I always loved his duet with Ann-Margaret on 'Dark End Of The Street,' to say nothing of his originals. Faretheewell, crazy genius. posted by jonmc at 8:42 AM on August 6, 2007
I knew that on some velvet morning I'd hear this news.
Didn't realize he wrote "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'."
Didn't know this either: "In 1953, he became a radio DJ and one of the first people to champion the work of Elvis Presley. Years later Presley thanked Lee for his early support, telling him that if it hadn’t been for folks like Lee he would probably have wound up driving trucks for a living."
From the same article: "His album Poet, Fool or Bum received the unpleasantly curt review from the NME of ‘Bum.’" Ah, yes, the ever-reliable credibility of the NME.
But...but...he never got around to telling me about Phaedra. posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:38 AM on August 6, 2007
It takes a special kind of person to, when given a terminal diagnosis, to come out with an album called "Cake or Death?". posted by rongorongo at 9:40 AM on August 6, 2007
Just for a second, a split second, I had an image of a bearded man standing in front of a waving flag declaring his pride at being an American, where at least he knows he's free. Then I realized my terrible, terrible mistake. posted by Pollomacho at 9:52 AM on August 6, 2007
I met the man when he was about 70. He came out (wearing chaps!) during a Nancy Sinatra concert and sang four songs with her, including "Some Velvet Morning." Afterwards I met him, and I told him he was popular in Sarajevo (my father owned two of his albums) and he told me he liked my accent and asked me, do you sing? Unfortunately I don't - or you might be reading a message from the Bosnian Nancy Sinatra! Take that, MeFites!
p.s. He was very nice and I am sorry he was so sick for so long.
RIP. posted by Dee Xtrovert at 9:55 AM on August 6, 2007
I, for one, cannot forgive him for his involvement in the Exxon Valdez disaster. posted by newfers at 10:13 AM on August 6, 2007
This made me a lot more sad than the usual artist-I-like-died news. It's probably because there is no one like him. posted by Kattullus at 10:14 AM on August 6, 2007
A true American original. Not a lot of those around anymore. posted by Rangeboy at 10:24 AM on August 6, 2007
I haven't bothered reading the thread above this comment, as this is the most heartbreaking celebrity death for me since Vonnegut and I'm not ready to wallow quite yet. Hazlewood's Requiem for an Almost Lady, a fine and bitter album, got me through a particularly difficult time in my life with its comforting minimalism and confused sneer towards the fairer sex. From its opening track:
"You came walkin' into my life
Carryin' your own dreams
You could've been
Yeah, you could've been good
Then why were you so goddamn mean
But till you I never had any fun
But I'm sure glad I never
Ain't you glad I never
Be glad I never owned a gun"
Hazlewood was the best and completely untouchable, and imitators can bite down hard on that. His death leaves a void on this plane that will never be filled. May his light shine. posted by item at 1:42 PM on August 6, 2007
posted by jonmc at 8:42 AM on August 6, 2007