Pop Memorial

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

Tributes, funeral rites, commemorative songs, and songs about historical tragedies... We need them like Egyptians needed the pyramids, but which tunes will be seen as real attempts to make sense of death versus which plunge headfirst into kitsch?

― Jason, Thursday, 9 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

[possibly proof that no one reads ADMIN notices: the NEW QUESTIONS currently appear at the BOTTOM of the NEW QUESTIONS column]

I was going to post something v.similar to this, having just sat thru a not-terrible amateur perf. of Fauré's Requiem with my mum at the weekend. Proper Churches seem to do Music for the Dead "well": except isn't this by default? — ie secular/pop music just does it nervously, badly or merely sentimentally.

― mark s, Friday, 10 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Maybe because reverence for life in a secular culture is faintly ridiculous?

― dave q, Friday, 10 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

BTW I don't mean to condemn 'secular culture'

― dave q, Friday, 10 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

True, religion seems to have sorted our losses better than say Elton John and his casio, as healing metaphors. 'Candle in the Wind' is such a gross personalization of tragedy, whereas religious archetypes are easier to digest? I dunno...

Also - what about tribute albums? Is this perhaps pop's only true ability to pay homage to the dead? (I'm thinking of those albums released posthumously)

― Jason, Friday, 10 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Johnny Cash and Leanord Cohen.

― anthony, Friday, 10 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Cash/Coehn? Still alive?

― Jason, Friday, 10 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Cash has been sick for a while but still working. Cohen a monk on My Baldy and releasing book/Cd soon.

― anthony, Friday, 10 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Jacques Brel - Funeral Tango. Bitter and charming tale of his "phony friends" turning up to watch him being sent off to his grave. Class. Scott Walker verion= double class.

― Richard, Monday, 13 August 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.