The King is Dead--Long Live the King!, page-8

I have music down as one thing in life that I would like to get an 'understanding' of - it's been a complete mystery to me.

I have taken an interest in songwriting and lyrics since seeing 'A Star is born' -- the combination of the amazing Gaga and the words spoken about talent and something to be said and how to say it that happened in the bar scene between Bradley Cooper and Gaga - made sense to me.

Hence I am listening closer now and also looking at which greats wrote songs and which didn't - eg. Rod Stewart puts immense importance on the lyrics he wrote - whereas Frank Sinatra probably couldn't write a song to save his life if he were to do it by himself - even with help he only managed his name on a handful.

Stevie Wonder appears to be an amazing writer - writing for himself and for others producing copious amounts of work.

One person who I haven't looked at yet, but, will, is Sting -- I had a story come to me about one of his songs 'Fields of gold'

I was told that he was deeply effected by when Eva Cassidy sung it - he said that he had never been able to sing it the way that he knew it could be sung or wanted it to be sung - but, she did it --

Such a tragedy for us with her - she was only really just discovered - recorded a tiny amount of work then died - certainly made a mark though

I did some work with a guy who introduced me to her work and he said "If you've never heard her - once you do, you will be a better person''

Yeah - he's close to right - although I find it difficult to listen to her music now - due to the fact that it makes me sad.


"Eva Marie Cassidy (February 2, 1963 – November 2, 1996) was an American singer and guitarist known for her interpretations of jazz and blues. In 1992, she released her first album, The Other Side, a set of duets with go-go musician Chuck Brown, followed by the 1996 live solo album titled Live at Blues Alley. Although she had been honored by the Washington Area Music Association, she was virtually unknown outside her native Washington, D.C.. She died of melanoma in 1996 at the age of 33.
Two years after her death, Cassidy's music was brought to the attention of British audiences, when her versions of "Fields of Gold" and "Over the Rainbow" were played by Mike Harding and Terry Wogan on BBC Radio 2. Following the overwhelming response, a camcorder recording of "Over the Rainbow", taken at Blues Alley in Washington by her friend Bryan McCulley, was shown on BBC Two's Top of the Pops 2. Shortly afterwards, the compilation album Songbird climbed to the top of the UK Albums Chart, almost three years after its initial release. The chart success in the United Kingdom and Ireland led to increased recognition worldwide. Her posthumously released recordings, including three UK number-one records, have sold more than ten million copies.^[1] Her music has also charted within the top 10 in Australia, Germany, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.^[2]"