Percy Sledge, Out of Left Field

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When A Man Loves a Woman is such a giant song, it dwarfs everything else. But Percy Sledge was a working singer and musician and was no one hit wonder.

The song I thought of when I heard tonight that Percy Sledge died was this one, a simmering ballad with a heart felt and gorgeously emotional (and nakedly emotional) refrain.

 

Dump, Raspberry Beret

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I saw the band Dump, which is Yo La Tengo’s bassist James McNew’s side project, in 1998 opening for the Future Bible Heroes in the fun club that once existed under the now defunct Time Cafe. If I’m remembering correctly McNew started the show by saying that he’d seen Prince the night before in the city and they were going to play some covers. And they did.

What I didn’t know is that at some point later the band put out a record of Prince covers. Very much 90s rock, kind of a nice sound.

Obit: Prince Rogers Nelson (1958-2016)

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Details are still spilling in and vague, but the iconic artist known as Prince has passed away at age 57.

To say this is shocking does not do the story justice, but Prince belongs up there with Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, and the Stones in my view as a brilliant artist who had vision and who dared us to join him on his musical/artistic/spiritual journey.

As in, Prince could probably have just redone his brilliant Purple Rain soundtrack/album over and over in variations of funky rock’n’soul over the past 30 years, but he didn’t. Rather Prince challenged and reinvented himself over and over and though the results might not have been as tuneful or accessible as Purple Rain, the results were those of an artist and performer who would not be compromised, and that is the essence of art in my view.

Since I don’t know much more at this point, not sure what else can be said? I was looking for a YouTube of Little Red Corvette, my favorite song by the artist which features great and clever lyrics, a fantastic melody, and a great production, but I could not find one.

So, off to the ether with an equally wonderful tune, Purple Rain.

Cannot believe you are gone Prince. As usual, earth will miss the void you left.