Yes, I know it is not Monday, however…
I started to try to get this post out last night, then I decided not to rush it. I knew it needed to be about the late, great Jon Lord, who passed away yesterday from a pulmonary embolism. Lord had been battling pancreatic cancer for some time so his death was not unexpected. Still, I do not think any of us who followed his career and loved his music thought it would come just yet. He was seventy-one.
For those of you who are not familiar with the name John Lord, likely, you will have heard his music. He co-founded the legendary classic rock band, Deep Purple, and he and drummer Ian Paice were the most consistent members of that awesome group. (A band, incidentally, that is NOT in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame although Blondie, Abba and Madonna are. No offense to those performers, they’re each great in their genre, however, it’s called the ROCK & ROLL Hall of Fame, not the Pop Music Hall of Fame. How can Deep Purple NOT be in there??? I digress, clearly, that is another blog. ) It is Lord you hear playing keyboards on the Kinks’ 1964 hit You Really Got Me. He played with Whitesnake until David Coverdale revamped the band in 1984. Come on, people, who did you think came up with that gorgeous sound on Here I Go Again?
John Lord also produced overlooked solo works of surpassing beauty. Despite, spending yesterday and today on what to say I still don’t have the words to sum up what this man brought to our world, so I’ll let his music do it. Sit back and enjoy one of the most beautiful songs I’ve ever heard. This is Pictured Within which features the lush vocals of the wonderful Scotsman, Miller Anderson, live at the Royal Albert Hall. The song is found on Lord’s 1998 solo album of the same name. The lovely live version is included on Deep Purple Live At Rotterdam, an amazing album.
The lyrics to this song read like poetry:
here be friends…
here be heroes…
here be sunshine…
here be grey…
here be life…
here love lies bleeding…
memories so hazy…
and dreams that drove me crazy
here be down…
here be travellin‘…
here be starbright…
here be pain…
here be smiles in eyes like rainbows…
my father and my mother…
my sisters and my brother –
pictured within
where there’re shadows ill met by moonlight…
there are dragons I have slain…
and here be bright eyes with hair so golden…
sunrise and sunset and running free…
and laughing at the rain
here be home…
here be paradise…
here be thunder…
here be blue…
and Sometimes heaven and thoughts of wonder…
the Miracle of children…
a poet and a pilgrim
kith and kin – pictured within
lose and win – pictured within
The man could play, he could write. Thanks, Jon.
