James Blunt is finally set to release his song about the late ‘Star Wars’ legend Carrie Fisher.
The 49-year-old singer was close friends with the Hollywood icon – who passed away in 2016 aged 60 – and even stayed with her whilst he was in Los Angeles to record his albums and she is godfather to his son.
And the ‘Goodbye My Lover’ hitmaker has waited “a few years” to pen the emotional song ‘Dark Thought’, which is about the time he went to knock on the Princess Leia actress’ gate after she died.
The song is featured on James’ upcoming album, ‘Who We Used To Be’, and he’s promised that while there are some sad songs, there are some more up-tempo “sweet ones” as well.
Speaking to Music Week, he said: ‘Dark Thought’ is the song I always wanted to write for Carrie Fisher, but never got round to writing for her while she was alive. That’s taken me a few years to write. It was about the moment I went back to her house after she had died and knocked on the gate. The ‘Girl That Never Was’ will speak for itself, it’s a very sad song. But then there are some really sweet ones.”
The ‘Bonfire Heart’ singer also divulged that after releasing his biggest-selling single ‘You’re Beautiful’, he’s “not supposed to” use beautiful in his lyrics, but he made an exception for the track ‘Some Kind Of Beautiful’.
He added: “I’m not supposed to use the word beautiful in any song, but track two is called ‘Some Kind Of Beautiful’ and it’s about someone I’ve lived with and loved and the excitement I still feel for them. No matter how many years go by, that excitement is only greater. There, I found a positive one for you!”
James previously shared the moving story about touching her gate and bursting into tears.
During an appearance on ‘People Now,’ he recalled: “I had an amazing moment going back to Los Angeles last time to do this album, and I was staying in a hotel because obviously I’m homeless now, I can’t stay with her. And I thought ‘You know what, I’ll drive back. I’ll drive to the house.’ And then I had an internal conversation: ‘That would be weird’, ‘No come on, I’m driving to the house’.
“So I drove up to her gate, and I put my hand on her gate and I immediately started crying. I was say ‘Oh god Carrie, I miss you so much.’ And as I did that, three StarMap vans, who drive tourists to various celebrity’s houses pulled up beside.
“And I heard on the intercom, ‘And on your left, you’ll see the late great Carrie Fisher’s house, and you’ll see some fans are still deeply moved by her passing’. I was that fan. I think she would have enjoyed the irony.”