Just impossible….

I have heard the amazing Jim Reeves very frequently as undoubtedly everyone with a Fauji background in India did in my generation. For a man who died in a plane crash in a plane he was piloting himself in 1964, a month short of his 41st birthday, his music has shown enormous shelf life and I have loved his unique voice virtually all my life. He is truly one for the ages and his charm shows no signs of fading with the passage of time. When kids my son’s age fall in love with his unique voice, you have to accept he is special. ( IS not was , Jim Reeves truly immortalized himself through his amazing singing)

The credit for introducing me to his entire body of work must go to a friend, a Heart Surgeon who trained with the iconic Dr Venugopal in AIIMS before going to Australia and then coming to Pune, he was in love with the Himalayas and a very avid photographer of the abode of snow and the Gods. Dr Dilip Talekar was a huge Jim Reeves fan and had virtually the entire body of work with him.  The two major genres of songs he excelled in are love songs and Gospel/Christmas songs. Listen to this one (even if you’ve heard it before, you can never tire of listening to him ever) you’ll realize why everyone loves Gentleman Jim. https://youtu.be/Xt7KsNAn-Ks

Jim Reeves was a great songwriter, too and wrote straightforward, simple lyrics.

I Can’t Stop Loving You

I can’t stop loving you
I’ve made up my mind
To live in memori-i-ies
Of old lonesome time

I can’t stop wanting you
It’s useless to say
So I’ll just live my life
In dreams of yesterday

Those happy hours
That we once knew
Though long ago
Still make me blue

They say that time
Heals a broken heart
But time has stood still
Since we’ve been apart

I can’t stop loving you
Done made up my mind
To live in memories
Of old lonesome time

Just can’t stop wanting you
It’s useless to say
I’ll just live my life
In dreams of yesterday…

Listen to the King doing a cover version later. Elvis Presley was the King, but for this one, I’d vote for Jim Reeves’ rendition, more laid back and endearing. Elvis Presley is much more energetic and sounds his usual rousing self with all the trademark body movements that had the girls in the audience alternately swooning and screaming, and seeking favours like the girl asking him to dab his sweat on her kerchief. https://youtu.be/X88NOtEiCGg

Do let me know which one you liked more. Two versions of the same set of the lyrics, entirely different flavours.

Have fun, folks as we end yet another, unseasonably warm day in February. Stay healthy and happy

Advertisement