The Wild Children (Born In 1945)

Happy new year. My hope is that 2025 brings an end to the horrific wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, and elsewhere in the world. Eighty years ago, in 1945 there was optimism because WW2 was coming to an end. My spirits were lifted today by the news that Neil Young will be headlining Glastonbury Festival again in 2025. It is a welcome return because his appearance in 2009 was one of the most memorable performances ever at Glastonbury. Also, A couple of weeks ago it was announced that Rod Stewart would be playing the Legends spot at Glasto on the Sunday afternoon. This got me thinking because both Rod and Neil were born in 1945. I was reminded that ten years ago I wrote a little piece on this blog page called The Wild Children (Born In 1945). I just re-read the story and found that a lot of it is out of date now, so decided to re-write it for today.

The original inspiration for the story was a song by Van Morrison called Wild Children from Van’s 1973 album Hard Nose The Highway because Van was also born in 1945. As Van sang, ‘We were the wild children born in 1945, When all the soldiers came marching home, Love looks in their eye. Tennessee, Tennessee Williams let your inspiration flow, Let it be around when we hear the sound, When the springtime rivers flow, when the rivers flow. Rod Steiger and Marlon Brando Standing with their heads bowed on the side, Crying like a baby thinking about the time James Dean took that fatal ride, took that ride’. Nobody who was lucky enough to be there will ever forget attending the concerts on Cyprus Avenue to celebrate Van’s 70^th birthday. I wonder what events will mark his 80^th birthday?

Another of my music heroes also turns 80 on May 7^th this year which is Christy Moore. Christy is still playing lots of sell-out concerts in Ireland, but sadly doesn’t seem to visit England anymore. I should make the effort to get over to Ireland and see him one of these days. Other notable musicians born in 1945 and still with us include Neil Young’s former bandmate Stephen Stills, Dave Cousins of The Strawbs, Ashley Hutchings of Fairport Convention, Steel Eye Span, & The Albion Band, blues singers Elkie Brooks and Maggie Bell, the last surviving Monkee Mickey Dolenz, Eric Clapton, Richie Blackmore and Ian Gillan of Deep Purple, Stu Cook, Doug Clifford and John Fogerty of Creedence Clearwater Revival, 

Bjorn & Anni-Frid of ABBA, Rita Coolidge, Bob Seger, Keith Jarrett, Pete Townshend of The Who, Carly Simon, Bette Midler, Debbie Harry, Kim Carnes, Al Stewart, Jose Feliciano, Bryan Ferry, Don McLean, John McVie of Fleetwood Mac, Eric Stewart of 10CC, & Robert Wyatt of Soft Machine. I think 1945 must have been a vintage year for great musicians to be born. Please listen to Wild Children by Van Morrison below.