Jarvis Cocker reads a letter written by a David Bowie fan
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- Опубликовано: 30 сен 2024
- On January 10th, 2016, two days after the release of David Bowie’s latest album, Blackstar, millions of hearts around the world broke with the news of Bowie’s death following an 18-month battle with cancer. Bowie was a visionary, the likes of whom appears once in a generation at most, and his impact on the world of music was, and still is, immense. That he planned for his final album to be released so close to his last breath makes perfect sense. For this was his goodbye. Five days later, Bowie’s son shared a letter of thanks that had been written to David Bowie by Dr. Mark Taubert, a palliative care consultant working for the Velindre NHS Trust in Cardiff.
At Letters Live at the Freemason's Hall in London, Jarvis Cocker joined us to read this poignant letter.
I held my father’s hand at his last breath, and I held my still born baby girl so I have too much pain to go back to yet even though I’m crying, even though it hurts like hell to relive these feelings, this letter is so graciously written, so beautifully performed it acts like a balm for my aching soul. Thank you!
💜
Hear❤
When I get scared about death, which is coming, I think of Bowie and how he's the Starman now, waiting for us in the sky, and I'm not scared anymore.
Star man song is about a celebrity cocaine dealer,, shows how much you know about bowies work
@@mavis3916 Aw. you're so cute. Do you really have such a desperate need to be admired? Go home, little boy, 'cause it ain't working here.
@@Serai3 no but Bowie did,as for go home little boy,,what does that even mean?
@@mavis3916 Ah, so you're just a troll here to piss on anyone who has a good memory of Bowie. I thought so. Your mama's calling you, child. Time for a bath and bed.
Don’t pay any mind to Morris. He has no clue what “Starman” is about. Keep your vision at it aligns with what David was about. Starman is all about hope! .
The amount of grief I had over David's passing really surprised me. His music has been such a big part of my life. I stopped listening for a couple of years, but I do again now every day. Not Blackstar yet, it's still too painful. I'll always be grateful for all that he shared and gave us, its richness and depth, and his humour and playfulness too.
What a letter. Beyond moved. Well done Jarvis. It was read beautifully.
You shouldn't fear death. It will come for all of us. We will return to the place in the universe from before we were conceived.
You should fear not living the one and only life you have now to its fullest.
What you should fear is not living the one life you have.
Thank you. At 70 years old I have come across these situations, and I can only say that the writer of this letter has sensitively put the situation as it should be approached, From the day we were born, we know that some day we will leave this life. Why not talk about it with our loved ones and organise ourselves. this takes the burden of taking very difficult decisions away from those who we claim to love. We should not be afraid of a condition that clearly is definitive for each life lived on this earth. Enjoy each and every day we get to the fullest and then, hopefully pass on in full satisfaction of a life well lived. Leave no doubts behind or concundrums to be solved for those we leave behind. Certainly in those circumstances that we can not communicate with those we leave behind, be it through health issues, geographic distance or catastrophic mishaps it is helpful for those to know that all has been said and some measure of acceptance for the inevitable may be achieved. This of course, does not apply to young lives lost, violent or criminal deaths. we cannot speak about those the above mentioned way. But the letter writer was imo referring specifically to care in hospice or illness.
Only recently discovered letters live. So glad I did. Truly beautiful.
😊
P
Just saw Jarvis at work today didn’t know about this letter to Bowie -it’s wonderful… there should be more doctors like this
"We could be heroes...for just one day...."
A brilliant letter to a most brilliant man.
We miss David in Berlin. Truly, we do.
We do know that David was surrounded by his loving family at the time of his passing. I had the pleasure of meeting David twice by this invitation. He was so funny, so sharp, so quick witted and of course so engaging. I've been a fan of his since 1969 and hearing of his passing that day just broke me up so badly. It's 2022 and there will never be a time that I do not miss his music, his very being. Thank you for reading that letter, it was beyond brilliant and so touching.
I am somehow sure that David was able to give valuable advice to his palliative care person. Not the other way around.
A wonderful letter and a wonderful, sincere performance by Mr Cocker! This letter reaffirms why we need music and musicians in our lives: so that we are nudged to talk about the things that don't come easy.
😆😆😆😆We need pop stars? Ridiculous comment
@@mavis3916 does it matter who sends the message when the more important thing is that the message is heard? Every person on this planet has something worthwhile to tell. Only a fool would deny a message because they didn't like the messenger.
@@mavis3916 depends on the time you look at as well as the person who's looking for the message. Self-expression is among it, for me personally, and speaking about your wishes for the end of your life, as is evident in this letter. Or maybe the last part speaks to me only because I have an elderly mother and this topic comes up necessarily.
Also, that's the beauty as well as the complexity of art and messages via art: they are highly subjective to the recipient as well as the recipient's current circumstances in life. You may receive several messages out of the same song / painting / novel when you encounter it at different points in your life.
@Morris once again you have proven you have no idea who Bowie/David Jones was. He was never a pop star nor did he see or identify with the rock star persona. He only saw himself as an artist. Yes, the world needs artists for a myriad of reasons.
No need to waste your thoughts with this Morris person. He sadly doesn’t get it and prefers to hurl negative comments one would expect from a teen thinking they’re acting smart and cool.
As a person who lost my family as a teen to losing my husband when he was 51 from the same cancer as David - this letter was beautiful and so on point. Knowing how insidious this cancer is it blows my mind how David was still working almost up to the day of his death. Of course, David ensured he left on his terms, while leaving all of us one last poignant final goodbye.
What a wonderful letter: moving, educational, and advocating for good death. Bowie´s death and the Blackstar album will always be a powerful and difficult subject, for many of us; for me, it´s intricately associated with that year, 2016: my father died in June, and I left my country in December. To this day, I can´t listen to Blackstar without feeling overwhelmed by emotion.
I hear you, Ricardo. My mother, who was also a Bowie fan, died that same June - at sunset, on the Solstice, with a full moon rising in the sky. For me, too, listening to that album brings out many strong feelings. I hope that the years since have brought you some peace and resolution, but as there is no "time limit" to grief, I am sure you also still have moments where it feels as raw as it did then.
I wish you the best in this new year. Thank you for sharing your story
@@dontbefatuousjeffrey2494 thank you for sharing yours! And, yes, the years have brought peace. The people we love, the people who go to wherever they go when they leave this world, they always leave something with us, and we carry them in our hearts and minds. I wish you a great year! And may great music always bring us together!
@@ricardocardenas186
I became in the '80s and seem to have died at the end of that decade. Like only few others, he was an integral part of my life then. I miss Bowie. There will never again be the like.
Intregal part of your life? In what way?
I learned that my cancer had returned, and was incurable, as Mr Bowie was approaching his death. Both items of news came as terrible shocks, but only one had me breaking down in a sodden heap. I still cry now, Mr Bowie.
Really?
You're fun, aren't you!
@@floradiamonds no
@@floradiamonds Good luck Christina. Like you. I still shed a tear.
Your words are actually beautiful and important, You, Mr bowie and me were here, and we all know we must go one day, you really don't need to imagine a better time to be alive, it could never be, you heard, you saw and you loved, the most amazing artistic and creative human being that went from the kid who wanted to stop the abuse of kids with long hair at school in the 60's to an intrinsic part of so many peoples lives, my best wishes to you, i hope you are healthy and well, in these golden years. there will never be another.
✨David Bowie R.I.P.✨
✨🕯️✨
💫✨🌟❤️🌟✨💫
OK, that made me get teary.
Well done, Jarvis. Read with sensitivity and warmth.
Incredibly well done. Less than a minute in and I had forgotten it was Jarvis reading and thought it was the author.
Bowie , David ....Can never die
We have the songs , the fashions , music to listen to again.
The gift after physical presence.
Never dead.
Cannae take my eyes off the absolute heedcase sat behind Jarvis, fannying about with his ticket for the duration. 🤦🏻♂️
This!
I scrolled down quickly to see if anyone else was going to mention the guy. I was gobsmacked that he kept putting it in and out of his mouth, biting and sniffing it. I don't even know what "it" is he's putting in his mouth.
Wow this was so hard to listen to. A family member is very ill for the second time this year. Tears are flowing.
I hope things will go well for your loved one and you. May you find peace and comfort whatever happens.
My dear grandmother passed in April of 2016. She also passed at home, surrounded by family. It was deeply meaningful for all of us.
I felt my own mortality on the day David Bowie passed. Has it been more than 5 years since? The older I get, the distant past feels like yesterday.
I am not a massive David Bowie fan, but his passing hit me harder than anyone else's passing did. The reason? He was always there. He was part of the sound track of my life without me even knowing it. The year he died, I sat down to watch The Snowman on Channel 4 and David Bowie walked on the screen... I had somehow forgotten he was in the opening scene. I broke down and cried, and cry every single time I watch it. He was the sound track of my life and he'd gone
Bowie is a God now travelling the interstellar on a beam of rainbow light - and a magical transcendental rift. Thanks for the reading Jarvis. Words and ideas are so very important.
yes and music.
When I first heard the news I found I couldn't say anything to my wife. He has been such a huge part of my life that I had no words to express how I felt.
superb
I have probably heard Mr. Bowie's music most of my life, but I became a fan when I watched Labyrinth. Of course now that I am a wee bit older, I have other favorite songs of his, Heroes being one of them which is on my inspire list of songs when I paint. It is very hard to think of this man as having passed away as I hear his music all the time. If only more of us could be this inspiring, death might not be so macabre. Thank writer and reader for making us think and be more compassionate and empathetic, to feel and think and hopefully understand.
Jarvis honestly has a really cool speaking voice. Very soothing too. Reminds me a lot of a Northern English Neil Gaiman in a way (both looks and voice and personality wise).
Damn straight. A wonderful, sensitive letter regarding end of life care, and the necessity of an advanced health care directive. Both of my parents -in-law had documents to ensure that ridiculous “life saving measures” such as CPR, intubation etc weren’t administered, as both of them were dying.
Beautifully read. Thank you xx
Wow 🥰
👌💕
I remember telling my mother that he had died. She was devastated.
Thank you
Duck me this letter his hard
En español 😞
I was primary care giver for my dad while he was passing from colon cancer. The Lazarus album was a few years after his death, and it kind of helped me put some things in perspective.
Wow
Thank you for keeping such a beautiful letter to re read to us all these years later
❤️
Beautiful letter. Just a shame that Cocker is reading it.
why
@@daniellastuart3145 Because he's got a silly haircut, spectacles like a shop front and a dreadful accent.
Try listening to some of his radio broadcasts. he is talented, thoughtful and sympathetic. Try 'Wireless Nights' I think quite a few are still available. It's all talk - no music. But not like anything you've heard before.
@@helenswan705 Just for you, Hel, I'll give it a go.
@@halfaquarter2308 Its good to try sth new. BTW his accent is from Sheffield. I'm from Sheffield.