Richard Farina

Richard and Mimi Farina were the great hopes of Folk Rock.  Farina was a young poet, and novelist whose charisma had tremendous star power. With his young partner and wife, Mimi, he made three albums before dying in a motorcycle accident at Mimi's birthday party in Carmel California, April 30, 1966.  At the time, Farina was the only other male singer songwriter who had the talent to compete with Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan.  His death was a tragic loss. 

Richard Farina 

The day Richard Farina died, 
    the Princess, she tempted suicide
with a razor in the bathtub, but she couldn’t find her veins.
She was trying to get attention, to prove just how how insane 
    she had gotten, in need of medication, sedation, 
anything to get out of that suburban blight,  that bland nowhere nightmare 
    of shadows and light. 
    
    Children of darkness,
        brighter than white.
    Children of darkness,
        brighter than white.

Bold marauder, he so cool.
He’s the kind of guy who’s gonna break all the rules.
Bold Marauder, who gets all the jewels.

    Darkness on a gray line.
    Darkness on a gray line.

The day Richard Farina died, 
    Disciple and the Artist were driving down Hiway 1.
Ron Boise made a statue the Disciple wants to buy,
    but Boise’s truck was gone.
They were out of luck and long on time.
Artist lit a joint, the Disciple refused.
The radio’s talkin’ bout a motorcycle.
    Farina was the one who made the news.
    Farina was the one who made the news.

Flew off the bike, in a second it was over.
Then the radio’s playing their latest song.
It’s all about a hard lovin’ loser, that’s all.

    Darkness on a gray line.
    Darkness on a gray line.

Copyright © 2006, 2014 by David Larstein, all rights reserved.  

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