It’s an accepted, though regrettable, fact of life (and death) that we seem to lose three famous people during every Christmas period. Why?
Maybe it’s due to the cold weather? Or maybe it’s due to the mind-numbing, life-sapping ‘Festive’ TV schedules’ that send many of us to our radios and bookshelves for alternative means of entertainment.
But it was February that took from us three famous people who lived to what some people would refer to as ‘A good age’. I understand that when the late Barry Cryer was told a fellow comedy writer had died, having lived to a good age, Barry drily remarked, “I’m sure he’d agree one more year would have been better!”
Even non-sports fans were aware of TV presenter Dickie Davies, the amiable host of ITV’s “World of Sport” on Saturday afternoons from 1960 to 1985.
Dickie, who died on February 19th aged 94, had a laconic sense of humour and once described Jimmy Greaves of ‘Saint and Greavsie’ fame as being “so laid back he takes Valium as a stimulant”.
Raquel Welch, who died on February 15th aged 82, made many film and TV appearances but she’ll be best remembered for her role as Loana in the Hammer Films 1966 dinosaur adventure “One Million Years BC”.
Nearly 30 years later, the famous poster of Raquel wearing her ‘prehistoric’ fur bikini costume played a crucial part in the 1994 film “The Shawshank Redemption” – perpetuating the iconic image for the next generation of filmgoers. It’s hard to believe she’s gone.
As for the great songwriter Burt Bacharach, who passed away on February 8th aged 84, I could write several articles about his career and still not cover a 10th of it. His unique melodies featuring strange chord progressions, time signatures and phrasing, combined with the lyrics of Hal David – then much later in his career with Elvis Costello and Burt’s third wife Carole Bayer Sager – provide a back catalogue of some of the greatest songs of the 20th century, easily surpassing the output of Lennon and McCartney and The Brothers Gibb.
Out of all the Bacharach songs covered by countless artistes from Perry Como (“Magic Moments”) to Dusty Springfield (“The Look Of Love”) and from Gene Pitney (“24 Hours From Tulsa”) to Neil Diamond (“Heart light”), it’s almost impossible to choose one as his ‘best’. But in view of how grim things have been and continue to be for many people these days, perhaps the most appropriate is his 1965 composition with Hal David…
“What The World Needs Now Is Love Sweet Love.
That’s the only thing that there’s just too little of.”