Singer Petula Clark has shared her “shock and disbelief” that her signature song, “Downtown,” was used in last week’s Nashville bombing.
“I feel the need to express my shock and disbelief at the Christmas Day explosion in our beloved Music City,” Clark, 88, wrote on Tuesday in a Facebook post. “I love Nashville and its people. Why this violent act – leaving behind it such devastation?”
Right before a recreational vehicle exploded in downtown Nashville on Christmas morning, suspect Anthony Quinn Warner broadcast a warning on a loudspeaker that a bomb was about to blow up and urged people to evacuate. Confusingly, the loudspeaker also played Clark’s 1964 hit “Downtown,” a cheerful song about a bustling city.
“A few hours later – I was told that the music in the background of that strange announcement – was me – singing ‘Downtown’!” Clark wrote. “Of all the thousands of songs – why this one?”
She continued, “Of course, the opening lyric is ‘When you’re alone and life is making you lonely you can always go Downtown.’ But millions of people all over the world have been uplifted by this joyful song. Perhaps you can read something else into these words – depending on your state of mind. It’s possible.”
It is not clear why Warner, 63, who died in the blast, used Clark’s song. He was described as being a loner who lived in a Nashville suburb.
The Christmas Day bombing injured at least three people and caused damaged to dozens of buildings, according to the Associated Press.
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