While doing my routine online news perusal this morning, I came across a bombardment of headlines on several sites all announcing the death of revolutionary rock and roll songwriter, poet, and icon Lou Reed. Rolling Stone, Yahoo News, and several Facebook pages all mourned the loss of the 71-year-old hero, yet none had any information regarding the cause of death except for a speculation that it may have had something to do with his recent liver transplant. Since this morning, pictures of Reed and stories of his passing now haunt cyberspace, giving off an eerie omnipresence as if his ghost lingers on in the photos. Ironically, he seems to be getting more attention on the day of his death than he probably had received in years, calling to mind the booming post-death popularity of other late legends like Tupac Shakur and Elvis Presley.
What struck me as the creepiest part of this news story its coincidence with "Sunday Morning", a song performed by Lou with his early group, The Velvet Underground. This being one of my favorite songs featuring Mr. Reed, I instantly opened my iTunes library and played it from my laptop speakers, and was overcome with grief and an uncanny, even supernatural feeling as chills descended down my spine; the song's appropriateness made the whole thing seem...planned? Or just perfect.
His body may be dead, but Lou Reed's spirit lives on through his music. RIP.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qK82JvRY5s
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