Ewan MacColl

Ewan McColl (January 25th, 1915 - October 22nd, 1989) is a British committed singer, type-setter, editor, actor, poet and dramatic writer. He is the father of Kirsty MacColl.

At the origin

Ewan McColl is called in fact James Henry (Jimmie) Miller . It was born with Salford, in Lancashire in England, parents Scot. It leaves the school in 1929 and joined Communist youths as well as a troop of actors amateurs, the Clarion Players . It begins its career from writer by producing humorous texts intended for newspapers affiliated to the Communist party of Great Britain.

In 1932, the secret services of the United Kingdom (MI5) open a file with its name. During some time, the Special Branch supervises its residence in Manchester. Some of its songs are then prohibited with the radio and his wife, Joan Littlewood, cannot enter with the BBC.

McColl engages in the army in July 1940 but deserted in December. One does not know the reasons of his desertion nor those for which it is not continued when it reappears after the war.

The theater

In 1931 it founds, with some members of the Clarion Players a group of engaged actors, the Red Megaphones . In 1934 they become the Theater off Action . It is at this time that it meets an actress who will become his wife, Joan Littlewood.

In 1936 they in vain try to settle in London but must set out again on Manchester where they create the Theater Union . In 1940, a representation of The Last Edition ( the last edition), a " newspaper vivant" , is stopped by the police force. The actors are prohibited during two years for " violation of the paix" ( breach off the peace ). The troop is dissolved.

In 1946, they reform a troop, the Theater Workshop (" the workshop théâtral"). They spend the following years in round, primarily in the north of England. It is at that time that Jimmie Miller takes the name of Ewan McColl . In the troop, Ewan McColl writes the parts and ensures the artistic director. The troop is poor but acquires a fame.

Music

At that time, Ewan McColl is filled with enthusiasm for the music folk. In 1953, the Theater Workshop decides to settle in Stratford close to London. McColl, which is opposed to it, leaves the troop and concentrates on its production and its representations as a folk musician . It signs with the publisher Topic Records and leaves The Asphalter' S song under this label.

It also takes part in the Collectage of traditional ballades. Of this music it recorded a hundred albums, much with the participation of another collector and singer, A.L. Lloyd. They recorded a series of 8 discs of the Child Ballads (together of 305 English and Scottish traditional songs collected by F.J. Child at the end of the XIXe century). McColl also recorded several albums with the Irish singer and type-setter Dominic Behan.

In all it composed more than 300 songs, of which some were taken again by artists as various as Planxty, The Dubliners, Dick Gaughan, The Clancy Brothers, Elvis Presley, Wedding Parties Anything, Johnny Cash, Hugues Aufray and Gilles Servat.

Its most famous composition is the song " Dirty old Town ", written in its house of Salford in Lancashire. Intended to make the interlude between two changes of scenery in its part " Landscape with Chimneys ", this song acquired a popularity such as it belongs to the traditional repertory of the singers of folksong . One can quote The Spinners in 1964, The Dubliners in 1968, Rod Stewart in 1969, the Pogues in 1985 and Simple Minds in 2003. In France, the song is taken again by Hugues Aufray with new French words under the title " Each one its mer" and by Gilles Servat with words close to the original: " Old city of merde".

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