Farewell to the best purr in history.....

I really need to stop talking about famous people who are in their twilight years. Firstly I was discussing Harold Pinter on Christmas Eve, then Eartha Kitt on Christmas Day. Either I’m psychic or slightly responsible. Not sure I’m comfortable with either.

Anyway, Pinter was no particularly great icon to me (Though I enjoyed Betrayal at the Donmar recently….Toby Stephens…..mmmm). But Eartha???? I loved Eartha.

She wasn’t even my favourite Catwoman. Although given that she was up against the magnificent Julie “Seven Brides” Newmar in my affections it’s not entirely unexpected. But an LP of her singing Live at Tivoli from my grandparents’ house became regular listening for me when I was younger. I’ve never been crazy about very refined singers, I like my girls to sound a bit breathy and natural. Wobbles in the voice and all (hence the great Marilyn love). Clearly Ms. Kitt was a superior singer to Ms. Monroe, but they both engaged me in a way very few other singers can.

I was also slightly freaked out by how much she actually resembled a cat. But freaked out in an I-think-it’s-awesome kind of way.

So now the great lady has passed away, on Christmas Day of all days, and I’ve remembered how important she was to me a few years ago. I may have to go out and find an album or two to reaquaint myself. Eartha, I salute you! Rowwwwrrrrrrrrr!

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