The last few weeks have been very sad for me…it started with a close friend of the family dying…I had known her most of my life…Eileen and her husband Roy used to socialise with my parents back in the 1970’s and I grew up with their children. She was one of those people that was always happy to see you and would always be interested in what you had to say…she loved to talk and loved life…she was one of lifes lovely people.During her funeral, this song was played (above) Mario Lanza…’Be my love’ it was her favourite song…and needless to say, there wasn’t a dry eye in the church, it was like Roy was saying these words to her…since then I havn’t been able to get the tune out of my head…it is so beautiful, just like Eileen…May you rest in peace now my sweet angel.
Then last Saturday…somebody who I never knew died…yes you have probably guessed who…the lovely Amy Winehouse…I have been a fan of hers for years….that sexy, sultry, 1950’s sound…that voice!This lovely gal at the age of 20 released her first album FRANK and shot to stardom winning many awards…
She got her 1950’s BIG hair and over the top eyeliner look when she met Blake, but even though, she looked fantastic…he turned out to be a monster in disguise…getting her into the drink and drugs scene that was to be to her downfall…but even through all of this…We still loved her and would often talk about her like we knew her…willing her to make a full recovery from this terrible addiction…she had so much raw talent…we wanted her to live forever and make more records…but I think, in all our hearts, we knew she wouldnt make old bones, Bless her 🙁
Her CD ‘Back to Black’ has been in our car for a while now…we used to sing to it most days…we know all the words and Rosie and I would always sing at the top of our voices to it…a favourite one was Me and Mr Jones…such a typical 1950’s sound…but sung in Amy’s way…totally fabulous!So like all the best singers that have gone before…Mario Lanza, Gwen Guthrie, Teena Marie, Luther Vandross (to name a few)…Amy will be with them now, singing in the clouds, with no more hurt and no more pain…I can imagine it all, when I shut my eyes….the audience on the right includes my Dad his Mum and all his brothers and sisters, Eileen and my Nanny Hilda and Grandad Alf, and everyone else that I have loved and lost in the past….and over on the left is Stan Getz and Errol Garner playing their saxophones (Dad’s favourites) with little Amy singing her heart out, along with the likes of Teena Marie, Gwen Guthrie, Mario Lanza and Luther Vandross! My goodness! What a party!
And so this next song is dedicated to them all…and everyone that all of you have loved and lost too…The one and only Mario Lanza singing Ave Maria – Enjoy my lovelies xx
God Bless you all x
