The Essential Collection is a compilation album by British singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl, released by Stiff Records in 1993. It contains seventeen tracks covering MacColl's early recording career for Stiff and includes those released as singles and B-sides, as well as selections from her debut album Desperate Character (1981). The last three tracks are included as bonus tracks.[1]
| The Essential Collection | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Compilation albumby | ||||
| Released | 1993 | |||
| Length | 52:54 | |||
| Label | Stiff Records | |||
| Kirsty MacColl chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
Chris Woodstra of AllMusic described the compilation as a "fine collection", with "some of the best singles [MacColl] ever [wrote]". He added: "She wrote melodic pop singles that managed to recast the classic girl-group sound of the '60s into a style that was contemporary and timeless."[2]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" | Kirsty MacColl, Philip Rambow | 3:09 |
| 2. | "A New England" | Billy Bragg | 3:51 |
| 3. | "Patrick" | MacColl | 3:07 |
| 4. | "Eighty Year Old Millionaire" | MacColl | 2:52 |
| 5. | "See That Girl" | MacColl | 3:04 |
| 6. | "Until the Night" | MacColl, Phil Johnstone | 3:10 |
| 7. | "Just One Look" | Doris Payne, Gregory Carroll | 2:18 |
| 8. | "He Thinks I Still Care" | Roysden D. Lipscombe, Steve Duffy | 2:57 |
| 9. | "They Don't Know" | MacColl | 3:03 |
| 10. | "Turn My Motor On" | MacColl | 2:24 |
| 11. | "Please Go to Sleep" | MacColl | 2:31 |
| 12. | "Terry" | MacColl, Gavin Povey | 3:55 |
| 13. | "Quietly Alone" | MacColl | 2:40 |
| 14. | "Teenager in Love" | MacColl, Rambow | 2:38 |
| 15. | "A New England" (12" version) | 7:56 | |
| 16. | "Terry" (12" version) | 5:19 | |
| 17. | "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He's Elvis" (Country version) | 3:44 |