THE link here is A New England. “I was 21 years when I wrote this song; I’m 22 now but I won’t be long,” wrote former squaddie Bragg, who is 56 now and still going strong. Kirsty MacColl covered it, extra Bragg female verse and all, going on to chart at number seven, her biggest solo hit.

Kirsty made it her own, just as she did with The Kinks’ Days and The Smiths’ You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby, further highlights of her latest 43-track career retrospective, 14 years on from her death in a speedboat accident in Mexico. She was 41 then, but the songs live long, MacColl’s star still rising as the years pass on this set of hits, album cuts, B-sides and session tracks.

A New England features in a jaunty acoustic coupling with Bragg from a BBC live session, a collector’s item that affirms another of MacColl’s strengths. Did anyone ever have a better voice for pop duets? I rest my case with Fairytale Of New York, m’lud.

MacColl was a mighty fine songwriter in her own witty right. Where acolyte Lily Allen has a churlish air and no charm, MacColl could put men in their place deliciously (the Latino swagger of In These Shoes and country tease of Don’t Come The Cowboy With Me Sonny Jim!), and she could nail well-worn love and romantic wonder too (You And Me Baby and Angel). All you ever need from Kirsty is here; you can only wish she was still here too.

Bragg has graduated to national treasure status since A New England, a role affirmed by an affectionate parody by Bill Bailey (see YouTube).

The Barking Bard often plays alone and rather ruddy, but Live At The Union Chapel caught him on a London night last June with his band, pedal steel guitar, dobro, mandolin, double bass and all; the music all town and country, the mood nostalgic, warm-hearted yet rising to anger too.

You will find A New England among the DVD extras, live from Wembley. Bragg is still looking for that New England. He always will.