Whitney Houston

[qayak]

She sang a couple of good songs and had a nice voice.

The songs were covers of other people's material. Her songs were weak lyrically. Good voice in her prime, I agree.

She could have sung many more but now won't.

No, she couldn't. Her voice was gone at the end. That's why people walked out of her last tour concerts and she had to cancel.

She did not appear to be an evil or cruel person.

Probably true.

The World is smaller for her death.

No. Music was her claim to fame and she hadn't done anything in a decade. Her death doesn't make her any more gone from the music scene.

Yes there was a lot of hype but it was not her fault.

It's the celebrity way. Make a big deal out of any celebrity who dies in hopes that others will make a big deal when you are found sitting on the toilet with your underwear around your ankles, asphyxiated by your own vomit.

When Bob Dylan shuffles off I'll be terribly upset because he is a couple of months older than I.

Why would you be upset? Bob won! He changed the world. He fought the establishment, got rich, became the establishment and road off into the sunset to enjoy the fruits of his labours. He has lived long and prospered so no matter what happens now he will die a winner. Whitney had a golden life on a silver platter but she vomited herself out at the age of 48. That's a loser by any standard.

 

[epepke]

Whacked by crack. RIP.

Heard on radio that her fans were buying her songs. If they were fans they would already have bought her music.

Maybe, but things happen. There are a variety of recordings I've bought many times, due to loss and damage of the originals.

 

[Sledge]

The songs were covers of other people's material. Her songs were weak lyrically. Good voice in her prime, I agree.

This is what puzzles me. For all the insistence of her impact on music, she seems to be remembered for a (bad, IMO) cover of a Dolly Parton song, and to a lesser extent for Patrick Bateman praising her work before killing people. This does not seem to me to be the legacy of an influential artist.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

The songs were covers of other people's material. Her songs were weak lyrically. Good voice in her prime, I agree.

I found her rendition of the Mars Bangled Spanner somewhat moving.

No, she couldn't. Her voice was gone at the end. That's why people walked out of her last tour concerts and she had to cancel.

She had a lot of potential life left. She could have turned her live around. Now she never will.

Probably true.

I don't think we are really in much disagreement. I just decide to get out of the Snarky Barrel and have a stretch.

No. Music was her claim to fame and she hadn't done anything in a decade. Her death doesn't make her any more gone from the music scene.

She had a lot of potential life left. She could have turned her live around. Now she never will.

It's the celebrity way. Make a big deal out of any celebrity who dies in hopes that others will make a big deal when you are found sitting on the toilet with your underwear around your ankles, asphyxiated by your own vomit.

Please don't talk about Lenny Bruce that way.

Why would you be upset? Bob won! He changed the world. He fought the establishment, got rich, became the establishment and road off into the sunset to enjoy the fruits of his labours. He has lived long and prospered so no matter what happens now he will die a winner.

I will be upset because his death will remind me of my mortality.

Whitney had a golden life on a silver platter but she vomited herself out at the age of 48. That's a loser by any standard.

No. It's just the fallibility of we humans.

 

[qayak]

This does not seem to me to be the legacy of an influential artist.

I agree. I am trying to remember an artist that stated Houston influenced them previous to her death. Of course, no one wants to admit they look up to a cocaine addict whose career has fizzled to zero.

 

[qayak]

She had a lot of potential life left. She could have turned her live around. Now she never will.

She had a lot of potential life left. She could have turned her live around. Now she never will.

Well, looking at this another way, people are buying a lot more of her material in the last two weeks than they have in a long time. Sometimes dying is the best career move.

I will be upset because his death will remind me of my mortality.

Not if he outlives you?

 

[TubbaBlubba]

How about Leonard Cohen?

Now that will be a sad day indeed...


I'm even named after him.

 

[westprog]

Maybe, but things happen. There are a variety of recordings I've bought many times, due to loss and damage of the originals.

The "true fans" would have everything already. For most people, they pick up on somebody by chance - a song or a book or a painting that they happen across because they see or hear it. A number of people had probably forgotten about her, and then when they heard something they liked on the news, they decided to buy it. Nothing that weird about it. She made the kind of music that people who don't listen to a lot of music quite like.

 

[Gord_in_Toronto]

Well, looking at this another way, people are buying a lot more of her material in the last two weeks than they have in a long time. Sometimes dying is the best career move.




Not if he outlives you?

Then I assure you I won't care in the least.

 

[Nay_Sayer]

I saw parts of the funeral, What irked me was that the pastor/whatever turned it into a vehicle to get himself over and spout out nauseatingly cliche black church lines.

 

[qayak]

I'm even named after him.

WTF? Leonard Cohen's real name is TubbaBlubba Cohen!?!? Who'da thunk it?

 

[qayak]

So, I heard on the radio today that they are set to make a movie about Twhitney Houston. What for? We all know she isn't getting out alive!

 

[TubbaBlubba]

WTF? Leonard Cohen's real name is TubbaBlubba Cohen!?!? Who'da thunk it?

Once when I was in a pub and someone asked my name, I told them it was Leonard.
"That's an unusual name."
"Yeah, I'm named after Leonard Cohen."

They interpreted it as me being literally named Leonard Cohen.

 

[P.J. Denyer]

In undergrad I got into a discussion with my friend Eric about what we would want for our eulogies. We finally agreed that we would want the director of the funeral to ask for a moment of silence for the attending to reflect on how we touched their lives... & a few seconds in having that one person "remember that time he/I made them laugh, they snort & someone else gets it & chuckles, & on & on until the place is filled with laughter.

I didn't know it at the time but he had sickle cell. He died a few weeks later. At the funeral, the preacher asked for a moment of silence. I was still in shock so I had forgotten about that discussion. After a few seconds I get a clear as day picture of Eric in my head & he says "that's your cue cupcake".
I responded with "BWAAAAHAHAHA!" Everybody got it, everybody laughed even his parents. Seemed like it went on for hours.

I still haven't thought of a better eulogy.

Very moving, it's particually poignent that your friend still managed to bring another fresh moment of laughter into your life after he died. It's a great tribute.


Although it did make me think of the 'Giggle Loop' in "Coupling"....

 

[Darth Rotor]

I caught a bit of a news story about the funeral and found myself wondering about the comment saying she is now singing for The Lord.

Is it reasonable, based on the teachings of the church, to assume that she went to heaven rather than hell?

Which church do you refer to?

 

[qayak]

Once when I was in a pub and someone asked my name, I told them it was Leonard.
"That's an unusual name."
"Yeah, I'm named after Leonard Cohen."

They interpreted it as me being literally named Leonard Cohen.

A little bit off topic but a little on topic, too:

My daughter dated a guy named Cougar. No kidding! Named after, you guessed it, John Cougar Mellencamp because his parents were such big fans. Apparently they weren't big enough fans to know that wasn't his real name, it was given to him by a record exec. and Mellencamp hated it but I digress and it gets better . . .

My daughter decided to get a tattoo. When she talked to me I said, "Yeah, I'm fine with it. Just don't get some guy's name tattoed on you. You guessed it, again, she didn't take my advice. She has COUGAR tattooed across her abdomen.

Of course the relationship didn't last and she is married to someone else. I always tell her that it worked out well. In a couple more years no one will think it's someone's name, they will think it has to do with her age and lust for younger men.

I'd be an old and bald man if my kids weren't so entertaining!

 

[Accidental Martyr]

The "true fans" would have everything already. For most people, they pick up on somebody by chance - a song or a book or a painting that they happen across because they see or hear it. A number of people had probably forgotten about her, and then when they heard something they liked on the news, they decided to buy it. Nothing that weird about it. She made the kind of music that people who don't listen to a lot of music quite like.

This pretty much sums it up.

 

[devnull]

Now that will be a sad day indeed...


I'm even named after him.

I know people that walked out on his concert in melbourne.