Nows and Forevers

Sad news over the weekend with the passing of Terry Kirkman, cofounder of The Association and the songwriter of “Cherish,” one of the standards of the 1960s and emblematic of The Association’s lush and layered harmonies.

The Association oughtta be in the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. They’re not, which is a shame. They performed the second-most popular song of the 20th century? “Never My Love.” They didn’t write it but it’s a classic because of them.

The video above, that’s Terry Kirkman and the late Larry Ramos performing the lead vocals LIVE TO TAPE on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” These days most singers lip synch but back in those days The Association was going through the motions on the instruments — which they could play and well — but Kirkman and Ramos are singing those vocals. How can you tell? Because Ramos enunciates one of the lines, and then smiles a bit. Kirkman and Ramos were that good, live or recorded, even though it was one of Ramos’ first songs with the band.

“Never My Love” was the No. 2 song the first full week of my life in what was a terrific month for music just after the Summer of Love: Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billy Joe,” The Box Top’s “The Letter,” The Supremes’ “Reflections,” Jackie Wilson’s “Your Love (Keeps Lifting Me Higher),” and the theme song to one of my favorite movies of the ‘60s, Lulu’s “To Sir With Love.”

And The Association, and Kirkman, was right there with them. They’ll live forever in their recordings.

RIP.