Writing Their Own Requiem

Introduction

This morning I picked out "You Want It Darker" by Leonard Cohen and thought I know at least three artists who knew they were not long for this world, and thought it might be an idea to share songs from these albums with you.

Very often entertainers deaths are not foreseen and all of a sudden we are without them. In this digital world we still have access to their music and video as you will see in this short playlist.

We all know this is coming to all of us, so we do need to use our time to find love and enjoyment, and to never reget anything. YOur only regret should be things you didn't do. The heading image is a quote from the great Charles Bukowski on how we should spend our time.

I hope that this does not upset anyone because our creations and the memories we make truly make us immortal.

So on to the music:

Leonard Cohen - "Leaving The Table" from "You Want It Darker"

All the songs on the album are a farewell, but "Leaving The Table" is the most obvious title. The album is a wonderful listen, but Cohen was one of the greatest modern poets. I saw him live in the 190s at Preston Guildhall and he was engaging, and brilliant performer and very funny.

A lot of people found him dark and miserable, but that was just part of his ouevre, much of his music is uplifting and "Death of A Ladies Man" that he made with Phil Spector is brilliantly hilarious (when John Peel payed it on his late night show, I was listening on headphones and fell out of bed laughing).

"I'm Leaving The Table,

I'm Out Of The Game"

David Bowie - "Lazarus" from "Blackstar"

With it's disingrated star on the cover and the black print on a black background in the CD booklet, with the faceless Bowie on the booklet cover, we were well warned.

The opening ten minute title song sounds very funereal.

In the villa of Ormen, in the villa of Ormen

Stands a solitary candle, ah ah, ah ah

In the centre of it all, in the centre of it all

Your eyes

Then three songs in we have "Lazarus"

Look up here, I'm in heaven

I've got scars that can't be seen

I've got drama, can't be stolen

Everybody knows me now

Those words told us that he was either gone or about to leave. The thing is we still have the music and the videos. We will have thoses as long as we have a connected digital world. It makes David Bowie immortal. Any artist or writer who records their work in any form becomes an immortal.

This music s with us forever though the physical manifestations of the artist are not.

Warren Zevon - "Keep Me In Your Heart For A While" from "The Wind"

This was Warren's final song that closed his final album. It is heartbreakingly beautiful, and has been covered by many orther artists and I even tried one myself that you can listen to at the end of this story.

It is a song that I hope I never have to play for real.

One of my favourite covers is by the classical singer Alfie Boe. Every version of this song really tugs at my heartstrings and brings a tear to my eye.

Alfie Boe - "Keep Me In Your Heart For A While"

Me - "Keep Me In Your Heart For A While"

Thank you for reading and for listening. I really appreciate your support.