George writes:
Duane Eddy died on May 1. He was 86. And I felt sad at this news. Which is a bit strange, I never knew him at all, except through his records of course. These deaths of singers, pop and rock stars, I rarely give them more than a passing thought, even those whose music features heavily on my shelves. Not Mark E Smith, not Bowie. But George Michael, absolutely yes, and Duane Eddy too.
There’s definitely something very appealing about that sound, it never fails to make me smile, the records are simply joyous, even as they lumber along like this:
Duane Eddy - 40 Miles of Bad Road
One of the first singles I bought (and I still have it) was the 1975 UK hit Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar. And 50 years on I still know those opening lines
Duane Eddy & the Rebelettes - Play Me Like You Play Your Guitar
(And 50 years I’m still unsure what those lyrics mean). The 12 year-old me was a Duane Eddy fan, and the 61 year old me still is. Our musical tastes change, bands and singers come and go, but I’ve been a fan of Duane Eddy’s music for nearly 50 years. And if Mr CC will indulge, here’s a fourth song, my absolute favourite of his, I love the anticipation for the moment the great man hits those deep twangy notes.
Duane Eddy - Because They're Young
That song frequently appears in the ever evolving list of Top Ten Records of All Time.
Thank you, Duane Eddy, you’re a bloody legend.
CC writes:
Many thanks George. A lovely tribute. From the heart. Good music can do that to you.
'Because They're Young' is my favourite too. Somewhere I have an EP with that, 'Shazam' and a couple of others.
ReplyDeleteWell done, George. - Brian
ReplyDeleteI hadn't seen too much love thrown Eddy's direction after his passing, so this was a very nice sample to trip on. I dug it!
ReplyDeleteExcellent post, George. I was surprised when I learned Duane had died, surprised there hadn't been more about it in the mainstream news (as Casey comments above), but you've done him proud.
ReplyDelete