(Credits: Far Out / Richard Thompson)
Thu 25 December 2025 0:00, UK
There are plenty of moments Patti Smith will never forget. In fact, her several memoirs are all in the business of ensuring they’re remembered as her own chronicling of the lives of herself and her peers becomes a vital arm of her work.
Smith has made it clear that nothing and no one will be forgotten on her watch. Her social media platforms are mostly a shrine to birthdays and remembrances, sharing the legacy of lost idols or her friends and peers who are thankfully still with us. In her written work, she doesn’t just immortalise her own life, but goes off on tangents to include the legacy of others too, clearly devoted to ensuring as much of the past is trapped in amber as possible.
There must be so many moments that stand out are the boldest, brightest memories. For example, when she met Jimi Hendrix, the first time she saw Jim Morrison play, and the first ever recording session with her band. Notable tours and shows will stick forever in her mind, as well as particularly special conversations or moments shared with loved ones and friends.
However, one that always stands out is a simple and tender memory from the making of Dream Of Life.
Already, that album is steeped in memories. It was the first one released without her classic group around her, but instead was a collaboration made with her husband, Fred Smith, during a period where she had seemingly ‘retired’. Stepping away from touring and performing to raise her young children instead, Smith was still as prolific as ever with her writing and music making, and on this 1988 album, she unleashed what she’d been building.
Patti Smith on stage in London with her son, Jackson Smith, on guitar. (Credits: Lucy Harbron)
It’s coloured by the impact of her husband, Fred. With him on guitar and production, this is one of the most classic, rock-oriented records Smith ever put out, with the track ‘People Have The Power’ becoming a timeless anthem. With his hand involved, Smith’s memory of the record is busy with memories of time spent with her late husband, writing and travelling and recording.
‘The Jackson Song’ holds perhaps the tenderest moments. Dedicated to their young son, this is a lullaby for him as his mother sings, “Little blue dreamer, go to sleep / Let’s close our eyes and call the deep.”
It’s a song that holds the parents’ wishes for his future as the chorus goes, “May your path be your own / But I’m with you / And each day you’ll grow / He’ll be there, too.” It’s so beautiful, so deeply intimate and so sickly sweet and to Smith, the memory of making it will live forever.
“We did ‘The Jackson Song’ in Los Angeles. It was done with the vocal and piano live. We had some cello and harp added in. It was really quite an experience for me, recording that song,” she said, adding, “I’ll never forget it.”
It was a spontaneous one, as she remembered, “It’s very moving. Well, at least it was moving to us.” So to account for the fact that it was emotionally tough to get through, leading to mix-ups. Smith said, “What happened was that I missed my cue at the end. I came in a little too late because I got real moved to enter the song again. After hearing the song, we decided it was all right and left it that way.”
Letting the song simply exist in the form it wanted to come out, it’s one that lives forever.
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