I had my say about the Hitch here. I don’t feel the loss. Now, here’s someone whose loss I’ll mourn, and who’s actually leaving behind something worthwhile:
Etta James, best known for her rendition of the ballad “At Last,” is terminally ill, her doctor told TMZ today. He asked fans to pray for the 73-year-old singer, who has been suffering from leukemia and dementia….
I still don’t know how to upload videos here, so watch a classic performance here. No, it’s not “At Last” — it’s “Something’s Got a Hold on Me,” live in ’62, and when she’s done singing, the song is sung.
Etta James will indeed leave us the poorer for her loss.
Too bad you had to spoil your tribute with the mean-spirited spew re Hitchens.
Hitchens was not loved by all. Shall we all fall down on our knees before those who die?
For someone who dies and making mean spirited jabs about then especially before the funeral is even held. For example there is also discretion being the better part of valor. There are plenty of public figures in my life whose loss I will not mourn but I don’t feel the need to announce it like it is a badge of honor.
Hitchens would not agree with your sentiment. I saw a tape of him on a major network with Jennings or one of those well known talking heads – just the two of them. Hitchens was throwing every negative story he could muster against Mother Teresa.
What was the occassion of the footage? Mother Teresa’s funeral in Calcutta.
Hitchens – there was a guy who wore his animosity toward others like a badge of honor.
Don’t forget Jerry Falwell, with perhaps one of his most famous quotes on Hannity:
Good point although the Mother Teresa funeral was amazing in that Hitchens and Jennings-or-whoever-it-was were on camera and in the background was the live shot of Mother Teresa’s funeral – my friends with the tape claimed it was even during the funeral mass itself.
That is chutzpah – on the part of Hitchens and the rest of the US media. It wasn’t just what he said, but the timing and the visuals, could not have been any more disrespectful to people grieving.
I think it is very ironic for fans of Hitchens, THE man that made his living and reputation by taking on society’s “sacred cows” (sorry India, pun not intended) and spared not one drop of eloquent vitriol in the process, to ask for a moment of silence here.
I wonder how much they really understood him?
his comments were the better part of valor either.
I have no problem with jabs at the dead. I’ll no doubt be unable to resist on the demise of a number of public figures I can think of. My problem with Steve’s post is that he diminished his tribute to another icon by going OT on his own piece. We already had a whole thread full of vitriol toward Hitchens, and I don’t recall any “don’t speak ill of the dead” piety there.
“I’d Rather Go Blind” is probably my favorite Etta James tune, with “I Found a Love” coming in second:
Hmm. I will not be held responsible for the photo image choices made by whoever put that video together!
So noted. 🙂
As for Hitchens/James: beauty (James’ art) trumps vitriol (Hitchens’ art) every time.
Thank you Etta for all you’ve given us. Thoughts and prayers…
A Terry Gross interview with Etta James on Fresh Air:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97588800
I have no problem with you speaking ill of the dead. Doesn’t harm anything.