Tonight is the night when all over the world people of good will come together to celebrate the birthday of our lord and savior, Annie Lennox.  On a freezing Christmas Day in 1954 in Aberdeen, Scotland, a baby daughter was born to the Lennox family.  28 years later in my bedroom in Columbus, Georgia, the week before my 15th birthday, I was listening to the radio when The Most Amazing Song I Ever Heard came on.  The lyrics were simple, astonishingly so, and yet something about the singer's voice and the eerie electronic music behind it gave me goosebumps all over.  "This is the greatest song EVER!" I thought.

"Sweet dreams are made of this/Who am I to disagree?"

A couple of days later, my twin brother and I were watching Mtv.  Martha Quinn informed us that Eurythmics were coming up.  "I heard this song the other night," I told my brother, "It's awesome!  It's like a pop music haiku.  I wonder what they look like..."

 annie

Oh.

As I recall, the two of us just sat there on the sofa saying, "Holy shit!" over and over.

And I never looked back.  Over the next few months, I stealthily dyed my hair deeper and deeper shades of carrot, chopped it short, started a band.  It was on.

We all have our muses, those people who influence us as artists, as people.  I just kept my eye on Annie.  I loved the Smiths and the Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees and Prince and Yaz, but the artist whose work inspired me, scared me, made me feel like I could do anything while simultaneously making me feel like I was woefully untalented and would never amount to anything, well, that was Annie.  She was so talented, so seemingly fearless, exploring sexuality, soul, androgyny, and power, sliding in and out of personas as effortlessly as the rest of us get in and out of our pants.

Over the years her work has ranged from dance-pop to rock and roll to R&B to jazz (see the video clip above) and while I've gone on to explore other artists, I still come back to those early Eurthmics albums.  When I'm creatively stuck or just lonely and blue, I can put on some Eurythmics and feel the whole world of artistic possibility opening before me.  It reminds me to be true to my muse, to listen to my inner voice, to laugh loud and sing louder, and to understand that if a schoolteacher's daughter from Aberdeen can take over the music world and change the way we see sex, gender, race, soul, and artistry, then well, there's still a chance for me in whatever forum I turn my creativity to.

Annie has a new album coming out in 2006 and is recording a duet with Mary J. Blige (EEEEEEEEEE!!!) to be the lead single.  I'll be there in the music store when it comes out like Johnny Bench straddling home plate, socking my fist into my glove, "Right here, buddy!  Right here."

And even if it disappoints, I'll still be glad I have it.  Annie rocks.  There have been times over the years when I wanted to write her a letter saying, "BURN YOUR SYNTHESIZER, ANNIE!  Let us hear your VOICE!  Just get an acoustic guitarist and a piano.  It'll be great!", but I'm not going to quibble.  She's been making art for nigh on three decades.  However she wants to get her voice to tape is fine with me.

So, happy birthday, Annie!  Thank you for the music and all the inspiration.  I may never take the stage in front of a band again, may never sing to audiences beyond the local karaoke hall, but if I do, as always, when I wrap my hand around the cold metal of the microphone, in my head, I will be channelling you.  That was my old trick to get through stage fright.  "Pretend you're Annie Lennox.  Pretend you're Annie Lennox.  Pretend..."  It always worked like a charm.  Even though I wasn't moving, singing, or dancing anything like her (who can?), that thought would put me right back into my bedroom at 14 when all I wanted in the whole wide world was a chance to sing for a crowd.  It would remind me to enjoy myself on stage, to fight the nerves and remember that this was all I ever wanted, and that all concerts come to an end, so enjoy this now.  It might never happen again.

Merry Christmas everybody, and remember to thank god for your heroes.