There are artists who grow to resent the success of their greatest songs and how they come to overshadow a broader catalogue. I remember in particular a story Professor Truck's friend tells about how Echo and the Bunnymen essentially played a speed-metal version of "Lips Like Sugar" in concert. They knew they had to play it, but they weren't all that happy about it.
Consider the case of Rick Astley, who saw his first and greatest hit become a global meme before any of us knew what a meme was. Rickrolling hit the internet in earnest in 2008 - it's a measure of its enduring power that it has its own Wikipedia entry. The song has been played on YouTube more than 1.4 billion times. It exists in a universe of its own, far out of Astley's control.
But rather than resent the phenomenon, Astley has - if not exactly embraced it - rolled with it. [Pun absolutely intended. I'm pleased with that one.] He's said that he finds it "bizarre and funny", and his only real concern is that his daughter doesn't get embarrassed by it.
What's lost a bit in the internet frenzy around "Never Gonna Give You Up" is the fact that it's a catchy tune, and Astley really can sing. In 1987, the year of its release, the song hit number one in 25 countries, including the U.S. In 2018, Time Out named it the 33rd best song of the 1980s. ("Purple Rain" was atop the list, which tracks.)
It turns out that Rick Astley is still some kind of entertainer. At the annual Glastonbury Festival, he delivered a set with English band Blossom where he covered several of The Smiths' hits, and then did a 'secret' set of his own, which (of course) included 'Never', but also featured a rendition of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell", as seen here:
Dude can still sing, and it appears he can play drums, wear a salmon suit, and take himself not all that seriously. I'm here for all of it.
Rick Astley & Blossoms covering ‘Panic’ by The Smiths (Glastonbury 2023)
— The Rock Revival (@TheRockRevival_) June 24, 2023
What a showman 🕺🏻
pic.twitter.com/6s6Qn8lJFH
Rick Astley and The Blossoms absolutely nailing The Smiths at #Glastonbury pic.twitter.com/9LmG55epiV
— 4K ᑕOᒪᒪEᑕTIᐯE (@the4kCollectivE) June 24, 2023
Rick Astley and Blossoms covering The Smiths’ 'Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now' 💐#RickAstley #Blossoms #Glastonbury #Glastonbury23 pic.twitter.com/HeWn2ERGoo
— Far Out #Glastonbury23 updates (@FarOutMag) June 24, 2023
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