RIP, Master of Space and Time
November 13, 2016 12:58 PM   Subscribe

 
Brilliant musician who will be sorely missed.

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posted by Silverstone at 1:01 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


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posted by Splunge at 1:15 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by jim in austin at 1:17 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by double bubble at 1:24 PM on November 13, 2016


I remember when "Tight Rope" came out. I think it was the first song I ever heard him sing. His voice and the melody were both twisty and enticing. I didn't know what the lyrics meant, which didn't keep certain lines and images from sticking in my head for years. The flip was a little ditty called "This Masquerade," which, I understand, George Benson had some success with. So, the man could write a song or two.

This annus horribilis continues to swing its merciless scythe.

aav.
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posted by the sobsister at 1:27 PM on November 13, 2016 [6 favorites]


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posted by get off of my cloud at 1:37 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by jessian at 1:40 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by ivanthenotsoterrible at 1:40 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by gt2 at 1:46 PM on November 13, 2016


I was fortunate enough to see him live a couple of times. Great musician. I heard the news earlier today and thought about making this post, but couldn't bring myself to look up the links. I would say that I'm glad 2016 is almost over, but I fear 2017 will be worse.
posted by TedW at 1:52 PM on November 13, 2016 [3 favorites]


I saw him open for Bob Dylan at Jones Beach a few years back. He was, indeed, wonderful.
posted by jonmc at 1:55 PM on November 13, 2016


THIS FUCKING YEAR
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 2:02 PM on November 13, 2016 [11 favorites]


To my mind, his greatest achievement was co-writing "Just My Style" for Gary Lewis and the Playboys -- maybe the most successfully realized Beach Boys pastiche ever. He also played on Lewis's "This Diamond Ring" and a zillion other 60s hits. Then he didn't do much, until the Carpenters recorded "Masquerade" -- another great song.
posted by Modest House at 2:03 PM on November 13, 2016 [5 favorites]


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posted by drezdn at 2:17 PM on November 13, 2016


Why does 2016 hate us?

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posted by tommasz at 2:22 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by Radiophonic Oddity at 2:38 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by Obscure Reference at 2:39 PM on November 13, 2016


"Roll Away the Stone" is the best rock song about Jesus ever written.

"Stranger in a Strange Land" is the best rock song about a science fiction novel about Jesus ever written.

I am deeply glad I got to see Leon perform earlier this year. Thanks for the music, brother.

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posted by /\/\/\/ at 2:42 PM on November 13, 2016 [10 favorites]


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posted by valetta at 3:24 PM on November 13, 2016


Badfinger - Day After Day
Flying Burrito Bros - Wild Horses
Stranger in a Strange Land

... just to make three quick selections.
posted by philip-random at 3:37 PM on November 13, 2016


OMG not Leon! Good grief, this year has gutted us.

RIP.
posted by Lynsey at 4:08 PM on November 13, 2016


God fucking damn it, this year.

If you haven't seen Les Blank's A Poem Is A Naked Person, you're missing out. It captures Russel's incredible stage presence and charisma.

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posted by Johnny Wallflower at 4:19 PM on November 13, 2016 [6 favorites]


If you have an hour or so, this live session between Leon and JJ Cale is well worth your time.
posted by downtohisturtles at 4:26 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


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The Window Up Above
posted by bjgeiger at 4:39 PM on November 13, 2016


Uuuhhhhhhrrrrrgggg. What a fuckin week.

RIP Leon, you were a natural.
posted by Liquidwolf at 4:55 PM on November 13, 2016


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You should see the TAMI Show anyway, but one of its joys is an occasional glimpse of clean-shaven young Leon with the Wrecking Crew.

Fuckin' 2016. Goddamn.
posted by in278s at 5:19 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by hwestiii at 5:41 PM on November 13, 2016



posted by Smart Dalek at 6:27 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by pjmoy at 6:29 PM on November 13, 2016


"Couple of numbers from Leon . . . "(Leon's "Jumping Jack Flash / Youngblood" medley at the Concert For Bangladesh.)

Leon was a member of the Shindogs, house band for the eary Rock TV show, Shindig!. Other Shindogs: Glen Campbell, Delaney Bramlett, Chuck Blackwell, Billy Preston, Larry Knechtel, Glen D. Hardin, James Burton . . . Then there's:
And finally:
A Song For You (1970)
I've been so many places in my life and time
I've sung a lot of songs, I've made some bad rhymes
I've acted out my love on stages
With 10, 000 people watching
But we're alone now and I'm singing this song to you
. . .
I love you in a place where there's no space and time
I love you for my life, you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
We were alone and I was singing my song
Singing this song for you . . .
Godspeed, Leon.

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posted by Herodios at 6:33 PM on November 13, 2016 [22 favorites]


I loved this guy. I played this bootleg of his for hours at a a time. A different time and place.
RIP Leon.
posted by unliteral at 6:38 PM on November 13, 2016


oh my I forgot Cry Me A River!

One two three four . . .
 
posted by Herodios at 6:44 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by droplet at 6:49 PM on November 13, 2016


Been listening to Carney a lot lately. He was a visionary.

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posted by Devils Rancher at 6:51 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by treepour at 7:09 PM on November 13, 2016


Play on Brother Leon
posted by a humble nudibranch at 7:15 PM on November 13, 2016


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posted by DaddyNewt at 7:57 PM on November 13, 2016


2016 is one vicious bitch of a year for passings. Please make it stop.

The man played with presence, sweet emotion and soul. That band in Heaven, tickets for those shows gotta be harder to come by than "Hamilton" orchestra seats.

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posted by dbiedny at 8:07 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


I like to play "Superstar" in my solo piano gigs. I try to keep Luther Vandross, Leon Russell (one of the songwriters!) and Karen Carpenter all in mind as I play it. (Sonic Youth, not so much.) Anyway, that song is a masterpiece, and LR wrote many more classics. R.I.P.
posted by kozad at 9:34 PM on November 13, 2016 [1 favorite]


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posted by El Brendano at 6:03 AM on November 14, 2016


Ugh. If I may - You might remember Tightrope or A hard rains a gonna fall.
Dammit I love Tightrope. It's genius for sure and emblematic of songwriting I'll never understand.
posted by vapidave at 8:46 AM on November 14, 2016


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posted by Nat "King" Cole Porter Wagoner at 9:05 AM on November 14, 2016



posted by Katjusa Roquette at 9:31 AM on November 14, 2016


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posted by trip and a half at 9:51 AM on November 14, 2016


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posted by LeftMyHeartInSanFrancisco at 7:06 PM on November 14, 2016


Appropriate, perhaps obligatory:

"Out In The Woods"

Well, I'm goin' down, goin down a hard road
Just don't know, don't know where I've been
But I think I've been a-walkin', I'm a-walkin' 'round in circles
Can't even find a friend

Woah, my love, my love, she is not waiting
Think I might've been gone, I've been gone too long
Look at the people, people make me crazy
I can hardly sing my song

Hustlers stand around me, I'm lost and all alone
Can't tell the bad from the good
I'm out in the woods, said I'm lost in the woods

Big city gamblers, gamblers take my money
Yes, it gets to be useless, yes, it's useless to me
And I think I'm lost, when I'm lost inside this jungle
Can't see the forest for the trees

Well, pretty little woman come and get me
Try me, try me one more time
Yes and your sweet, your sweet understanding
Can't fix this broken heart of mine, yeah

The vultures fly around me, come and take me home
Can't tell the bad from the good
I'm out in the woods, said I'm lost in the woods

Doda koo panga, ma doda koo kala
Doda koo panga, oo kala shatini


[The last two lines are supposedly Zulu. I have the Carney sheet music book (1973 Skyhill Publishing), and after this song there's a note:

I asked a friend from Africa how to say "I'm lost in the jungle" in Zulu. He said Zulu folks don't get lost in the jungle and there really wasn't any way to say that. But as close as I can make it, the translation is "I'm a man gone crazy and I'm wandering around aimlessly in the bush." –L.R.]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 7:43 PM on November 14, 2016 [2 favorites]


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and dang Herodios, helluva post.
posted by dougzilla at 8:46 PM on November 14, 2016


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posted by On the Corner at 3:16 AM on November 15, 2016


He was supposed to play a free show in Hoboken this summer, and I was so psyched, especially after seeing the Les Blank film Johnny Wallflower mentioned. The show got rained out, and never re-scheduled.

The movie is definitely worth seeing. Blank did it in the 70s but Russell blocked its release until this year. It's a great film, but you can understand if you were a rock star in the 1970s and you hired a director to make a documentary about you, A Poem Is a Naked Person is not the movie you'd expect to get.
posted by layceepee at 10:06 AM on November 15, 2016 [1 favorite]


And finally:
A Song For You (1970)


I always loved Leon's version and everyone and his wife covered it but Donny Hathaway just kills it for me.
posted by PeterMcDermott at 10:11 PM on November 15, 2016


And no love for Superstar?
posted by PeterMcDermott at 10:14 PM on November 15, 2016




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