Darragh posted a link on Twitter last night which reduced me to tears, again.
Here’s the link and my thoughts:
This was my first time hearing Boyzone’s new single. I was immediately choked as Stephen, sounding more confident and better than ever before, opens the song with the lyrics
“I …… I will learn to live before I die
will learn to love and learn to try
not to give it all away (give it all away)…”
The track is the first from their soon to be released album, aptly and simply named Brother. The lyrics, penned my Mika, take on a whole new meaning from when ‘Steo’ recorded them before his untimely death at 33years of age. The sound in his voice is more mature than previous records. Was he possibly coming into his own? More chills as his voice haunts the end of every chorus! The raw grief on the rest of the Boyz is almost too difficult to watch and the empty red chair just broke my heart. The reggae undertones help lighten the mood of the song to make it not all about grief but about celebration of the loss of their ‘brother’.
The death of Stephen and how it affected me took me by surprise. News broke of the night of the web awards. His death was full of controversy which we all know too well. But to learn he died at 33 years of age of natural causes really made me realise how fragile life is.
I was ecstatic when Boyzone reunited. I was a fan in my teens. My taste in music has grown up but I never got to see them live back in the day! I have since seen them twice. One of my favourite performances of all times was Stephen’s rendition of Beyonce’s Single Ladies in the O2. It showed how much he had grown and how comfortable he was in his own skin! Their on stage comradery was beautiful, especially between Shane and Stephen!
So for me reminder to live life to the max!
Hope you enjoy even if you are not a fan!
Nice post, Amy, liked the video, knew of him and the group, but not much more, thanks..
Hey, glad you took my suggestion. Lovely post - thanks for sharing. It got my first “like” of the new year
I was 8 when I got my first ever tape, Love me for a reason. I became a huge fan of Boyzone when I was young. I got to see them in the RDS 2 years ago. It was such a fun show. All the old songs that i thought i’d forgotten but realised I knew all the words. I watched a tv show about stephen last week and was in tears by the end. RIP
I’m not a Boyzone fan but that video has just had me in floods. FLOODS. It’s so bittersweet
Lovely post Amy.
I just don’t know about the video. I truly believe that the poor lads death effected the other guys hugely. But there is just something weird seeing this in a music video. I get it is just their way of showing grief but the cynical part of me sees something else.
Lovely post, amy. Well done!
Was never a boyzone fan, but enjoyed reading this, and it made the video more touching to see it from a fan’s perspective.
@Peter - I get what you mean. It’s strange thinking of the lads sitting there crying with a camera pointed at them and a crew watching taking notes of the best shots. Still… on the non-cynical side, it does show how much he meant to them.
Ah I dunno, I bawled anyways.
@ Annie - I know - I am REALLY trying to ignore the cynic in me. But all I keeping thinking is that this is a music video and these lads have a director and crew there as well and it just seems to be taking advantage of the situation
COME! ON!
There’s honouring a friends memory and then there’s shameless exploitation of a man’s death for the cause of fame and money.
They clearly acted our stuff for that to pull on emotional heart strings. Can you imaging having videos of the trauma after your loved one has died put in music video?
Simon Cowell would be proud. Bet he’s sorry he didn’t come up with it first.
Such contrasting comments! Its great!
Glad some of you like it as much as me! And valid points from those who take the exploitation angle!
To me I love the song-I rarely watch music videos so I am not sure how they could have done it another way! The first song/album released after his death was always going to be seen as a tribute by some and a exploitation by others!
I never ever thought I’d have to say that I cried watching a Boyzone video..aaaw