I first got to know Gerry Rafferty's music in early 1971, when a good friend of mine brought the album "The New Humblebums" around to my house to listen to.
I instantly fell in love with his music, his voice, his lyrics.
The album was the Humblebums second album, and on it Gerry had replaced Tom Harvey as Billy Connolly's co-singer in the band, The Humblebums.
The songs were all written and sung by Connolly and Rafferty, and the Connolly songs were amusing, but from the beginning it was Gerry Rafferty's songs that I came to love.
There were a number of great Rafferty songs on this album, but my all time favourite (still is) was a beautiful song called . . . PATRICK.
It was and is a beautiful, sentimental song. It means a lot to me now, as it forever reminds me of the great friend who brought the album round to my house, and whose friendship I was to later lose. It was my fault that I lost my friend, and his trust and companionship, though I didn't mean to. I regret it to this day.
Back to Gerry Rafferty though, and these are the wonderful words from the song PATRICK. If you know the song . . sing along with me . . .
Patrick my primitive painter of art
You will always and ever be near to my heart
I will never cross water, never cross sea
We will always be with you, Jockie, Mally, and me.
The things that we have are all that we need
You have your painting, and I like to
Read books by people of feeling, someone sincere
They remind me of you and what we have here.
Patrick my primitive painter of art
You will always and ever be near to my heart
I will never cross water, never cross sea
We will always be with you, Jockie, Mally, and me.
If in our lifetime we find peace of mind
We'll remember the bad days that we left behind
Thinking only of love and what it can bring
You paint songs for the children, a song we'll always sing.
Patrick my primitive painter of art
You will always and ever be near to my heart
I will never cross water, never cross sea
We will always be with you, Jockie, Mally, and me.
RIP Gerry Rafferty.
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