I wrote a song in '81 after Lowell George died, quickly followed by Peter Sellers - completely different people - both heroes of mine. I wrote the song in one sitting and made a single recording of it on a cassette tape. I was so proud of it, I played it down the phone to my dear friend Jo Monro and she said it was the best thing I'd ever written. I lost the tape - left it in a hotel room in Dublin - didn't think about it again until recently when I found the lyrics in an old folder. I still remembered vestiges of the melody and put some chords to it.
When we recorded it, I decided I must have Jo sing on the chorus. The only time we could meet was when she was recording a radio play at the BBC in Maida Vale, so I took my laptop and recorded a scratch vocal to a rough track, while under the watchful eyes of the BBC technicians. Before we recorded she sang what she remembered of the original melody - it was uncannily close to my arrangement.
The song lives.
When we recorded it, I decided I must have Jo sing on the chorus. The only time we could meet was when she was recording a radio play at the BBC in Maida Vale, so I took my laptop and recorded a scratch vocal to a rough track, while under the watchful eyes of the BBC technicians. Before we recorded she sang what she remembered of the original melody - it was uncannily close to my arrangement.
The song lives.