More than anyone, he taught me what it means to be an artist. And in the pop world there really have been so few. People willing to take chances, keep changing, experimenting, succeeding, failing. Toward the end of his life, when I'd hear him speak, he always sounded so kind and wise. Someone who had NEVER taken the game seriously--the art, but never all the trappings and all the bullshit. Like Dylan, he loved to tease people's expectations and manipulate the public, if only to teach us how ridiculously easy it is to do. It's so beautiful to me that, master of media manipulation, he kept his impending death a secret, then left us with a goodbye note. So perfect it's almost heartbreaking. This is my goodbye note to him, and to everyone who loved him.
lyrics
HERE IN THE MAGIC LIGHT
I met you at a party
Right away you were my friend
You were singing in the background
While I tried make amends
For everything I wasn't
and knew I'd never be
and then one day you landed here
to set the strange ones free
Here in the magic light
It's got a million colors
you can try a million ways
and for twenty-five thousand
and a couple hundred days
you tried everything
'til the very last hour
and just to watch you living
gave us all a little power
Here in the magic light
And we can still sparkle
and we can still sing
and we can still remember
how everything
changes, changes, changes, changes
Well, Shakey threw a party
and it lasted all night
Well, this one lasts forever now
if what they say is right
But you say you're a Blackstar
and I know what it means
It means you keep on shining
unseen
And we can still sparkle
and we can still sing
and we can still remember
everything
changes, changes, changes, changes
Here in the magic light
credits
credits
from Songs-of-the-Week,
released February 19, 2016
Ira Marlowe: vocal, guitars, bass, keys, programming
Ira Marlowe's songs have appeared in indy films, been featured on NPR and Dr. Demento, and received a Parent's Choice Award. He's taught songwriting at UC Berkeley and penned the tunes for four shows by a Tony-winning theatre troupe.
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