The musicians Robin Williams considers geniuses
When Robin William passed away, it’s like the world experienced a wake-up call. Everybody knows that comedians can be some of the most self-critical people, but no one expected such a kind soul to suddenly see no way out. Despite the tragedy that his death yielded, Williams left behind a valuable lesson about exploring life and enjoying laughter at every chance you get.
From his mainstream roles to his demeanour in interviews, Williams’ presence was always a shining beacon, whose wisdom bestowed significant pearls to those who had the chance to listen. He might have poured his heart and soul into his craft, but his intuition for creativity still came through when he didn’t even seem to be trying.
Williams is a name on many peoples’ tongues whenever they’re asked about their favourite actors or comedians. However, when the spotlight pivots, and the actor was asked about some of his biggest influences, his answers were well-considered and reflective of who he was as a person. This is particularly true when he discussed his musical favourites, which varied from skilled wordsmiths to innovators.
Much like his own artistry, Williams regarded musical excellence as something achieved with effortless finesse. If someone had enough natural talent to let the musicality pour out of them, that was what was truly impressive. At least, this is what he alluded to when discussing one of his favourites, Keith Jarrett. “Some of the piano pieces just pour out of him,” he once explained, adding: “they just take you some place else.”
In some strange way, this seems evocative of many of Williams’ roles. That one scene in Mrs. Doubtfire, for instance, where Williams’ character gets carried away playing with a bunch of dinosaurs, is said to represent the way his character had a natural ability to entertain. When it came to music, those he gravitated towards possessed a similar gift.
Of course, as we all know, there were many layers to Williams, some darker and more cynical than others. Those who are able to challenge society’s forthcomings are often deep-thinkers, which likely explained his appreciation for Bob Dylan. “They must have some kind of genius if you’re thinking, I want to know what makes that fucker tick,” Williams opined, describing his interest in Dylan’s lyricism.
However, not all of Williams’ musical favourites require such deep thought. Granted, a lot of them, like Tracey Chapman and Paul Simon, sing about incredibly introspective themes, but sometimes a lot of the enjoyment comes from listening to their experimentalism. Sometimes, it doesn’t even matter what they’re singing about, according to Williams. As he put it: “You may wonder what he is saying, but it’s wonderful stuff.”
