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| Amy Winehouse before beehives, tattoos and addiction. |
But, the death of Amy Winehouse, a young, though iconic British musician who died yesterday at the age of 27, will serve as an even more poignant milemarker for her Generation Y fans.
It's hard not to relate her death to Kurt Cobain, the grunge sensation of the 1990s and lingering Gen X icon for some. Cobain committed suicide in 1994 at the age of 27. Winehouse joins him in the elusive "27 Club."
The day before Winehouse died I was listening to her rendition of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow, one of my all-time favorite recordings ever made. It is hard not to acknowledge her brilliant talent, which far supasses even more iconic figures of her time including Lady Gaga and Rihanna. In my opinion, neither of them compare to the unforgettable, magnanimous contralto, Winehouse. Someone said about her song, Valerie, that it was as good a start-the-day song you'll ever hear. I have to agree. Winehouse was mesmerizing as she performed Valerie.
Winehouse will never become the martyr that John Lennon became, but unlike Lady Diana, a lasting impression of whom has never really been evident throughout London, I think remnants of Winehouse will be found in Camden for decades to come. The pub where she last partied, the apartment where she died, will likely become a mecca for her die-hard, mostly Generation Y fans. And, while her music will probably never have the fandom of the Potter series, the generation that made them both most famous is further and farther from Hogwarts all the time.
Amy Winehouse: יהיה זכרה ברוך (Blessed be remembered).
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8 comments:
I agree with the parallels, I have listened to very little of her stuff, but do know the song you are referring to and like it as well. It is sad that musicians repeat the same mistake decades after decades (Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, etc)
Perhaps because I'm not a Gen Y'er Winehouses death has not effected me very much. Or maybe I'm just jaded, i.e. not surprised that it happened. But then I thought I was pretty jaded when Cobain died, and that did have an impact on me.
I think it's a major loss for the world of music and you're right, I do think it will have more of an effect on Gen Y than anyone else.
I couldn't have said it any better. I had just popped her CD in my car stereo on Thursday and after not listening to it for a few months, and found myself thinking "why did I ever take this out of the CD player?" I listened to it 4-5 times over the next 24 hours; so hearing about her death on Saturday was even more shocking as she was freshly on my mind.
Like you, I was not a fan of Cobain and was totally unaffected by his death, much to the dismay of my fellow GenXers, then AND now. I commented on FB yesterday that Amy was the first musician death that actually upset me. someone said something to the effect of "this shouldn't be a surprise." It wasn't surprise, it was disappointment and anger.
This was such a great post, Jen. I hadn't thought of the Harry Potter series ending as being so relevant to GenY childhood, and its timing with Amy's death really does combine for a major mark on the GenY timeline.
Incidently, Russell Brand was a friend of Amy and wrote an insightful tribute to her on his website, have you seen it?
Why did Hendrix, Joplin and Morrison seem so much older than 27? I'm much more familiar with their music. I actually had never heard Amy Winehouse sing until her death.
@HEY RAY - I did read Russell Brand's tribute. I have never struggled with addiction unless Mexican food counts. I don't mean to make light of it. The stories about Amy help me understand the hopelessness of it all. A Rabbi wrote something on HuffPo Religion about it. You may have seen my link to the article on FB.
I think part of the reason Amy's death has impacted me is that I guess I'm among the few that were surprised. I thought the Cobains and Joplins were behind us. I though Amy would triumph. This speaks to my utter lack of understanding of what she was really going through. Rarely has a singer ever captivated me like she did or been more memorable in her performances. I believe her music and style will live far beyond her addiction. In the end she was cured from it -- cured by death. I think there is mercy in this. But, the day before she died, I attempted to end the post about my father with a link to her song and the words, "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow." But, I'd done that before and didn't want to repeat it. But, it's often in my mind.
I listened to her song several times, as her pure artistry in that rendition helped me process that most poignant question. I do always ask myself that about anyone and everyone who makes a claim to love. I think it's odd that I was thinking at that time, because she was likely in her bed, already dying. I truly wonder now if in those moments God wasn't nudging me. I totally ignored it, my prayerless engagement. Maybe one reason we're more impacted is b/c at 27 I didn't realize how young 27 was, but now I do.
@TERRITORY MOM - And, when I look at late pictures of Amy, I think she looks much older than 27. =(
@Territory Mom - I agree, they all did seem older. Possibly because they were such larger-than-life characters, and achieved so much in such a short time.
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