Just When I Needed You Most

Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2004 - 7:00 a.m.

I keep mentioning my friend over in Paris.

His name is Laurent Koleda. Did I tell you he makes music?

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Speaking of music -- I'm just getting the news that Randy VanWarmer died.

This is kind of sad for me, because his best known song -- "Just When I Needed You Most" -- was one of my all time favorite songs when it came out some twenty-five years ago.

He was just 48 years of age. He died of leukemia and had been ill for about a year. Even though that was the only song he sang that charted, he was still a very good songwriter. "Just When I Needed You Most" reached No. 4 on Billboard's pop chart in 1979. He'd had written it when he was 18.

From the obituary: "More recently, VanWarmer wrote "I'm in a Hurry (And Don't Know Why)," a No. 1 hit by the country group Alabama in 1992, and "I Guess It Never Hurts to Hurt Sometimes," No. 1 by the Oak Ridge Boys in 1984."

I lost my virginity on the Fourth of July, 1979, to a guy who then disappeared for the rest of the summer. So that song became a mantra for awhile.

Deep peace on the running wave to you, Randy.

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On a lighter note, I enjoyed the most recent episode of Mythbusters.

They recreated the accident described in the poem / song called 'Murphy and the Bricks':

Dear Sir, I write this note to you to tell you of me plight
For at the time of rising, I am not a pretty sight
Me body is all black and blue, Me face a deathly grey
And I write this note to say why Murphy's not at work today.

Whilst working on the 14th floor, some bricks I had to clear
But to toss them down from such a height was not a good idea
The foreman wasn't very pleased, he is an awkward sod
He said I'd have to cart then down the ladders in me hod.

Now shifting all those bricks by hand, it was so very slow
So I hoisted up a barrel and secured a rope below
But in me haste to do the job, I was too blind to see
That a barrel of building bricks was heavier than me.

And so when I untied the rope, the barrel fell like lead
And clinging tightly to the rope, I started up instead
I shot up like a rocket 'till to my dismay I found
That half way up I met the bloody barrel coming down.

The barrel broke me shoulder, as to the ground it sped
And when I reached the top, I banged the pully with me head
I clung on tightly, numb with shock, from this almighty blow
Whilst the barrel spilt out half the bricks some 14 floors below.

Now when these brick had fallen, from the barrel to the floor
I then outweighed the barrel and so started down once more
Still clinging tightly to the rope, me body racked with pain
And half way down I met the bloody barrel once again.

Now the force of this collision half way down the office block
Caused multiple abrasions and a nasty state of shock
Still clinging tightly to the rope, I fell towards the ground
And I landed on the broken bricks the barrel had scattered round.

I lay there, groaning, on the ground, I thought I'd passed the worst
But the barrel hit the pully wheel and then the bottom burst
A shower of bricks rained down on me, I didn't have a hope
As I lay there bleeding on the ground, I let go the bloody rope.

The barrel then grew heavier and started down once more
It landed right across me as I lay there on the floor
It broke three ribs and my left arm and I can only say
I hope you'll understand why Murphy's not at work today.

� 1983 - Words and music P. Cooksey.

At the end of the demonstration of the accident, their crash test dummy, nicknamed 'Buster', was in pieces.

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I think that's it for now.

Persistent but unsubstantiated rumors have the seventh season of South Park continuing tonight! Woo!...

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