“And When I Die”

April 2, 2014 • 2:10 pm

I pondered long and hard which music to put up —I limited myself to one song—in memory of my friend Kenny.  We had so many that we loved, for our musical tastes were almost completely congruent.

In the end, I chose the version of “And When I Die” performed by its writer, the fantastically talented Laura Nyro, who also died too young. Although the song was made famous by the group Blood, Sweat & Tears, Kenny and I always considered Nyro’s version far better. We were both Nyro enthusiasts, priding ourselves on discovering an unappreciated genius.

Nyro wrote it when she was only 17, and recorded this version—in 1967—when she was only 20. She had a songwriting talent far beyond her age. She died of ovarian cancer at 49.

To Kenny, his family, and Thomas—the “one child born”.

26 thoughts on ““And When I Die””

  2. Wow. You’ll be amazed to know that I’ve never heard a note by Laura Nyro until now. I’ve always known about her though. WAY better than the BS&T version.

    And I’m sorry to hear about your friend.

  3. What a perfect musical tribute. I suspect it’s the very one your friend would have chosen. And I’m sure he would have approved.

  5. After hearing the BST version hundreds of times, it is hard for me to get used to this version, so I listened to both.

  6. Beautiful!! I heard her perform this and many other songs at the Berkeley Community Theater in 1970. A fitting tribute to your good friend.

  7. Thank you so much for this! This arrangement evokes a gospel singer and chorus to me. And that wonderful voice of hers, so clear. A fantastic song writer, too. Laura Nyro, you are missed.

  8. I concur that Ms. Nyro gives a most admirable and heartfelt rendering of this, one of her original songs. I greatly admire the body of songs resulting from her musical genius.

    I hold Blood, Sweat and Tear’s version in significantly high esteem. I like the alternating changes in tempo. I think David Clayton-Thomas’s a rather virtuoso performance.

  9. Thanks for sharing those wonderful pictures of Kenny. The big grin was the way I remember him from our high school days. The song is a wonderful tribute. I will always remember him with much fondness.

  10. Jerry-Some of your critics have described you as an unfeeling scientist with a materialistic detachment from some of life’s more tender concerns. Your recent writings about your great friend Kenny show you to be a man of much caring for the truly important human response to the loss of a great friend.

  11. Jerry wrote:
    “… priding ourselves on discovering an unappreciated genius.”

    While I hadn’t heard of Laura Nyro until Jerry’s post above, she wasn’t totally unappreciated. According to her wikipedia biography that Jerry linked to, she was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 2012.

    George

  12. A great tribute. I believe a great song will be great no matter who sings it, and since her songs are well known with other singers’ names, that is a true testament to her talent.

    You & your friend were lucky to have found each other and shared so many fun things in life.

  13. Lunch wound up being a rushed affair at the desk, so no wine.

    But dinner is done cooking, the glass poured; I just sat down, and shall click “Play” after I click “Post,” and raise the glass.

    b&

  14. Just for thoroughness:

    I’m not scared of dying,
    And I don’t really care.
    If it’s peace you find in dying,
    Well then let the time be near.
    If it’s peace you find in dying,
    And if dying time is here,
    Just bundle up my coffin
    ‘Cause it’s cold way down there.
    I hear that its cold way down their.
    Yeah, crazy cold way down their.
    [Chorus:]
    And when I die, and when I’m gone,
    There’ll be one child born
    In this world to carry on,
    to carry on.
    Now troubles are many, they’re as deep as a well.
    I can swear there ain’t no heaven but I pray there ain’t no hell.
    Swear there ain’t no heaven and I pray there ain’t no hell,
    But I’ll never know by living, only my dying will tell.
    Yes only my dying will tell.
    Yeah, only my dying will tell.
    [Chorus]
    Give me my freedom for as long as I be.
    All I ask of living is to have no chains on me.
    All I ask of living is to have no chains on me,
    And all I ask of dying is to go naturally.
    Oh I want to go naturally.
    Here I go,
    Hey Hey!
    Here comes the devil,
    Right Behind.
    Look out children,
    Here he comes!
    Here he comes! Hey…
    Don’t want to go by the devil.
    Don’t want to go by demon.
    Don’t want to go by Satan,
    Don’t want to die uneasy.
    Just let me go naturally.
    and when I die,
    When I’m dead, dead and gone,
    There’ll be one child born in our world to carry on,
    To carry on.

    b&

  16. A very well chosen song for Kenny, a genius in his own right. My husband and I graduated from high school with him in 1967. Ken was a close friend of Larry’s and his heart was heavy when Larry died suddenly fifteen years ago. Two fine men who stayed in touch across an ocean and are now, I pray, reunited. I am sorry for the loss of your dear friend.

  17. I initially subscribed for your boot pictures, but I have to say it has been a much larger experience. Blessings on your dear friend, Kenny, and y/our mutual appreciation for Laura Nyro. Peace.

  18. Thanks for posting this, Jerry, and my deepest sympathy to you and to Kenny’s family for their loss. I was a college contemporary of yours (at Cornell), and Laura Nyro was a major influence on me in those years. So was the BS&T version of this – I’m so glad to hear the original after all these years.

  20. Please accept my condolences on the loss of your friend.

    Thanks for introducing me to the music of Laura Nyro.

    Best wishes,

    John J. Fitzgerald

  21. Beautiful, Jerry. Laura Nyro great part of my life and friendships also. Named a cat Timer and my daughter Emily because of her songs. Thanks

  22. Ah, Laura was incomparable! I shed a tear while listening; for Laura, for the time, for all the deaths since then.

Comments are closed.