Locked down with my Ukulele 7

These are strange times and it’s easy to forget that other things, other than Covid -19 can be cruel.

I was talking to a colleague, she’d had to go to her parents, her mother was seriously ill and her father has Alzheimer’s. She was saying how frustrating it is. Her dad every morning made toast in the toaster burnt it and then scraped the burnt bits off the toast, straight onto the newly cleaned floor. He would ask questions on an endless loop, question–answer then a few minutes later the same question. He broke his hip and didn’t remember he couldn’t walk.

It’s not a solo experience. Others I have meet, over the years, who have family members with this disease, repeat similar experiences. Some have expressed experiences where their family member gets frustrated and paranoid.

A few years ago I said to someone who was upset at receiving the diagnosis “you’ll not have to worry you won’t be worrying about it”. Not sure that helped much. But, I believe it to be true. Even in death, it’s those that are left behind who are the ones that suffer. Alzheimer’s sufferers seem to imperceivably crumble, piece by tiny piece at a time and there’s nothing you can do about it.

When I work I have the TV on. It gives me a background noise and entertains me. As the programs rolled on a documentary about Glen Campbell came on. It was called “Glen Campbell I’ll be me”. I’ve seen this, in part, before but the last song he recorded was ‘I’m not gonna miss you”. This song caught me, but a song written by Ashley Campbell (his daughter) came spinning out of the background track. I’ve not noticed it before but I can not separate these two songs from each other if anything I would say these songs are twins. I’ve been playing them constantly to see if I can listen to them without welling up.

I’m not gonna miss you

Said to have been written by Campbell as a love song for his wife. He recognises what is in store for him. Some of the lyrics are “I’m still here, but yet I’m gone” ‘It’s not gonna hurt me when you cry”.

I would suggest you see the documentary and put these two songs in context. Campbell’s performance of this song is poignant and so touching.

Remembering

Ashley Campbell wrote this over time starting it in California and finishing it later in Nashville with a co-writer. The phase “Daddy don’t worry I’ll do the remembering” made me notice the bright melody behind the lyrics. “We can talk until you can’t even remember my name. Daddy don’t worry I’ll do the remembering.”

The film documents Campbell’s whole life. It’s twists and turns, up’s and considerable downs. These two songs punctuate the last chapter of his life with such tenderness. Any father would be touched if their daughter left lyrics like these in remembrance of them.

On media channels there is a recording of Ashley doing an acoustic version of Remembering for a country channel. It is beautiful. Even the hosts shed a tear.

Stay safe.