Bruce Springsteen posts full Clarence Clemons eulogy online
The passing of legendary E Street Band saxophonist and “The Edge of Glory” guest star Clarence Clemons still cuts deep among his friends, family, colleagues and fans.
To continue his memorial to his friend and sideman, Bruce Springsteen posted a version of his eulogy for Clemons on his official site. As expected, it’s a touching, rousing, heartfelt statement about Clemons life and work.
“From the first time I saw my pal striding out of the shadows of a half empty bar in Asbury Park, a path opening up before him; here comes my brother, here comes my sax man, my inspiration, my partner, my lifelong friend,” Springsteen wrote about his first encounter with Clemons. “Standing next to Clarence was like standing next to the baddest ass on the planet. You were proud, you were strong, you were excited and laughing with what might happen, with what together, you might be able to do. You felt like no matter what the day or the night brought, nothing was going to touch you.”
Springsteen continued, “Clarence was big, and he made me feel, and think, and love, and dream big. How big was the Big Man? Too f—ing big to die. And that’s just the facts. You can put it on his grave stone, you can tattoo it over your heart… Clarence doesn’t leave the E Street Band when he dies. He leaves when we die.”
The end of the eulogy also included a number of Clemons’ soubriquets, including “The Big Kahuna” and “The Man With A P.hD in Saxual Healing” (the latter of which might be the greatest nickname in history) and closed with Clemons’ own words: “I’m gonna leave you today with a quote from the Big Man himself, which he shared on the plane ride home from Buffalo, the last show of the last tour,” Springsteen wrote. “As we celebrated in the front cabin congratulating one another and telling tales of the many epic shows, rocking nights and good times we’d shared, ‘C’ sat quietly, taking it all in, then he raised his glass, smiled and said to all gathered, ‘This could be the start of something big.'”
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