Monday, August 14, 2017

Sky: Glen Campbell

Glen Campbell died last week. He lived a public struggle to continue his musical career in the face of Alzheimer's. He and his musical family arranged a five-week farewell tour after his diagnosis that quickly grew into a fifteen-week extravaganza of over 150 concerts.

A documentary film crew follows along on the tour, recording the ups and downs of the shows as well as the Campbell's home life. As the tour became more and more intense, the film crew becomes more and more a part of the odyssey. Several family members are also part of the back-up band, and as Campbell’s condition grows more severe, there are some tense moments as “the show must go on,” even if the star of the show doesn’t know where he is.


Overall, the feeling is one of a family rising to the occasion with love, support, and musical talent. Tens of thousands of fans, all aware of Campbell’s condition, cheer him and his family on, night after night after night. He even co-wrote for the movie, one of the most chilling songs I have ever heard about dementia:

I’m Not Gonna Miss You

I'm still here, but yet I'm gone
I don't play guitar or sing my songs
They never defined who I am
The man that loves you 'til the end

You're the last person I will love
You're the last face I will recall
And best of all, I'm not gonna miss you
Not gonna miss you

I'm never gonna hold you like I did
Or say I love you to the kids
You're never gonna see it in my eyes
It's not gonna hurt me when you cry

I'm never gonna know what you go through
All the things I say or do
All the hurt and all the pain
One thing selfishly remains

I'm not gonna miss you
I'm not gonna miss you


The movie is called: I’ll Be Me. It is available on YouTube.

It’s great at showing the ups and downs of deciding to be “out” about the diagnosis.





1 comment:

  1. These lyrics are haunting. It was interesting and somewhat frustrating to me that in the reports of Glen Campbell's death little was said about the documentary he made about his journey with Alzheimer's. So glad you told me about it, Sky. Mary Y.

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