the words you wrote to me
But that was bloody yesterday
I can't survive on what you send
Every time you need a friend

I saw two shooting stars last night
I wished on them but they were only satellites
Is it wrong to wish on space hardware
I wish, I wish, I wish you'd care

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl

My dreams were full of strange ideas
My mind was set despite the fears
But other things got in the way
I never asked that boy to stay

Once upon a time at home
I sat beside the telephone
Waiting for someone to pull me through
When at last it didn’t ring, I knew it wasn’t you

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl

I don't want to change the world
I'm not looking for a new England
Are you looking for another girl
Song Info
Submitted by
spliphstar On Apr 30, 2002
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7 Meanings

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Cover art for A New England lyrics by Kirsty MacColl

Billy Bragg wrote the extra lyrics for Kirsty. He spoke about this on a TV programme about Kirsty following her death.

@quester You are right and I didn't realise he helped her change the gender of the song and re-wrote the lyrics including adding a new verse

https://youtu.be/KyaIp2Gmgac?si=pyM_oPrUb347-27A

Cover art for A New England lyrics by Kirsty MacColl

I don't normally like it when cover versions change the lyrics of the original version, but I make an exception for this one just because of the new part at the end. Does anyone know if Kirsty wrote the following lyrics herself or did Billy Bragg supply them?

"Once upon a time at home I sat beside the telephone Waiting for someone to pull me through When at last it didn’t ring, I knew it wasn’t you"

Of course before the phone didn't just suddenly stop ringing since it was never ringing all night. It's a great analogy for how she finally comes to the sudden realization that the man she thought was hers was not, as she had thought before. He was just space junk that she was wishing was a shooting star.

Cover art for A New England lyrics by Kirsty MacColl

I love Kirsty.

"Once upon a time at home I sat beside the telephone Waiting for someone to pull me through When at last it didn’t ring, I knew it wasn’t you"

I always took this verse to be about the moment where you eventually realise that someone really isn't there for you and knowing that they never will be.

Cover art for A New England lyrics by Kirsty MacColl

billy bragg is a legend - i prefer his version but this definitely has a nice sound to it

Cover art for A New England lyrics by Kirsty MacColl

A fabulous song, sung fabulously! Kirsty was vastly underrated. Her untimely death was such a tragedy.

Cover art for A New England lyrics by Kirsty MacColl

This site becomes a farce when the lyrics are totally wrong because they have to use "official" lyrics. In this case Billy Bragg's version sung from the perspective of a man, not Kirsty's sung from a woman's.

It's a great song still...

@matthewsheffield Now fixed! Woo hoo.

Cover art for A New England lyrics by Kirsty MacColl

"When at last it didn't ring I knew it wasn't you"

One of the best lyrics ever.