RECORDED THE SINGING VOICE OF BEEF IN 'PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE'
Ray Kennedy, who memorably sang "Life At Last", the song that Beef performs in Brian De Palma's Phantom Of The Paradise, died yesterday. He was 67. Gerrit Graham lip-synced to Kennedy's recorded vocal in the film. Kennedy, who had also released a solo single and a couple of solo albums between 1965 and 1980 (see video below), co-wrote two of my favorite songs by The Babys, "Isn't It Time" and "Everytime I Think Of You." He also wrote "Sail On, Sailor" with the Beach Boys, who recorded it in 1973. The latter song was used on the soundtrack to Martin Scorsese's The Departed. An earlier, unreleased album Kennedy recorded with Jon Misland in 1962 was co-produced by Phil Spector. According to the Swan Archives, "Kennedy was very happy with how Phantom had turned out," and "had only a few days ago agreed to visit Winnipeg for a screening of the film this coming October." A memorial website for Kennedy can be found here.
Posted by Geoff
at 8:07 PM CST
Updated: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 12:02 AM CST
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Updated: Tuesday, February 18, 2014 12:02 AM CST
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