English singer/songwriter Kirsty MacColl did not get much recognition for her music in the U.S. in the 1980s. She was best known for writing and recording the original version of “They Don’t Know,” which became a hit for Tracey Ullman, and duetting with Shane MacGowan on The Pogues’ “Fairytale in New York.” Even those familiar with MacColl’s earlier work wouldn’t have expected her to break out in the U.S. with a dance hit.
“Walking Down Madison” is, in fact, a highly danceable song, and it was MacColl’s breakthrough single on this side of the Atlantic. The writing of “Walking Down Madison” was a collaborative effort, and we can credit MacColl’s writing partner for helping her to create a song that’s fun to move to. We’d expect nothing less from … Johnny Marr? Yes, The Smitths’ guitarist, who hadn’t exactly built a reputation as a maker of dance hits, collaborated with MacColl on the infectious tune.
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“Walking Down Madison” was a game-changing hit for both MacColl and Marr, the latter of whom went on to create more dance hits with Bernard Sumner as the duo Electronic. The partnership between MacColl and Marr was a vehicle that allowed both songwriters to complete something they were unable to finish on their own.
A Well-Times Package in the Mail
The writing of “Walking Down Madison” originated with Marr, and in a 2013 episode of the Sodajerker podcast, he said it was the first song he started to work on after leaving The Smiths in 1987. His plan was to change direction and “write this kinda dancey guitar record.” However, Marr had yet to focus on lyrics for his dance-oriented songs. Meanwhile, MacColl had written lyrics for “Walking Down Madison” but struggled to find the right music to go with it. She had even gone as far as asking others to write music for it.
MacColl knew that she, too, wanted to pursue a new musical direction. Some of her inspiration came from listening to her previous album Kite. She told Melody Maker she came to the realization that “I could make the next album even more enjoyable for myself if I could actually dance to it without being paralytic!”
Marr, unaware of MacColl’s efforts to complete “Walking Down Madison,” sent her a tape with his unfinished composition. The two had collaborated previously and become friends, as MacColl provided backing vocals on The Smiths’ “Ask” and “Golden Lights,” and both had performed on “(Nothing But) Flowers” by Talking Heads. As noted on the official Kirsty MacColl website, she said about her reaction to receiving Marr’s tape in the mail, “The minute I heard his guitar I dug out the lyrics and sussed out a melody.”
Danceable, but with a Message
MacColl wrote “Walking Down Madison” about observations she made while working in New York. Most of the lyrics are broad allusions to social and economic disparities, and the song’s opening lines are a recognition that one’s experience on the city streets varies depending on race and social status.
Walking down Madison
I swear I never had a gun
No, I never shot no one
I was only having fun
MacColl explained to Melody Maker that those lines are a reference to Bob Marley’s “I Shot the Sheriff” and its acknowledgement that “you’re more likely to get pulled [for something you didn’t do] if you look a certain way.” She also reminds us through lyrics like From an uptown apartment to a knife on the A train / It’s not that far that the privileged and less fortunate are connected and not separate. Some references in the song came directly from MacColl’s experiences in New York, such as seeing a beaming boy from Harlem with the Air Force coat.
An Impressive Roster of Musicians
Marr may have kicked off the songwriting process for “Walking Down Madison,” but as he remarked on Sodajerker, “It turned out she kinda kidnapped it, bless her.” Apparently, Marr didn’t hold it against her, as he contributed guitars and keyboards to the final version.
Several other musicians helped MacColl to achieve the contemporary, danceable sound she was looking to create. She was a fan of Aniff Cousins of the Manchester, England-based quartet Chapter and the Verse, and she recruited him to record two rap sections for the song. Elliot Randall, best-known for his solo on Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years,” played guitar on the track, and Guy Pratt (Icehouse, Pink Floyd, Toy Matinee) played bass.
The Impact of “Walking Down Madison”
“Walking Down Madison” was MacColl’s first Billboard chart entry, and it rose to No. 4 on the Alternative Airplay chart and No. 18 on the Dance Club Songs chart. It would be her highest-ranking song on any Billboard chart until “Fairytale of New York” topped the Alternative Digital Song Sales chart in December 2023, shortly after MacGowan’s death.
In peaking at No. 23 on the UK Official Singles Chart, it was her fourth and final solo appearance on their Top 40. However, MacColl would place eight more singles on the lower portion of the UK singles chart before her untimely death in 2000. MacColl and Marr were nominated for an Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song in 1992, though “Walking Down Madison” lost to “Crazy” by Seal.
With its hip-hop beats, chirping synths, and funky bass, it’s not hard to place the early ‘90s origins of “Walking Down Madison.” Musically, as well as lyrically, the song feels like a not-so-fond goodbye to the ‘80s. While its message is serious, MacColl—with some help from Marr—was successful in creating a song that invites its listeners to get up and dance.
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Photo by Magnolia Pictures/Everett/Shutterstock
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