A Wished For Song A Portrait of Jeff Buckley by Merri Cyr
When Jeff Buckley drowned tragically in a channel of the Mississippi River in 1997, the music world mourned the loss of one of, if not the, most promising voices of all time. When his debut LP Grace was released in 1994, Buckley quickly gained legions of fans all over the world, all of whom were immediately transfixed with his eight-octave range and perfect falsetto, fluid guitar playing and heartrending lyrics. His untimely death denied us of more of the most beautiful music ever written.
Merri Cyr is a photographer from Brooklyn, NY. She was with Jeff Buckey from early on, right at the beginning of his musical journey. Initially hired to shoot the album cover for Grace, Cyr quickly impressed Buckley and was asked to accompany him on tour, allowing her to capture some of the most pivotal musical, as well as personal, moments in the artist's life. The almost endless number of images she captured gave us a fleeting glance into the life of Jeff Buckley; his unbelievable abilities, his huge heart, his unwavering charm, his multi-faceted personality. In 2002 Cyr decided to share her images with the world. What resulted was A Wished For Song- a breathtaking collection of photographs that depict the legend behind the most timeless music ever written.
Also included in the book are interviews, conducted by Cyr, from the many people that had the pleasure of meeting Buckley and having him in their lives. Artists such as Bono, Eddie Vedder and Paul McCartney all lend their words to pay tribute to his memory. There are anecdotes and reminiscences from family, colleagues and friends, the people that knew and loved him best. Both the images and words remind us that the memory of Jeff Buckley lives on, through his music and through the people that refuse to forget him.
When Buckley first hired Cyr, he told her he wanted to be her muse- and this fantastic book proves she lived up to his expectations of her. From promo shots, studio portraits, live shots to backstage peeks, all are taken with genuine affection for the subject. The photographs are abstract but all stunning. They are never exploitive yet at the same time beautifully revealing. The book does not make a martyr of Buckley, thankfully. As Inger Lorre states in the book, "...Jeff was nobody's martyr and I don't think he would like people turning him into the tragic young beautiful thing...You know he would hate [that]."A Wished For Song is the perfect tribute; a celebration of his life and a gentle mourning of his devastating death.
This book also hints at the great relationship Cyr had with Buckley. She praises his exceptional talent, his kind and gentle nature, his all-inclusive love for people and his incontestable charm. She speaks with a fondness that comes straight from her heart. Her own words on the artist are moving; it is obvious that shooting Buckley was her pleasure: "Jeff had a fantastic beauty, rare and originating on an energetic level. It's got nothing to do with the meat of a body and it's beyond talent. Maybe his high burn rate made him shine all the more brightly, seducing people to match an ephemeral brilliance, or by the same token a vast darkness. Whatever you call it, it became an actual and visible expression in the photographs."
What really comes across in Cyr's book is how important the music was to Jeff Buckley. It was always about the music for him. His whole life was getting his music across to people, to really make them feel it. Buckley was an artist that had no issues with saying "fuck you" to the business side of the industry. His music was more important than any photo shoots, promotion opportunities or music videos. If you watch the video of "Last Goodbye", at the very end he looks at the camera with a look of disdain on his face. This look sums up the way he felt about the business. He was never afraid to say no. He never did anything he was not comfortable with. Dave Lory's words sum up how Buckley felt about the music perfectly: "I miss protecting him. I think that's probably the hardest thing...protecting him and protecting his music and bringing him across the way he wanted to be brought across. That's the joy of it. Forget the money, forget all the other bullshit, because at the end of day when you walk in the door and you see him, you see that you've protected his baby. And that's his art. And him personally."
Merri Cyr has done a fantastic job with A Wished For Song. It is a wonderful and stunning book. It is a keepsake; an essential addition to the collection of any fan of Jeff Buckley, or anyone who wants a snapshot into the life of a real artist. It reminds us that the memory of the man behind the timeless inspirational music of Grace has lived on past his death. He is worth the continuous praise he receives. Sometimes I feel words will never be strong enough to describe his talent, although efforts like Cyr's come as close as you can get. Jeff Buckley will never be forgotten; no one will ever outdo him. He is one in ten million and his legend will never be overshadowed.
A Wished For Song 
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