My Death Playlist
I’ve been deep in thought about the celebrations involved in my imminent demise. Well, not imminent, though if 2016 has taught us anything, it has taught us YOU NEVER EVER CAM TELL. . But, anyway, demise nevertheless and I have been thinking about a setlist, you know, what they will play at my wake. And this is kind of a complete waste of time because
1 – I am not having a wake
And
2 – if I die tomorrow, OK, this is worthwhile but if I die TEN YEARS FROM NOW , it will be well dated.
I actually began writing this story thinking about celebrity deaths but I couldn’t quite figure out my position. Part of me sees it as the ultimate form of rubber necking, part of me sees it as the usurpation of other peoples, the celebrities friends and family, real grief (which leads to the question as to whether mourning is like love, a just about infinite supply is available and unlike water in whiskey, it doesn’t get diluted by increasing the amount) , and the final part thinks fans of celebrities –like the people who killed themselves after John Lennon’s murder, are in true mourning and not simply having a party in the zeitgeist. This year, I definitely mourned Bowie and Prince but, with no disrespect intended, less so for Greg Lake.
So less a setlist and more a playlist that the friends of Iman, such as they are, can share amongst themselves while they cry bitter tears and say “why Iman, he was only 90 years old…”
Blessings – Chance The Rapper – Not for the religious stuff, but for the gratefulness… I wanna start the end of my life by thanking everyone for such a really terrific time. Some are born to sweet delight, I was born to endless music
Bye Bye Baby – Bay City Rollers – Sure I saw “Love, Actually” and sure that’s where I got the idea but I was personal friends with Eric Fuller so screw you.
Rock And Roll – Led Zeppelin – When I die I plan to go to rock n roll heaven and even if we disagree about how great Ze were, we can all agree this was a great song.
Promised land – Elvis Presley – The King kills on the Berry classic, and , anyway, I should have finally reached the promised land when it plays
We’ll Be Together Again – Louis Armstrong – I can just imagine Helen blubbering when this one plays while I’ll be up there looking through the concert listings for where Louis is performing this week.
Lonesome Town – Paul McCartney – My fave Macca cover and if you kept it together this far, my claim is here you will break into inconsolable bawling and fling yourself on my casket… wait,I’m being cremated. Fling yourself on my urn (try not to make it tipple over) and cry real tears just likein “Brownsville Girl”
In My Life – The Beatles – Sure, it is a cliché, but if you can’t cliché out when you croak when can you?
Roc Boys (And The Winner Is)… Jay Z – Just my chance to thank all the hustlers and you, the customer.
Besos de Coral – This is a great Merengue dance track and me, being the loving man I had been once, want you to dance your way into your future and out of my life with a song on your lips.
Rock Me Lababedi – Tomas Doncker – Yup, and finally, I’ll ask my buddy to get the True groove Allstars together for a live performance of the terrific song he wrote for my sixtieth birthday, way back when in the 2010s.
