Walken: R.I.P. Larry Walken

Last week a friend, former co-worker and fellow ad-writer named Larry Walken passed away unexpectedly and tragically. While we weren’t best friends, we bonded as music lovers and collectors, and would often trade CDs of artists we thought the other would enjoy.

Like Larry, I have wide-ranging tastes. And while he would stop by my office singing the praises of Rilo Kiley, Nancy Sinatra or Kings of Leon, it seemed like I was always trying to push some sort of Wilco-related project on him:
“Have you heard the Mermaid Avenue albums?” “Wilco’s new live record is fantastic,” “Do you know Uncle Tupelo?” "What did you think of the Loose Fur CD?" Thus when he asked if I had any new music to share, it jokingly became any non-Wilco music.

Thinking about Larry the other day, I suddenly remembered that, amazingly, Wilco actually has a song called “Walken.” What more fitting tribute to a fine, funny gentleman?

So without further adieu, here is Wilco with "Walken" from Sky Blue Sky, plus an appropos tune Larry turned me onto: “So Long Babe” by Nancy Sinatra. RIP and TCB, Larry.

mp3: Wilco, “Walken”
mp3: Nancy Sinatra, “So Long Babe”
YouTube: Wilco, “Walken”