Neil Sedaka rocks. He’s 69 today.
This is the kind of debonair, yet genuine, singer/songwriter I miss. I feel like these kinds of guys are the spiritual descendants of the bards. There’s no bullshit pretense; it’s nothing but a heartfelt and resonant lyric, soulfully delivered, and perhaps with a few keys tinkled.
He wrote and recorded some of the coolest pop songs of the late ’50s/early ’60s, including “Happy Birthday, Sweet Sixteen” and “Calendar Girl.” My favorite from that era was/is “Oh! Carol!” It was about Carole King. But for me it was about Carol in my philosophy class in the spring of 1989: she of the platinum blonde hair and impossibly green eyes.
I discovered all of those in my dad’s boxes of 45s.
Then, of course, he had a second career in the ’70s, putting up back-to-back #1s in 1975 with “Laughter in the Rain” and “Bad Blood.” He also co-wrote Captain and Tennille’s “Love Will Keep Us Together,” and re-recorded “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do.”
What a cool guy. Many more, Neil!
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