<h2>Bidding farewell to another <br>British wave musician</h2>

Speaking of music ... here's a short blurb to mark the passing of Gordon Waller, one-half of the 1960s British wave pop duo Peter and Gordon.

Waller (on the right, with Peter Asher in the photo above) went into cardiac arrest on the evening of July 16, and died, at the age of 64, early the following morning at a hospital near his home in Ledyard, Conn.

Peter and Gordon got their start courtesy of Paul McCartney, who gave them a song, "World Without Love," that McCartney had penned -- but the Beatles hadn't used. "World Without Love" became a hit in 1964, and the duo thereafter strung together several more hits -- "Nobody I Know," "Go to Pieces," "True Love Ways," "Knight in Rusty Armour," "Lady Godiva" and, my personal favorite, "Woman."

"Woman" begins with a remarkable four-note string staccato punch and opening lyric -- Woman, do you love me? Woman, if you need me then believe me I need you, to be my woman -- that always grabbed my attention. The song's climax finds a full orchestra hitting a crescendo right as Waller polishes off and holds the last syllable of "woman" in the final lyric, Woman, don't forsake me. Woman if you take me then believe me I take you ... to be my woman. To me, it's a powerful love song.

I also take the time to add this post to my blog because Waller and I shared the same birthday; he was mentioned in the list of celebs with whom I shared a birthday in my first post to this blog last month -- on my birthday.