masterwordsmith-unplugged

The music of the 1970's is in a class of its own. I have yet to see such creative and original music that exudes that much depth of meaning, dimension of feelings and the way each song could reach out and touch our hearts in such a moving and poignant way till it is only natural that tears can well up in our eyes as we feel with the music. One such writer who could do that with much ease, style and flair is certainly Roland Kent Lavoie, better known by the stage name Lobo. My teenage bell-bottomed years were made unforgettable because of his music, especially when I went through the throes of puppy love, breakups and more...



Lobo, was born on July 31, 1943 in Tallahassee, Florida. An American singer-songwriter, he was successful in the early 1970s, achieving fame and fortune with songs such as "Me and You and a Dog Named Boo," "I'd Love You to Want Me," "Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend" and of course the soppy "How can I tell her?" which many could identify with when going through breakups. In 1971, he decided to use the name Lobo (which means wolf in Spanish) that could be remembered easily.

Raised by his mother in Winter Haven, Florida with his six siblings, he never met his father and never questioned his mom about his dad. If you wish to know more about his biography, check out THIS LINK from the official Lobo Fan Club site. It will also give you the background of his first hit "Me and You and a Dog named Boo".

For details of his musical career from the 1960's to the present, check out THIS SITE.

I am sure many baby boomers like me have fond memories of his songs. There's so much passion in his words and his songs are still so evergreen, even after 40 years. His soulful voice has a velvety touch as though he is caressing my ears. Sometimes it almost feels as though he is whispering the lyrics into my ears. The best part is his words describes the life of reality with a freshness that lifts the spirit from the depth of my heart. Even after four decades, his music transcends time, never ages, and listening to his music makes me feel like a teenager again! Indeed, his music touched me and his songs spoke the unspoken words of pain, love and anguish that I could never vocalize so listening to him sing was quite a cathartic experience then and certainly brings back fond memories even now.

This is what Lobo wrote about his lyrics in response to birthday wishes at his official fan site:

Back when I wrote most of these songs I really didn't realize how much they said about my true feelings, but as I have gotten older I find that most of them express the way I really am. i.e. they are me. On the day I reach the double nickel, its nice to hear that some of feelings are shared by others.

Recently, he released another album called "OUT OF TIME" which features some new songs as well as the old favorites. "Out of Time" represents the step back to the original era of these recordings, revisiting his old songs the same way he wrote them, by doing all the instruments himself they are "Out of Time". It refers to the classic nature of those old songs, how they are still favorites, even though they don’t follow the norm of today’s songs. Always classic, always moving forward, that’s Lobo at his finest!!

Here's a selection of his hits from YouTube. You can right click on the titles to enjoy his music. May these songs bring back fond memories. My favorites are marked with *.




This post is specially dedicated to Mr. X who loves Lobo's music and does not want to be named :-).

Do leave a comment if you wish to share your thoughts. I would love to hear from you. Thanks! Have a lovely and romantic evening. :-)

Here's a motivational poem about how one life can make a difference. I sincerely hope the poem reminds you that even though you may be only one person, you can make a difference. Enjoy the inspirational words of wisdom in the verses below. Do leave a comment if you wish to share your thoughts for I always enjoy reading and responding to readers' comments. Thanks! Have a nice day!