I really don't want this to become a regular Friday feature, but once again this week, within the space of 24 hours, and on Tuesday... just like last week... we lost two great pop performers.
First was Johnny Nash, a singer who enjoyed a lengthy career starting in the late 50s, way into the 80s, although he will be most fondly remembered for his biggest his, released in the year of my birth, 1972... yet timeless ever since.
Talk about a positive song for negative times...
And then there's Eddie Van Halen, who sadly lost his battle with cancer on the same day Johnny passed.
One of the most famous guitar players to ever set fingers to power chords, he also gave his name to one of the biggest (and most ridiculous) bands of the 80s. But I love a rock band that don't take themselves too seriously. And let's not forget, Eddie also played the guitar on Beat It. He did for free, uncredited, and legend has it the speakers in the recording studio caught fire. Who cares if that's true or not? Beat that!
Stick a pin in 2020 now: we're done with it.
Used to sing "I can see all lobster claws in my way" as the second line of I Can See Clearly Now's chorus, not because of misheard lyrics but just for comedic purposes. You made your own fun, etc......
ReplyDeleteThis is turning out to be a pretty awful year (an understatement) for losing people from the world of music. Not quite like 2016, when we lost three icons far too soon, but just a steady stream, week in, week out. It shouldn't come as a surprise as we're all getting older after all, but many of them (like Eddie) weren't really that old. Sad news indeed.
ReplyDeleteLike Martin's deliberate mondegreen - Will have to remember it.