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While I realise that during the last 24 hours or so the world's attention has perhaps understandably been gripped by more pressing stories of cultural collapse and reason running for the hills, nothing said 'no fun' louder to me today than the sad news of the death of Lynsey De Paul.
Indeed I find it rather strange that the passing of a woman who blazed a trail for so much of what is now considered fashionable for today's female pop icons (though they forget talent) has occurred with seemingly little comment. Consider for a moment the phoney 'credibility' and 'social conscience' considered de rigueur for singer songwriters in the early 70's - Lynsey ground those 'values' into the dirt with her platform slingbacks and had enough front to be conservative with a large C.
Lynsey De Paul was unashamedly 'pop' and along with close collaborators Barry Blue and Ron Roker reflected a tradition that owed more to the Brill Building than Woodstock. Her proudly unfashionable outlook created some pop gems; 'Storm In A Teacup' for the otherwise hopeless Fortunes, 'Sugar Me', a massive and widely covered international hit and a personal favourite of mine, 'Getting A Drag', a superbly non-PC slice of pop frippery with a dry witty lyric that wouldn't have been out of place amidst the works of Cole Porter or Noel Coward , perhaps inspired by her sometime boyfriend Buffin of Mott The Hoople. (Mott fans will know she was also credited with reinventing boring old Luther Grosvenor as 'Ariel Bender'...genius...)
While it would be easy to get distracted by her string of famous beaus, it's worth noting the quality of the musicians that graced her records; Gary Boyle, Johnny Gustafson and Terry Cox to name but a few. Her career was stunted by bad management, but even so, her talent was such that the occasional pearl would shine through. Check her cover of the Beatles' 'Because' on Will Malone's 'All This And World War 2" or 'Love Bomb' with a huge arrangement that isn't a million miles from Marvin Gaye in his pomp....
Not only have we lost a great beauty and someone who could teach today's 'independent woman' a thing or three, but someone who was at her best uniquely talented. I can do no better than echo Bob Stanley's comment in his excellent obituary in 'The Guardian';
"I do know I’ve made a point over the years of buying any obscure single I see with a De Paul writing credit, and I’ve never regretted it."
Indeed I find it rather strange that the passing of a woman who blazed a trail for so much of what is now considered fashionable for today's female pop icons (though they forget talent) has occurred with seemingly little comment. Consider for a moment the phoney 'credibility' and 'social conscience' considered de rigueur for singer songwriters in the early 70's - Lynsey ground those 'values' into the dirt with her platform slingbacks and had enough front to be conservative with a large C.
Lynsey De Paul was unashamedly 'pop' and along with close collaborators Barry Blue and Ron Roker reflected a tradition that owed more to the Brill Building than Woodstock. Her proudly unfashionable outlook created some pop gems; 'Storm In A Teacup' for the otherwise hopeless Fortunes, 'Sugar Me', a massive and widely covered international hit and a personal favourite of mine, 'Getting A Drag', a superbly non-PC slice of pop frippery with a dry witty lyric that wouldn't have been out of place amidst the works of Cole Porter or Noel Coward , perhaps inspired by her sometime boyfriend Buffin of Mott The Hoople. (Mott fans will know she was also credited with reinventing boring old Luther Grosvenor as 'Ariel Bender'...genius...)
While it would be easy to get distracted by her string of famous beaus, it's worth noting the quality of the musicians that graced her records; Gary Boyle, Johnny Gustafson and Terry Cox to name but a few. Her career was stunted by bad management, but even so, her talent was such that the occasional pearl would shine through. Check her cover of the Beatles' 'Because' on Will Malone's 'All This And World War 2" or 'Love Bomb' with a huge arrangement that isn't a million miles from Marvin Gaye in his pomp....
Not only have we lost a great beauty and someone who could teach today's 'independent woman' a thing or three, but someone who was at her best uniquely talented. I can do no better than echo Bob Stanley's comment in his excellent obituary in 'The Guardian';
"I do know I’ve made a point over the years of buying any obscure single I see with a De Paul writing credit, and I’ve never regretted it."
...2 double CD anthologies overseen by the lady herself? With unreleased material including a couple of early efforts orchestrated by Robert Kirby (of Nick Drake fame)?....Thank the lord for Cherry Red...
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