My Gen X Playlist: Veronica – Elvis Costello and Paul McCartney Acoustic Demo Version

Lately, I’ve found myself grasping for a word or two. I wish I could at least say it’s on the tip of my tongue, but it’s nowhere near the vicinity. All my friends occasionally find themselves in a similar gray zone, so I understand this may be normal. This fact only makes me feel slightly better.

My father lost his short term memory when he was in his late 70’s. I stopped asking him about any recent events because it pained me to see that lost look in his eyes. His long term memory was still pretty sharp, though. We’d reminisce about things that occurred decades ago.

My dad was a practical guy and used to solving problems. He treated his failing memory in the same way. He created a grid to manage his daily meds. Days, boxes and check marks – he worked them daily. He also kept a calendar and wrote down everything he did during each day. I often found him reviewing his calendar, perusing what he did the past week. Once he was complimented on an aloha shirt he received as a Christmas gift. When someone asked him who the shirt was from, he looked at the inside tag where he had written my wife’s and my name in ink. Smart dude.

I know these are small acts but these tiny things must have made my father feel closer to normal again. He wasn’t going to let his failing memory take him down without a fight. And just to be able to provide an answer and not experience the feeling of being lost, well those were tangible daily victories.

When he was in the hospital, we’d watch sports together. If it was a classic game on replay, he’d recognize players and we’d chat about them. If it was a recent game, we’d just enjoy the game regardless if we knew the players or not. My father never returned home from that health episode, but we shared hours watching ESPN in his final days. I’m in a Starbucks as I’m writing this post and can’t help the tears that are welling up. But these tears are a mixture of sadness and gratitude. I’m thankful for those last moments we shared together. I not only remember them, but feel them deeply as well.

How did I meander to this chat about my last days with my dad? I don’t remember intentionally wanting to go there. That’s OK, though. It felt good thinking about dad today.

I know I’d already added Veronica to the playlist, but I found myself thinking about this song again. As I noted in an earlier post, this song is about Elvis Costello’s grandmother who suffered from Alzheimer’s. I searched for various versions on YouTube and came across an acoustic demo version by Costello and Paul McCartney. It turns out the two collaborated and co-wrote it together. Here are some clips of Costello and McCartney describing their collaboration process together. Pretty interesting. Hope you enjoy.

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For a complete playlist, please click here.

For the Spotify playlist, please click here.

Is it all in that pretty little head of yours?
What goes on in that place in the dark?
Well I used to know a girl and I would have
sworn that her name was Veronica
Well she used to have a carefree mind of her
own and a delicate look in her eye
These days I'm afraid she's not even sure if her
name is Veronica

[Chorus:]
Do you suppose, that waiting hands on eyes,
Veronica has gone to hide?
And all the time she laughs at those who shout
her name and steal her clothes
Veronica
Veronica

Did the days drag by? Did the favours wane?
Did he roam down the town all the time?
Will you wake from your dream, with a wolf at
the door, reaching out for Veronica
Well it was all of sixty-five years ago
When the world was the street where she lived
And a young man sailed on a ship in the sea
With a picture of Veronica

On the "Empress of India"
And as she closed her eyes upon the world and
picked upon the bones of last week's news
She spoke his name outloud again

[Chorus]

Veronica sits in her favourite chair and she sits
very quiet and still
And they call her a name that they never get
right and if they don't then nobody else will
But she used to have a carefree mind of her
own, with devilish look in her eye
Saying "You can call me anything you like, but
my name is Veronica"

[Chorus]