28 January 2025

Singer-songwriter ROBERT WYATT (real name Robert Wyatt-Ellidge) was born
on 28 January 1945. Happy 80 to the man who formed Soft Machine (1966)
and Matching Mole (1971). He became paraplegic following an accidental fall
from a window in 1973.

He started a long and much-acclaimed solo career which ended in 2014 when
he retired with this message: “Here is a pride in stopping, I don’t want the music
to go off.”

To celebrate his birthday, here’s compelling pearl
Shipbuilding. A song about the Falklands War.

Clive Langer composed the music and Elvis Costello
wrote the lyrics as Wyatt wasn’t happy about his own
words. Released as a single in 1982, re-released a year
later.

Singular voice.

ROBERT WYATT: Biography – All Solo Albums

(photo on top: from the cover of his
‘Different Every Time’ album)