Blog's Not Dead (It Just Smells Funny)

Stinky writes: LAST is a series of collections of LAST songs.  These may be the last song a performer or a band performed live, or in the studio. or on television.  Or the last live performance by a group before a member died.  This set focuses on live recordings.

It starts off with John Lennon’s last live TV performance of Imagine, and the final song of The Beatles’ last live rooftop performance, Get Back.  Paul McCartney experienced another LAST when Wings played Band On The Run as the finale of their final concert. (Jonder adds: Paul's not dead -- despite rumors to the contrary -- but Linda McCartney passed away in 1998.)

Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers’ final song was appropriately American Girl—one of their most-loved songs.  Tom’s bandmate in The Traveling Wilburys, Roy Orbison, also bid his fans adieu with one of his most timeless songs, Oh, Pretty Woman.

Things get punkier for The Ramones’ final performance from their farewell concert (with uber Ramones fan Eddie Vedder on hand), Any Way You Want It. The Stooges' No Fun was the Sex Pistols' final number with Sid Vicious before imploding in San Francisco with Johnny Rotten’s famous quip: “Ever get the feeling you’ve been cheated?”  The Dead Boys reunited several times before lead singer Stiv Bators died, and went out with Catholic Boy.

Folk rock is represented by Harry Chapin, who calls his brother Tom Chapin on stage for Circles, his final live song before his fatal car crash.  Similarly, Stevie Ray Vaughan had opened for Eric Clapton, and joined in on Sweet Home Chicago before meeting his end in a helicopter crash.  

The last song Johnny Cash sang in concert was Understand Your Man. Townes Van Zandt’s final live performance concluded with Colorado Girl, and his namesake Justin Townes Earle wrapped things up with If You Ain't Glad I'm Leaving.  

Prince died shortly after he closed out his last show with Diamonds & Pearls/Purple Rain, and Jimi Hendrix finished out his performing career in style with his classic Voodoo Child (Slight Return).  Just as Hendrix famously revamped The Star Spangled Banner at Woodstock, Frank Zappa gives America The Beautiful an overhaul as the final song of his final U.S. show, thus ending the first volume of Last.