Radio/TV presenter Danny Baker once said that if aliens came to our planet wanting to know something of our musical heritage, he would play them ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’.
And then he’d say, ‘That was written by the third-best songwriter in The Beatles’.
It’s a thought-provoking statement that goes straight to the depth of musical ability in that collective of Liverpudlian lads.
Yesterday afternoon’s very sad news that Prince (aka TAFKAP, aka Squiggle) no longer resides on this mortal plain immediately brought me back to Danny Baker’s words.
This isn’t, by any stretch, a Prince song.
But at 3m 28s he turns in one of the classiest guitar solos I have ever heard, and, in so doing, Prince elevates an extraordinary song in to a showcase of written and performing talent.
And I haven’t even begun to think about his own written work, yet.
Onstage with the Purple One is Tom Petty, Stevie Winwood, Jeff Lynne, and Dhani Harrison, Paul Shaffer, and probably one or two others I’ve missed.
Don’t fast forward, but please go along for the ride, right up to the end.
It’s awesome.
Madly eccentric, fabulously flamboyant and undeniably talented. A sad loss.
And yet – and I’ll be honest – I’m more upset at the loss of Vicky Wood, just the day before.