JUST LAST WEEK, a Twitter friend turned me on to this video of punk’s godmother Patti Smith covering a song Debbie Boone made famous, “You Light Up My Life.” At the risk of overstatement, It’s brilliant, and there’s something so tender about the juxtaposition of song and singer, not to mention Smith’s tenderness with kids in the studio audience (the performance was for a kids’ variety show) that I had to watch it over and over.
I’ve long been interested in Patti, as an artist and poet as much as a musician, and I’m dying to read her new(ish) memoir about her life with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, Just Kids. Until I can clear out space on my nightstand and time in my day to read the book, I’ll have to content myself with this video. I hope you’ll share it with your kids, your sisters, or anyone else you want to tell just how much they mean to you.
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This Patti Smith video is fabulous. Thanks for sharing it. I remember seeing her live when my mother took me. I was about the same age as the children in the audience on the video. It was an Arista recording artists concert and Patti Smith was on the bill along with others including Melissa Manchester. At the time, we thought that was pretty incongruous but this video beats all. Love it!
This is simply amazing. Those first few bars of her rendition sent shivers up my spine. Thanks to your Twitter friend and to you for this. Keep up the juxtapositions!
Wow. This gave me chills.
I know, I know! Isn’t it bananas? Read her memoir “Just Kids” if you haven’t already–it too is fabulous and fascinating.