RIP Amy Winehouse

Oh …

That’s …

Well, quite a few thing’s, actually …

Calling it a shame seems to be understating things.

Yeah see, the only thing that’s knocked the news of the attacks on Oslo off the metaphorical front pages … ?

Is what’s scrolling down the metaphorical screens, as I write …

Sadly … ?

Sadly, today see’s the death of singer and song-writer, Amy Winehouse.

There’s no official confirmation, as I write …

But plenty of indications, going by the BBC’s news channel.

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Including reports that Amy’s label, Island, weren’t happy with the progress of her third album, both in terms of how long it was taking … and the quality of the material they’d received, thus far …

Hmmm …

Now …

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Gosh, isn’t it surprising how much you can think of to say, when something like this happens … ?

Says I.

I’ll be honest, I’m sort of struggling for words, here.

You see …

I was never much of a fan of hers.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, I liked what I heard of her songs.

And, although I don’t know if I’ll go as far as calling her a genius — it hasn’t taken long for reporters and commentators to start throwing the word around — I was certainly impressed with what I heard of Back to Black, her seminal second album.

So, yes, I’ll happily say this is a loss: to her fans and family.

But I have a very strange view of these things.

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You see …

Well …

The main thing I’m thinking, here, is that Amy famously had substance issues.

Or possibly I should say notoriously.

But that’s what gets me, here.

You, I’ll happily confess to having my own issues with the booze and fags over the years.

I’ve also known people who’ve had more serious substance abuse issues, as well.

People who’ve — in various ways — come through them.

And I’ll stress come through them.

And I’m thinking, here, that that’s where the tragedy really lies, in a way.

The recovering substance abusers I’ve met — are for the most part — the first people to admit that their drug use has given them problems, and that it’s taken a long time for them to get into recovery.

And they’d ALSO admit that they’re happier, now, they have been whilst using.

And — here’s the key part — that they’re generally grateful to be where they are, today: in spite of their past.

That’s kind of what I’m thinking, here.

Amy Winehouse is now dead.

And what I’m thinking is the tragedy …

Is that she’s not alive to say “In Spite Of Her Past”, for herself.

Hmmm …

I think that’s where I’ll leave this …

But as a last couple of thoughts … ?

Well, I can’t help but play this to you, only a few weeks after she’d announced she’d changed her mind about this …

And …

Well, leave you with the question, from Valerie … “Why don’tcha come and see me … ?”