Album title: Adiós
Artist: Glen Campbell
Genre: Country
Nationality: American
Release date: June 9
Position in Discography: Sixty-fourth and final
Estimated Rating:
Have I heard of this artist? Yes
Have I heard anything by this artist? Yes
Average RYM Score: 3.19
What is it with this month and death? What is it, in fact, with this day and death? Two albums already released on this day in 2017 by artists who either were already dead or who died shortly after what turned out to be their last album was released, and now a third. Glen Campbell, soft country superstar, had been suffering from Alzheimer's for years, so much so that according to his producer, he couldn't remember the lyrics to the songs here and had to keep being prompted. But he knew enough to know he was dying, and wanted, like Bowie, to leave one last musical gift for his fans, and so the album was terribly poignantly but appropriately and prophetically titled simply
Adiós .
The album contains covers of some of his favourite songs, ones which he had never previously recorded, including Harry Nilsson's “Everybody's Talkin'”, Willie Nelson's “Funny How Time Slips Away” (on which the Red-Headed Stranger guests himself) and Dylan's “Don't Think Twice, It's Alright”. Most of these songs I don't know, bar the first one mentioned (and I see it wasn't written by Nilsson, but he certainly made it famous) but I do have to admit Campbell, like Berry on his last album, does not sound like a man facing death. Country music seems always generally to look back to the good times, often the hard times (sometimes they're one and the same, of course) and this is no exception, unsurprisingly. As Campbell gets ready to meet his maker, he uses his music, his favourite songs, to reflect on a life well lived.
You may not like him or his music, (I don't, particularly) and if you don't then this album certainly will do nothing to change your mind about him. But in an era where many musicians die in retirement, often forgotten till the notification of their passing is posted, you have to admire men like Bowie, Berry and Campbell, who went out the way they wanted, doing what they loved and giving their fans one last final tip of the hat and a wink and a smile before they departed. Rest in Peace, Glenn. Adiós, compadre. Vaja con dios.
Check out more from this artist? Not really my thing, no
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes
Actual Rating:
