LAST DREAM
Lyricist Herbert Kretzmer has died shortly after his 95th birthday. Kretzmer was most famous for providing the lyrics for smash hit musical Les Miserables, based on the Victor Hugo novel. Yes, you can direct the line of blame for Susan Boyle’s career directly to the Tony award winning writer. Les Mis earned Kretzmer over $20 million in royalties alone by the time of his death. He also worked with David Frost on That Was The Week That Was, penning their famous Kennedy tribute song, and with Charles Aznavour on international hit She. Earlier in his career he was a noted interviewer for the Daily Express, becoming one of the very few men to interview both Duke Ellington and John Steinbeck. Into his old age, Kretzmer remained bemused that one of his songs – Do You Hear the People Sing? – had become the background of protests against authoritarian governments all over the world. He was a unique hit for Lidders Late Lamentables.
Herbert Kretzmer
5 October 1925 – 14 October 2020
Unique pick