Music, Death and Posters

The office is filled with music this week as it is more or less holiday time. Those of us still having to work are able to do so in a more relaxed atmosphere and a colleague has brought in her iPod which has hundreds of tracts ranging from Billie Holiday to Black Eyed Peas. I love my Zen and can escape the mundane for hours in the music it holds but it is good to be able to share in the act of listening to music. The day passed in a musical blur filled with memories and many tracks evoked conversations ranging from music for our funerals to what posters we had on our walls as teenagers. My colleague was a bit miffed by a comment made by someone last week, who on arriving at the office and hearing music, said ‘Hmmm, I never had you down as a music lover’. My colleague was most offended by this remark because, as she said to me afterwards, ‘someone who doesn’t like music is someone who has no soul or spirit.’ I am always most surprised when someone tells me they don’t listen to music and I feel sorry for anyone who, when hearing a beautiful melody, or a stirring rhythm, is unmoved. I listen to music to unwind, to think, to drift, to reminisce. My mood is lifted by music or my sadness calmed. My favourite tracks are old friends that I visit or new friends that I enjoy getting to know better. Music has an emotional and physical effect on me and if someone said to me that they didn’t think I was a music lover I would be most insulted.

I have already told my children that I want a Humanist funeral and to play ’The Grand Duel Parte Prima' by Luis Bacalov at the start of the funeral (I want people to shed a tear or two and this piece of music should do it) and then something more uplifting as the mourners file out. I had always hankered for ‘Wishing On A Star’ by Rose Royce but feel a Bowie song would be more appropriate as his music is something I return to again and again. ‘Lady Grinning Soul’ is a current favourite and this is the one I think I will go for. It has a dramatic intro played on the piano and then his voice...a beautiful instrument that has been part of my life for as long as I can remember... soars - after a few seconds of stillness. Perfection. Listening to the choices of others, which included ‘Show Me The Way To Go Home’ and ‘You’re My First, My Last, My Everything’ has made be realise that this is the one time when you shouldn’t judge other peoples taste in music. And your funeral is the one time you don’t have to listen to anyone elses opinion.

Lady Grinning Soul

She'll come, she'll go. She'll lay belief on you
Skin sweet with musky oil
The lady from another grinning soul

Cologne she'll wear. Silver and Americard
She'll drive a beetle car
And beat you down at cool Canasta

And when the clothes are strewn don't be afraid of the room
Touch the fullness of her breast. Feel the love of her caress
She will be your living end

She'll come, she'll go. She'll lay belief on you
But she won't stake her life on you
How can life become her point of view

And when the clothes are strewn don't be afraid of the room
Touch the fullness of her breast. Feel the love of her caress

She will be your living end
She will be your living end
She will be your living end
She will be your living end
She will be your living end



As a teenager my bedroom walls were covered in Bowie posters and I went to sleep each night listening to him on my old cassette player while looking at his image and daydreaming about one day bumping into him and being whisked away to a life of unbelievable pleasure and happiness. I would inspire him to write his best music and he would nag me to do my homework. Between taking my virginity and teaching me to play the guitar that is. However amid all my Bowie posters was on interloper...another David. This David had a mass of dark curls, sparkling blue eyes and a cheeky grin. David Essex was completely different to Bowie, physically and musically. But he sang with a London accent, always guaranteed to make me go weak at the knees. I am kinda glad Anthony Newly was before my time as I would have no doubt fancied him despite the fact he looked more like a football manager than a rock star! I saw David Essex being interviewed recently and his hair (what is left of it) was snow white, his face was lined but the cheeky grin was exactly the same. He is in his 60s and still a sexy guy. Although he says he doesn't reminisce he is touring in the summer with other relics from the Seventies and is even taking time out of his successful musical 'All The Fun Of The Fair' to do so. But having listened to his 'hits' on YouTube I can only surmise that it was because of his looks that he made it on my bedroom wall and not due to his musical talent.