[vale willie de ville] love and emotion

Spanish Stroll

Oh wow. We look at all the meanness going on behind the scenes in our country, in our own experience, even affecting this blog and then we can look at Willie de Ville who died last night at the age of 58, of cancer. How often do you see your humble blogger wax so lyrical about a singer but this man had a genuineness, a passion and a zest for life, undercut by life's seamier side - it's a wonder he made it thus far when you look at all his personal issues.

Hey Rosita! Donde vas con mi carro Rosita? Tu sabes que te quiero pero ti me quitas todo

I could have run any youtube of his for your delectation but this one is special and if you can give a few minutes of your time, let me explain. The first youtube below was a performance of his song Just Your Friends, given at Museumplatz, Bonn in 2008, aged 57. The other version I was going to post was from 1981, aged 30!! It's my favourite song of all time by him, done 30 years later [you can see better quality in HQ here]:

I don't believe you know what's right or wrong
This is the price I pay for feeling so strong over you
You know that all of the time, I laid my heart on the line
And how I was so blind - I only see the good side of you

I remember that night, I remember the rain
I wandered the streets, lost in this pain over you
Yes, I wish I could take you away from your friends
Dragging you down but you're still hanging round with them ...

How many guys can relate to that?





Some lady commented:

Oh, what a gem!!! Whew!  Willy is so incredibly talented. Charismatic man who is multi-talented. Crystal clear video with terrific sound.

This is the hit which did it for him [hope Lou Reed's listening]:





Another:

She's a Mixed Up, Shook Up Girl

And one more to sign off with:





Did I say one more? Here's a slightly wooden early version of Love and Emotion [he seems a bit shy here] but the song is class:

I hold your hand and as we walk along, I can't understand, how a love can live in this desolate land. Broken windows and broken hearts and you are cheated before you start; was there ever a chance? No, there was never a chance ... but then your love, love and emotion ... oh your love sets me free.

Now everyday, at 5 o'clock, I run down your street baby, to your block and up five flights of stairs - up five flights of stairs ... and in your laughter there's mission bells, coloured lanterns and carousels, and in this hallway there's home, no Im not so alone ... because your love ... sets me free.

Critic Mark Keresman wrote about Willy DeVille:

In some respects, DeVille is the rock & roll counterpart to Sinatra—both can rock, both stared down personal demons, both are capable of rousing memories sweet and sad, and both can navigate the mean streets with panache before winding up on Lonely Avenue at daybreak.

Sigh - there's the litmus test. I'm sure the men won't like this music and I suspect there are not too many women left with that romantic streak who'd appreciate Mink de Ville. I hope I'm horribly wrong and wide of the mark.

Vale, Willy de Ville!