Music Monday: Pure Imagination by Willy Wonka

I'm so sad. This was not what I first intended for today's installment of Music Monday.  But anything else I might have thought about has been superseded by this song, in honor of the brilliant Gene Wilder, who I just learned died today.

People love Gene Wilder for his many great roles, but for me it was Willy Wonka.  Such an interesting character he played, and he played it so well that I've always just sort of thought he really was Willy Wonka.  I've loved that movie, that character, and that man since childhood.

Then I loved him even more, and learned more about Gene after reading Gilda Radnor's memoir, It's Always Something many years ago.  Gilda died from the same horrible disease that my mom did years later~ ovarian cancer.  Gene and Gilda's was a true love story, although tragically short. He once said this about his life after meeting Gilda, "My life went from black-white to Technicolor."

I'm holding my breath, making a wish, and counting to three...knowing Gilda is welcoming Gene up into the heavens today.