Just a couple of days ago, I wrote about the unexpected death of Irene Cara. And now, I'm writing about the wonderful and incomparable Christine McVie, who passed away in a hospital yesterday at age 79 after a "short illness". At this time, the actual cause of death hasn't been officially announced, but I did read that Christine was in "poor health" over the summer and was having trouble with her back.
I just want to take a short moment to post about how much I've admired Christine McVie's incredible contributions to popular music. There's never been a time in my life when her songs haven't touched me in some way. When Fleetwood Mac was white hot, I was a small child living in England. I can't listen to songs like "Over My Head" or "You Make Loving Fun" without thinking of the woman who wrote them and remembering my sojourn living in her native country.
I've always felt that Christine McVie was extremely underrated. Stevie Nicks got a lot more attention, because she was pretty much the front woman of Fleetwood Mac, wearing outlandish Welsh "witch" costumes, dancing, and and singing out in front of the crowds. Christine, by contrast, was always behind her keyboards, quieter, more reserved, understated, but always impeccable and classy. She was a songwriting powerhouse, and always willing to chip in on projects with other musicians.
It's funny, because yesterday, I posted a review of Stephen Bishop's autobiography, On and Off, on my main blog. Bishop can always be counted on to post on the social media accounts of other celebrities. It was because of his condolences on Christine McVie's Facebook page that I "heard" about her passing so quickly.
Christine McVie was certainly old enough to pass naturally... but that doesn't mean that anyone was ready for her to go. I was shocked when I read the news, and genuinely saddened, even though I know this is a part of life. I guess reading about the heroes of my youth passing the bar is a reminder that my time is coming. But I do feel so fortunate that I was around when Christine McVie was at the top of her game. She has left an indelible mark on music that won't fade for many generations. That is extraordinary. Her death was announced about twelve hours ago, and YouTube is already flooded with tributes.
Songbird...
You Make Loving Fun
Over My Head
Got A Hold On Me
As Long As You Follow
Don't Stop
And one of my personal favorites, Brown Eyes
Restin peace, Christine McVie. There's a new songbird in Heaven today...
I was so sad to read that Irene Cara, who famously starred as Coco Hernandez on the movie version of Fame, and famously sang the title songs for both Fame and Flashdance, has passed away at the age of 63. At this writing, the cause of death hasn't been announced.
As a child of the 70s and 80s, Irene Cara was definitely on my personal soundtrack. I loved the movie, Fame, but I also remember Irene because she was on The Electric Company, which was my favorite children's educational show when I was a little girl. Flashdance was also a big movie when I was growing up, and her rendition of "Flashdance: What a Feeling!" still sounds great almost forty years after that movie came out.
"Fame"
"Flashdance"
I remember she had some memorable dance hits in the early 80s that were very good. I still like to listen to them today, even if it's been awhile since I last saw anyone break dance. Irene was a dynamic performer who put her own special energy into every song. She was very talented, and probably should have had a much bigger career than she did. She actually graduated from the Professional Children's School in Manhattan, so she was well cast in Fame.
"Hot Lunch"
"The Dream"
"Out Here On My Own"
"Breakdance"
I loved this song, "Why Me"
And on The Electric Company!
I don't listen to Irene Cara's music on a daily basis anymore, but there was a time when she was on the radio all the time. She definitely made a huge impact in music, and she will be missed. Condolences to her friends and family who will miss her the most.
Some time ago, I read Toni Tennille's book about her time as half of the popular duo, The Captain and Tennille. I reviewed the book on my main blog. Tennille was married to Daryl Dragon (the Captain) for about 39 years. According to her book, their marriage wasn't particularly loving. They were good friends and excellent professional collaborators, but not necessarily in love with each other... at least not in the physical sense.
Daryl Dragon died on January 2, 2019. He was 76 years old, living in Prescott, Arizona. Toni Tennille was at his side when he passed of kidney failure. She'd moved to Arizona to be closer to him, as he suffered from dementia. Recalling her book, when she described the incident that led to their divorce, I'm thinking he may have been suffering from dementia when she decided to split from him. And yet, she was there at the end when the brilliant, classically trained pianist took his final breath.
As a child of the 70s, I grew up listening to the Captain and Tennille's hits. I was too young to remember their variety show, although I can watch YouTube clips with the best of them. Dragon was kind of the quirky one, sitting there silently while Tennille was vivacious and charming. On stage, they belonged together.
In 1980, Toni Tennille had a talk show and her husband was there by her side.
Toni talks about her book.
I read a comment on Facebook in which someone compared Dragon to Richard Carpenter, but with better fashion sense. I don't know if that's really accurate, although I do know Dragon was a musical wizard. I will always remember him in his cap, making funny faces as his glamorous wife fronted their act.
Interesting video featuring the duo with the Carpenters and Ben Vereen.
I remember the first time I ever heard Aretha Franklin's name. It was 1980 and I was in the third grade. I had a classmate with an unusual name. This girl was in my class, although she was in what was considered the "slower" group. I think she was at least a year older than I was because she'd been held back. Her name was Retha, and she was white and came from our very provincial town. Back then, we were friends, although we didn't stay friends beyond that year. We ran in different crowds.
I remember going home one day that school year and telling my mom that I had a new friend named Retha. My mom said, "I wonder where that name came from. Is she black?"
I said, "No, she's white."
"Maybe she was named after Aretha Franklin." Mom said.
"Who's that?" I asked.
"She's a very famous black singer." Mom said.
Aretha in 2017, still demanding "Respect". She was quite regal when she performed, very befitting of the "Queen of Soul".
For all I know, my friend's unusual name was in honor of the Queen of Soul, who died yesterday after having been very ill. I haven't seen or talked to Retha since high school. I don't think I talked to her much when we were in high school, either, because, like I said, we ran in different crowds. I remember her to be someone who cared less about school than I did. She seemed to be more into boys. My mom probably would not have approved of her, had she met her. My mom has always been a bit classist.
However, for some reason, I never forgot that innocuous conversation with my mom. Every time I heard Aretha Franklin's unmistakable pipes, I'd think of Retha, the girl from my third grade class. And then I would forget Retha and concentrate on Aretha's magnificent range and passion. She truly was in a class by herself.
Although this is definitely not among Aretha's most impressive songs, it's always been a guilty pleasure for me.
Oddly enough, though, the first time I remember hearing "Respect", it was sung by Maureen McGovern on the film "Airplane!". She was playing a nun trying to comfort a passenger who had food poisoning. When I heard Aretha's version, Maureen's uptight nun version seemed all the more ridiculous.
The jive brothers aren't impressed.
I remember in the 1980s, Aretha Franklin had a few Top 40 hits. She sang, "Who's Zoomin' Who?" and "Freeway of Love", both songs that adolescent me liked. Of course, neither were as memorable as Franklin's remake of Otis Redding's "Respect" or "Think". Actually, I can't listen to "Think" and not think of yet another white person. In 1990, Canadian figure skater Elizabeth Manley skated to Aretha Franklin's song, "Think", and I never forgot it. I think that might have even been the first time I ever heard that song.
Liz Manley skates to an Aretha Franklin hit. Manley won the silver medal in ladies figure skating in 1988. I seem to remember the first time I saw this performance, Manley used the original version.
Of course I knew "Respect" in those days, but that was the first time I'd heard "Think", which kind of blew my mind. Not long after that, I invested in a double CD set featuring Aretha Franklin's hits. I discovered a lot of her other hits... songs like "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)", which I think I heard the first time at a party in Yerevan, Armenia. I watched yet another white person dancing to her music. He got mad when I slammed into him.
Actually, this is probably one of my favorite Aretha Franklin songs. It's so soulful and emotional. It takes a lot to be able to deliver this kind of performance.
Some time later, I was back in the States and watching 7th Heaven. Actress Jessica Biel, then about fourteen years old and playing Mary Camden, was singing in a band. She bravely took on Franklin's "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man".
Um... I'm not sure this was the best song for her...
Her version of "Respect" sounds a little like "The Hard Knock Life" from Annie.
Aretha Franklin was the kind of singer who appealed to everyone. She had a voice that made everyone respond. However, although many people tried to emulate her, almost no one could hold a candle to her. She was in her own league.
This is a Carole King song... and while I'd rather hear Carole sing it, Aretha Franklin certainly made it hers! Look at how the audience responds!
Another memorable take on "Natural Woman"... It's not that I don't appreciate Aretha's classic take on it-- it's more that I like to hear songwriters performing their music. I can't deny that Aretha turned Carole's song into a gold mine.
I'll be honest. It's taken me a very long time to learn to fully appreciate Aretha Franklin. In fact, I'm not sure I appreciate her as much as I should. I haven't listened to nearly enough of her music. She truly was a goddess in the music world, though, and worthy of all of the respect. We lost another musical legend yesterday, on the same date we lost the King of Rock and Roll in 1977. Maybe Aretha is up there in Heaven, singing with George Michael again...
Two stars in Heaven.
Anyway... Godspeed, Aretha. You were a rare and unique talent and the world will miss you.
If you were around in the 80s, as I was, you no doubt heard the band's most famous song, "Centerfold", followed by "Freeze Frame". Lead singer, Peter Wolf, was famously married to Faye Dunaway and went on to have a solo career.
"I Do" is yet another well known hit...
"Centerfold" was their biggest hit.
I have to confess really liking "Freeze Frame" back in the day.
"Love Stinks" is the song people love to sing on Valentine's Day...
And the ever popular "Flamethrower"... another personal favorite.
And here's Peter Wolf's big hit, "Lights Out". I haven't heard this in ages!
It's always sad to read about the passing of a much beloved musician. The J. Geils Band sure provided me with some good sounds back in the day. Rest in peace, John Geils.
George Michael, famously known for fronting Wham! and being a sexy guy in the 80s, has just passed away. I know he had been dealing with some rather serious health problems lately, though I had no idea that they were so serious that his heart would fail on Christmas.
I have already written about Mr. Michael on my main blog. Since he was a great singer and this is my blog about music from the past, I thought I'd offer a few links to my favorite songs by him here.
I can't view this in Germany, but you probably can in the United States. Since George died on Christmas, it makes sense to include his perennial hit, "Last Christmas" here...
"Young Guns Go For It"
And an interview when Michael and Andrew Ridgeley were young and new.
Madonna presents George Michael with an award in 1989...
I liked Wham! fine back in the day, but I was really impressed with George Michael's 1987 album, Faith. I loved the title track especially, although I remember getting really sick of "I Want Your Sex" because it was constantly on MTV and the radio. I did like "I Want Your Sex" part 3, which was kind of sexy. I liked "Father Figure", although it got pretty tiresome after awhile, too, due to oversaturation.
This video was pretty sexy!
I also remember listening to George Michael a lot when I lived in Armenia. He was much loved there and in the mid 1990s, his song "Jesus To A Child" was a hit. So was "Fastlove".
"Jesus To A Child"
Way too many musicians have died in 2016. I pray that the last few days of this year do not claim any more talented artists.
Although she was best known as an actress playing TV mom Carol Brady on The Brady Bunch, Florence Henderson, who recently passed away at the age of 82, was first and foremost a singer. Since I am a big time Bradyphile and it's been awhile since I last updated this blog, I thought I'd write a few words about Florence Henderson's music.
Here she is in 1967, before she became famous as a TV mom of six...
I am one of the chumps who purchased It's A Sunshine Day, which was a compilation album released in 1992 of Brady Bunch songs. To be very honest, I rarely listen to the songs from that album, mainly because most of them make me cringe. The Brady kids, by and large, were not good singers. Maureen McCormick and Barry Williams weren't bad, but the other four were not born with the gift of song. Florence Henderson was really the one true musician on the show, at least when it aired in the 70s.
"Flo" was also well-known for Wessonality!
Before she was a Brady, Florence Henderson had been on Broadway and personally knew Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein. After her auspicious beginning on the stage, she turned to the small screen, where she soon became known to people all over the world for her warm portrayal as Mrs. Brady, as well as her talk show on the former Nashville Network. Later, she became a hypnotherapist.
Florence Henderson in the 1950s.
She really had a long and successful career, but she is also fondly remembered for being very professional and kind. I have read many tributes to Mrs. Henderson indicating that she was always very nice to her fans, co-workers, and guests on her talk show. Folk singer Christine Lavin even posted a great story about how, when she was a young folk singer, she was on Florence's talk show. Days after the show, Lavin received a handwritten thank you note from Ms. Henderson, thanking her for being on the show!
Christine Lavin's story about Florence Henderson.
Although 82 years is a long life and Ms. Henderson apparently lived it to the fullest until the very end, the world lost a bright light on Thanksgiving. I hope wherever she is right now, she's at peace. Godspeed, Mrs. Brady.
