Murray Walker: How One Man Influenced My Interests
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 ก.ย. 2024
- Murray Walker was the soundtrack to my childhood. From BTCC and F1 on the BBC and ITV to the F1 games on the Playstation, he had 'the voice'.
Unfortunately, Murray died aged 97 on Saturday and I held off immediately putting something out because it was way too soon and I was absolutely distraught. Now I've got the chance to just riff out some memories and how he got me into F1 and also influenced my music tastes.
So here it is. Blocked nose and everything.
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Now we also lost sabine schmitz... what a tragic week for motorsport... rest in peace murray and sabine ❤️
😢
Indeed sad days just heard about Sabine.
Cancer is a bastard.
)lllllllll[999
Sabine too? Cha.... RIP
Murray, James Hunt, F1 and Sunday gravy roasts. A memory of my childhood. RIP Murray.
I'm too young to ever have heard him live in F1, he retired from full-time commentating when I was only two years old so I would've missed out on him even if I had been watching from a younger age (I started watching F1 in 2019).
However despite this, I'm still able to hear him through watching footage of old races and I've never loved someone's voice so quickly. He made even the dullest of snoozefests interesting and you could feel his energy.
I say this having absolutely no nostalgia or prior memories of him. That's how good he was. I nearly cried when I heard the news of his passing, I can only imagine the how hard this must be hitting those who grew up with him.
RIP Murray.
Well said! Thanks for your sentiments. As someone who also started watching F1 recently. I honestly can't put it more eloquently than you did. Murray was and always wil be the man. Cheers mate.
I’m in the same boat, even started watching the same year as you lol. The tidbits of commentary I’ve seen from Murray have all been good. I wish I had been around to hear his commentary back in the day.
RIP Murray and Sabine, you were both people I hugely admired and have influenced me profoundly. Sleep tight gentle giants 😢
I hadn't heard about Sabine Schmitz, that's awful. I knew she had cancer but wow that's tough. We've lost the king of commentating and the queen of the nurburgring. R.I.P.
Being from a non-English speaking country, I grew up with F1 in my native language. Before the internet become big and especially before TH-cam and people uploading F1 videos to it, I didn't even know of him. But then I started looking up old F1 races, most of them being in English, and I became entranced by this man that, though alive, was part of a past I didn't even experience. It got to the point I couldn't even imagine old F1 races without his passionate voice and his charming and quite funny slips of the tongue. And I can't forget his partnership with James Hunt. There's never been a more iconic duo behind the mic of an F1 commentary box.
He will be dearly missed...
Exactly the same experience I had. I grew up in the early 2000s in Germany. Grew up with the guys at RTL and the always kinda stupid and kinda cringy way of commentating they had. That's now gone too, as all but four races are only on payTV now. Then I came back to F1 after a bad fight with depression and started to watch old races. Whenever I'm playing F1 2019 I can hear his voice even thoufh it's not there. F1 just doesn't feel like F1 when you don't hear Murray going crazy on the microphone
If you listen to some races, Murray will occasionally say "Well, James has gone to have a look from the other side of the circuit". What Hunt was actually doing was standing outside and smoking a joint
When I was 8 I had to have an operation to take some pins out of my arm. The surgeon was making conversation to keep my relaxed and found out I liked F1 so he put The Chain on a cassette player. For the first 3 minutes and 4 seconds I had no idea why he'd done it.
Without Murray my love of motorsport and cars in general would be nowhere near what it is. He taught me the importance of having a commentator that can convey the emotion and importance of any situation to anyone, no matter how good your understanding of the sport. He is the voice of F1 for me and always will be. When I sit there racing on games his voice is what I imagine commentating over it. It's strange to think he's gone, at least we still have the memories of him
Saw someone say that Murrey Walker was amazing because he was a fan like us, reacted the way we did. "And it's happened immediately, this is amazing" is exactly however everyone else reacted
The voice of Formula 1, never a dull race when Murray was on the mic, you were a true legend Murray. Thank you for a fitting send off Aidan
One of the best. He's going for first.
His pitch. intenation and volume for me are key points that i always remember. His rambling runs. the improve like the im going for first. even the shock and awe spots. Murry let rip and there was nothing but himself to stop him. A giant of the trade and the only man who at that time had the ability to drag your mind in to the picture even if your a million miles away.
I'm guessing someone else has pointed this out before me but Colmanballs is named after the British commentator David Coleman.
That was wonderful, thank you from a 56-year-old Dutch motorsports fan with a lump in his throat.
I am from Germany and discovered Murray years ago through the internet. His passion and way of interacting with the audience was completely different from anything I knew from German commentators. The news on Saturday also really hit me.
We lost Murray, and we also lost the queen of the ring... And she was only 51... That's not an age to die in that's where you enjoy your life... Rest in peace you legends. Goodbye...
OH MY GOODNESS, HE TAKES POLE POSITION
AND LOOK AT THAT, AND COLLOSALLY THATS MANSELL!
So good.
my first thought was james will be waiting up there with a beer for him
Then they put him to work commentating on races featuring Nuvolari, Senna, Clark, Fangio, Villeneuve etc. On some pretty heavenly tracks, I might add.
@@stevezeoke nice
@@stevezeoke And Sabine, too. 😥
@@OboeCanAm Yes. I'd be happy sitting on a grassy hill watching. Eternity sounds pretty good.
I'm 35 and grew up with Murray, even now when I think of Formula 1 the first thing that comes to mind is late 90s tobacco branded cars and Murray Walker commentating. It really was incredible. Gutted when I heard the news, the description of an enthusiastic family member who joins you for the race is perfect. What I wouldn't give to go back and experience one of those Sunday afternoon's one more time. Bye Murray, and thank you 🏁
The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
Lift me up - Moby
The two songs to my childhood F1 viewing. (born in 95)
Beautiful tribute aiden.
I know its abit of a tangent but when ITV did there final f1 show the outro of my chemical romance. Black parade was the shout out to everyone from the past present and the future.
every school music lesson had the kid who was the chain player
@@Foxstar1387 I'm not sure what you're saying there buddy. Itv used the black parade outro as the outro to the F1?
@@insertgenericusernamehere2402 it was used as there farewell to f1 on there last ever program as the licence wa going back to bbc for broadcasting f1 coverage
@@Foxstar1387 gotcha. Well it does sound like a queen rip off track I can understand why they'd use it.
In my head it feels like he commentated most of my childhood, he was the goto voice over.
This is a heartbreaking week for motor sports , losing Sabine schmitz eariler this morning and on Saturday we lost the greatest F1 announcer in a generation. I watched Murray walker since I was about 3 years old, he was talking on senna and a lap ( I think it was Montreal ) and I was just mesmerised by he's enthusiasm and willingness to tell a story . He and james hunt was incredible together and there once again together . Commentating on races up in heaven . God bless you Murray, until we see you again and join you at the track . For me he was the best and no one could touch him ( sorry david croft fans ) the murrayisms and the laughs , we will never have moments like that again 😭😭😭
I never got to hear Murray live as I started watching in 2016, but he still left a massive impact on my view of the sport. F1 will never be the same without him. RIP to a legend.
I first watched f1 back in 1986 i was 9 years of age and it was cause of Murray and James Hunt that drew me into motorsports rest in peace Murray true broadcasting legend
My touring car childhood, “he a runner” and “that’sa my car”
These past few days have been awful for me as several important people to myself have gone.
Today we lost Sabine Schmitz, by far one of the most charismatic and talented people you could ever meet anywhere in motorsport.
Then nearly a week ago now, the voice of motorsport himself Murray Walker left us. The man who's voice echoed through my childhood.
And finally my Grandma who encouraged my love for motorsport and helped raise me in my early years passed two days ago.
This year is gonna test me harder than 2020 did. But so is life, no matter the hardships, I must persevere.
To Sabine, Murray and my dear Grandma, I hope they rest in peace.
Murray Walker is a legend. I was to young to ever watch him commentate live but from the classic races I have watched I know he was brilliant.
He was the voice of f1 for a generation and to be honest even I someone who never heard him broadcast associated him with F1
R.I.P. Murray
97 though. What a lad. Managed to do what he wanted nearly all of his life, and thoroughly enjoyed all of it. Great life, lived well. I'll raise a pint to his memory.
Couldn’t agree more; he did feel like one of the family, because he was with us for many Sunday dinners. So sorry he’s gone.
I’ll miss Murray, I wasn’t alive to witness his commentary but the clips show me his commentary
Legit paused the video to go watch the "oeww ohhh it's tarquini" video lol. Safe to say as an American we loved him all around the world equally. Safe to say he's definitely a British national treasue
A wonderful tribute. Thank you for sharing your personal recollections. Being from Australia I have great memories of rewinding the VCR tape the following afternoon after school and watching Murray describe events from the far side of the world.
I'm 34 and loved watching BBC Grandstand on a Sunday as a kid. He is the reason we always had the BTCC on, and subsequently started going to Donington to watch it. He was one of the voice's of my youth along with John Motson and Bobby Heenan
Murray was the voice...and it wasn't just his voice, it was the Murrayisms and excited narrative where the words just came out like a torrent stream of consciousness
He could make dull races sound fun, an absolute legend of F1. He'll always be remembered
An excellent tribute. You gave me the feels. As a man in his late thirties, Murray was my childhood. It's as if a part of my life has been confirmed as over. I'm going to miss him massively. Thanks again for posting this, it was clearly a big effort.
Absolutely spot on. Even here in South Africa, my childhood memories of Sunday afternoons was roast meat and gravy, Mika vs Michael, screaming V10s, all skillfully described my Murrey and Martin.
My parents always made the sunday dinner earlier than usual when there was a race on so I could watch the whole thing :) So sad to hear of Murray's passing
Started watching motorsports way back in the 70's often with Murray at the mike , he was almost like family it fucking hurts bad . ETA a wonderful job on this vid , thanks.
Murray was to autosport what Attenborough is to nature documentaries. Some voices are indistinctly related to moments in life. Just like John Motson.
Im too young to remember Murray in his full-time commentating role, but I knew of his legendary status very shortly after I started watching it with my parents (it was James Allen and Martin Brundle who were from my childhood era).
When I was at Brands Hatch in 2017 for BTCC (end of season), I bumped into him in the Paddock area and managed to grab a selfie with him. So glad I plucked up the courage as I would never see him again.
He'll be sorely, SORELY missed by the motorsport community 💔
Edit: Spelling
Not going to lie, you had me welling up by the end there, I am slightly older than you I can remember James and Murray (my first GP was Spain 91 and THAT moment with Mansel and Senna). Murray at his best was when something went wrong, his delicate yet reassuring delivery was magnificent
I Am tearing up almost watching this, I know how you feel, I have been watching F1 since Nigel Mansell was blacked flagged for reversing his Ferrari down the pit lane! When I heard he died IT was a massive shock. I lived only 15mins from him. I listened to Tom Clarksons Beyond the Grid yesterday, and again I teared up! This man made a huge impact of 1000s of lives he never knew. He will be missed!
It’s one thing to be the superstar in the fast car...
It’s another when you are the superstar of telling the world of the thrilling experience that is racing with such amazing enthusiasm and love...
Goodbye Walker this one hurts the most
This video gave me goosebumps, you could tell it was from the heart Aidan. He was a true stalwart of the sport. I've nothing more to say except, RIP Murray, we'll miss you.
A lovely tribute to Murray Walker. To this day, when I think Formula 1, it is his voice that comes into my head to animate my thoughts. I have a feeling that I am not alone in this regard.
I have to say this is one of the most wholesome things I’ve ever watched. Just brilliant. Both the video and Murray
I go back a decade or two before you. Still the same though. Murray's voice on a Sunday afternoon. His sheer enthusiasm shone through. No posh accent. If he made mistakes then so be it. The word 'legend' is used to frequently nowadays, but it sums up Murray Walker. Legend.
You weren't the only one with a lump in your throat at the end there. I've "known" Murray since I was 7 when I got hooked with my father on the 1976 F1 championship. And the Sunday roast thing is so true.
You have my complete respect for way you approached and presented this eulogy.
I’m from that ‘other’ English-speaking country and never had the privilege of listening to Murray. Thanks, Aidan, for helping me understand what I’ve missed. 👍
A great tribute, to a man that made me want to work in motorsport, first as a safety consultant with another legend (and I truly mean legend) Prof. Sid Watkins, and then to commentate at karting events, where I truly felt at home, but always felt that I couldn't do it as much justice as Murray, he could make opening a tin of tuna sound exciting. When I worked at Silverstone I had the pleasure of spending time with the man that got me excited in the 70s, as a child watching F1, Motorcycles, Touring Cars, Rally Cross, etc., etc., and found him to be one of the most knowledgeable, effervescent, energetic, humble people, and quite possibly the most genuine, likeable, and generous people that I have ever met, and although I was just a small cog in a huge wheel every time he saw me he called me by name, and asked warmly how I was doing. Rest in Peace Murray, you are, always have been, and always will be a legend. Goodbye old friend. Quo
I never watched f1 during walker years but it's amazing how strong of an connection people can have the a particular voice. It really becomes associated with the memories and feels and can create quite a strong relationship
Whilst I never got the privilege of listening to Murray commentate live, I have had the privilege of listening to him on TH-cam with the classic races! I’ve never instantly enjoyed something as much as that. I would love to see an alternate universe where Murray was commentating on F1 during the hybrid era, as he would have made it incredible! Nothing against Crofty, but Murray was far better, even with his Murrayisms.
Rest In Peace Murray, may you go on giving those why have passed the privilege of commentating every Motorsport event from above. You will be sorely missed, and we will be forever grateful for your gift to the world of Formula One.
We're a similar age, that story about Sunday Lunch and F1 rings so true.
Well put.
Your impression of Murray's "I'm going for first" nearly had me in tears of laughter. I am of simillar age and Damon was my favourate driver. I had so many great memories of Murray and that era helped shape my love of F1 today. Also, props on the 2010 Williams shirt.
Aidan
That is a wonderful personal tribute to Murray, a true icon who did not aspire to be an icon.
I too grew up with Murray’s voice inspiring what I was seeing - but from the Black & White TV era, and without Fleetwood Mac initially!
However, if I can use your platform to relay my Own special memory of The Man, it was when I was competing in the 1985 Marlboro/Daily Express Clubmans Motorcycle series. The final round was at Silverstone and was being shown (live/recorded highlights) on Grandstand that day with Murray Commentating on a whole bunch of wannabie racers who he knew nothing about.
In the morning, long before the action started on track, another of the now great Commentary Voices (although not on TV) Fred Clarke of current British Superbike notoriety - introduced myself and my passenger to Murray as one of the front runners in the forthcoming Sidecar race that day.
Maybe I spoke to Murray for 1 or 2 minutes only, but in that short time he was so interested in what we had done, and what we could do and listened to a 21 year old ME with intent…… It was as though he was asking Prost or Lauda or Sheene or Roberts about their hopes for the race, not just some unknown 3 wheeled Club Racer with hopes.
Murray is and always will be a Legend of Motorsport, and unfortunately we won’t see his kind of enthusiasm again.
God Rest Murray. Long Live Murray’s infamy for all the right and not-so right reasons.
:D
I first got into motorsport in the mid 90`s to. Murray was part of the reason why i got into it so many memories.
I never grew up with Murray, but somehow whenever I heard his voice I knew it, I don't remember where I heard it, but I knew that voice. A shame to see him go, but he will always be there to bring us joy in those old races!
I was going to London clubbing for the weekend one Friday afternoon. I was catching the train from Salisbury and I noticed Murray coming towards me. So I went up to him and introduced myself. Now bear in mind I had a mohawk hair cut, leather jacket, face piercings and cyber goth new rock boots, I have no idea what he must've thought but he greeted me with a smile while I thanked him for, as you say Sunday roast dinners sat with my family watching Nigel Mansell break down yet again yelling at the telly, with Murray - the ultimate middle class ring master with James the cool aristocrat racer. It truly was wonderful the synergy with that little bit of needle! Your so right that it was Murrays commentary that made those old races exciting. I loved admitting to shedding a few tears when he admitted to having a lump in his throat when Damon won the WDC after having been up drinking all night and the excitement of the Senna Prost battles. We had a long chat about Lewis Hamilton and how blessed we were to have this amazing young British driver who hadn't won a championship yet, to follow. He was already predicting him as a future WDC. This was 2006 I think. He was so kind and open and just like the most kindly uncle you never knew you had. That guy was a diamond geezer and brought thousands of people into the motor racing world. He will be so very fondly remembered by thousands and thousands of people all over the world. Absolute, total lege.. Such a lovely man with time for everyone. Bless your heart Murray and hope all the great drivers that have passed on are racing on beyond the veil and you can commentate on them all still...
RIP to a true gentleman and a legendary commentator. I had the privilege of seeing Murray in action at the Australian GP in Adelaide in 1987, I swear he expended more energy in those few minutes I saw him than I did the entire day running around working on the car for the team I was in.
"I'm going for first, says John Cleland" is one of my favourite bits of commentary from any sport
Murray’s passing is another part of my childhood now dead.
As for Colemanballs, aren’t they named after David Coleman? Commentator and former host of Question of Sport. It’s another British term, sure of that.
Yes, it is after David Coleman.
I've been watching/following F1 since 83. As an Australian I had a real hard time waking up for school on Monday mornings coz the races were nearly always televised after 10.30, 11 pm. Murray and James were the commentators as Channel 9 in Oz would use the BBC broadcast. So when it came to the the first Aus F1GP in Adelaide in "85"... (rumour has it) the plan was to use our local commentators (Big Darrel Eastlake and Alan Jones) with Jackie Stewart as the "expert commentator", but when details of this became public and because of the "backlash"... the channel decided to stay with the Murray and James show.... and thank god. Murray was, is and always will be "The Voice" of Formula One. It was a sad day when he retired, but it is even a sadder day now.
"OH THAT'S SENNA..... SPIN, SPIN, SPIN.... ROUND, ROUND, ROUND!!" a very wet Adelaide.
Thanks Aidan. Probably the best eulogy for Murray I'll ever get to see.
This was Suart Scott for me and alot of Americans who grew up on the greatest era of Sportcenter , I wanted to work on TV talking about and covering sports , due in large part to Scott's ability to make anything entertaining and this smile that lit the room up . Commentators and great analysts take amazing sports and races and make them god tier.
Lovely video. Murray was a childhood hero of mine, and I’m not ashamed to say I had a teary Saturday and Sunday. Rest in Piece Murray.
I met Murray years ago at a airport. We chatted about f1, it was honestly like chatting to your grandad. I will never get the line GO! GO! GO! Out of my head at the start of a race. He's ph9 gone but he will not be forgotten.
I grew up with Murray as my voice of so many motorsports. Rallying, rallycross, motorbikes, BTCC... When they did show F1 during the day in the 70s, it was usually for a very few particular races - GB, Monaco - it was his voice, and then when they started showing more races, him and Hunt, who lit the excitement for each and every race, irrespective of what sort of race it would turn out to be. They made it more exciting than the race often was.
[I will admit to also feeling crappy that Ben Edwards has retired, because next to Murray, he is arguably the best F1 or other motorsport commentator that I know of.]
I know what you're talking about regarding how he influenced you in so many ways. He was just so enthusiastic! It was his passion for the sport which came across the air and made otherwise boring races exciting. I must admit that I cried my eyes out on the day the news broke. I'm finding it hard to write this too, so I'll stop, because I can't see what I'm typing - relying on my touch skills, so excuse any mistakes. Oh yes, it was because of F1 and Murray that I bought Rumours, and much as I love so many of the tracks on it, as soon as that bass line starts halfway through The Chain, even now my adrenaline kicks in.
Thanks for such a lovely heartfelt memory of him. He's one of the immortals - he'll always be around in one way or another.
One description I've heard of Murray's commentary style was something along the lines of "imagine if a diehard fan had locked himself in the commentary box," and it's absolutely spot on.
You could hear his genuine love of motorsport in his voice.
That sort of heartfelt passion appears to be vanishing from sports broadcasting, much to its detriment in my opinion.
Lovely personal tribute Aidan.
Aiden's Formula One experience as a kid is so similar to mine it's frightening. Sunday, roast dinner, Grand Prix, that was the spring/summer/autumn Sunday of my childhood. Murray was an enormous part of why I'm a big F1 fan. He was a bonafide legend of a man ❤️
Same as mine, except in Australia we got the races late at night, but a part of my sundays.
Your description of listening to Rumours in the car brought back so many memories of my childhood. As soon as those drums start... We broke the cassette eventually because we rewound it over and over again.
Was the song that played at my wedding when we walked out. Just the outro of course.
When the bass line starts I still get goosebumps. So many memories associated with it.
Pushing trolleys around Tesco in Boston doing Murray impressions in the early 90's is literally describing my childhood.
Well said mate.. Especially about the Sunday dinners, exactly the same here 👍
I think you sum it up well. I myself was born in 91 and when the news came through it felt like having a hammer blow. I'd watch Grandstand and he'd be doing the BTCC and then it'd be the Grand Prix on ITV the next week and hearing "and it's go go go" as the lights went out at the race start.
My parents said I'd be playing with my toy cars and I'd be trying to commentate over it like Murray.
My mum brought up about him being a voice of my childhood but then I said given how long he'd been commentating for, how any others grew up listening to him.
It is impossible to describe Murray I nearly cried listening to his autobiography just hearing that màns voice I wish I heard him live he is just a god of just everything
Everything you've said, is everything I've been thinking. Murray was the voice of my childhood, and I'll never forget. Had a year in my eye Saturday night. I was born in 1980, my first memory amazingly is the 1983 Detroit gp, I can just remember egging on the Jps lotus of Mansell, and hearing this incredible voice telling me about it. When I hear the chain, I get goosebumps still and fill up, and get so eaten up, everytime, then expecting to hear Murray's voice straight after. Like I said, the voice of my childhood, and I'll be forever grateful for having so much enthusiasm put upon me towards F1. People always knock the F1 spectical, but Murray made me look at it all a different way, and not one thing that happens in a race weekend is boring. The whole thing is just amazing.
My memories of F1 are similar to you. With me, I would get up at 6:30am before anyone else in the house and turn on TSN here in Canada and watch F1. My first race was also Imola 94, but I didn't really shape my love for the sport until 96/97 (Jaques winning in 97 had alot of airtime in Canada). Murray was the sound of my Sundays, and I will never forget those races, and he was a HUGE reason for that. His passion was contagious.
Chains is now stuck in my head now too. I'm not even mad.
im an 'murican born in '93. Ive watched f1 all of my life and hadnt heard Murray until, well probably when youtube came along cuz Id always been watching races on the SPEED channel, but Ive watched so many hours, probably months worth, of old f1 races from before I was even born and Murray has always been the best commentator ever. Especially with James Hunt, those ill never shake off even tho Ive never heard them live. I speak German so Ive heard like Lauda, Prüller and Hausleitner on playbacks, Ive heard Watson and obviously the American broadcasters who's names elude me, but Murray IS the voice of formula 1.
What a lovely tribute to the great man. I was lucky enough to have grown up listening to Murray and James Hunt. As a huge Damon Hill fan I loved how close Murray was to Damon. He will be sadly missed.
Couldn’t believe it when I seen the news on Twitter on Saturday. Heart just sank. He was my childhood round my nans watching formula 1 on a Sunday. I remember when they released the old races on TH-cam last year in lockdown and even hearing the old FIA f1 world championship sound with the old logo and graphic then followed by Murray welcoming us to whatever track it is and describing it. It’s the reason a lot of us fell in love with f1 and motorsport as a whole
Started watching in 99, fully agree with the Sunday memories. Actually went to his last British GP in ‘01 but nine year old me didn’t really think of it as significant, how I appreciate it now! The g.o.a.t, nobody will ever match him!🎙
God Speed Murray.
Being on the west coast of Canada, his commentary often kept me awake at a time where the races would start at 4am. I'm sure we all have stories about him. I had the fortune to have a conversation with Martin in Seapang 2017, and made a point of asking how Murray was doing. He said he hadn't talked to him in a while, but that he would give him a shout. I wanted to follow up in Shanghai 2018, but didn't have the fortune of having our paths cross.
I hope he got in touch again.
If it is still on the BBC site, desert island discs episode with him is definitely worth a listen.
I think Sir Murray Walker has a proper ring to it, even in 2021.
The news broke my heart. We all lost a friend in Murray.
He was a true fan of the sport and an inspiration for a lot of people. I loved Murray he was the voice of my childhood.
God speed Murray. You have a hell of a grid to commentate on :)
Lovely tribute. I too grew up with him and have hazy memories of the 70s but clear ones of the 80s onwards. His enthusiasm was contagious, literally everything he said was exciting- to him and therefore us. So missed him when he finally retired, and now he has seen his last chequered flag. RIP Murray, you will never be forgotten.
Beautifully done, Aiden.
Grew up in a village called Ticknall in Derbyshire. When the wind blew in the right direction, I could hear Donnington. I'm not sure exactly when I actually became an F1 fan but, despite being at the tender age of 42, I can definitively remember watching Senna's 'meteoric first lap in the wet/ dry conditions' in 1993 and I was hooked.
Thank you Murray for so much excitement and joy.
And thank you, Mr. Millward, for giving our third Grandpa a beautiful lap of honour.
My first memory of F1 is linked with Murray. Australia 1987, three old me sitting next to my Dad who had got up early to watch the race.
"AND LOOK AT THAT! Colossally that's Mansell!"
Murray's commentaries were my background noise during my revision.
RIP Murray x
A fine tribute to a wonderful commentator, and an utter gentleman. We will never hear the like again. I am old enough to remember Murray and James in commentary, and they were a brilliant double act. You never knew what James was going to say next, or how Murray would react/recover, but he was always totally professional. The voice of motorsport, and as you say, not a bad achievement for a bloke from Birmingham who wrote ad catchphrases as his main job until he was 59.
Lovely tribute. It's very clear what, and how much, he meant to you, and for us who are outside of the UK or English speaking countries, puts into context just the impact he had on several generations of motorsport fans.
Thanks for sharing.
Right there with you on the remembering the Sunday dinners, having the F1 on the TV. Me and my brother got into watching F1 partly because of our dad and partly because Murray was so enthusiastic. It's pretty much the only subject we can talk about for hours and it's thanks to Murray. Rest In Peace Murray. Never forgotten.
Murray Walker was 'the chain' that kept us together. I'm a fan of Formula One because of Murray and his enthusiasm. I've been watching F1 since the mid 1980s, and his voice was the one that helped me learn the sport and some of its best drivers. Thanks for this video, and your work on this channel Aidan!
I always think of Murray's commentary with fond nostalgia, especially alongside Martin Brundle. I always dreaded the news that he would die. 1996 was my first proper year of F1 too. I remember the 'lump in my throat comment' amongst countless others including his reaction to Damon Hill picking him up for 'This is your life'. Live broadcasts and games in general have never been the same. He was never truly replaced.
Never mind engines, Murray was the true soundtrack of F1.
You take the Giorgio Moroder track from the Neverending Story and plump it in to the early 90s grid rundown and that there for me is what hooked me. Can't stand the film but if you look at the comments on TH-cam you've got a third wishing they were born in that era because the music was so great then, you've got fans of the film and then there's "In a disappointing 8th, Nigel Mansell who complained of understeer issues with the car but was quickest in the morning warm-up session." Initially, and I still maintain that I loved John Watson as a kid because I felt he was quite authoritative - some have said schoolmasterly - but yeah, Murray gripped us all. As I've said before, he all had us hooked on motor-racing like it was a drug. There was always an element of controlled chaos about the races (which I don't feel with the races of today). But Murray knew how to get you into it. The post that Karun Chandhok shared of Murray commentating on a Scalextric race is....well, amazing, fantastic. The fact that even in the motorsport games, he knew how to get you to replay the hell out of them. I've said that when I saw Damon's eulogy, I cried for 5 minutes straight. It was beautifully judged and quite fitting. I don't know what else to say, we're all the poorer that he's gone but I want to believe he'll be fighting over the microphone with James Hunt for Heaven TV's rights to the F1 races.
How anyone could dislike this video is beyond me, nice work always pal.
Watching this video for a second time about a year later, it's quite funny how sad I felt when Murray passed away, even though I grew up watching the national broadcast of F1, and until 2019 I had never heard the name Murray Walker, but since then I've watched so many classic races, so many iconic moments, that his voice has been planted in my head.
Every time I see a car crashed at Portier I hear "that is Senna! Senna!", every time someone shows the finger I hear "I'm going for 1st!", every time there's a messed up pit stop I hear "there was a major mal... miss organization".
I wish I was around to witness the master working on tely.
I had the same experience in Romania, i started watchings somewhat seriously from 2001 and we had a chap called Miki Alexandrescu, more or less the same way you describe Murray. He would not pay attention on what was happening, occasionally lie about dining with the drivers and stuff like that. Most iconic line i can remember was, paraphrasing "and Michael is overtaking Schumacher" (and he was not referring to Ralph). We don't have that much of a motorsport culture, but he was somewhat iconic through what you called, murrayisms. He died last year, didn't realize it until now how much he mattered to me growing up in this familly.
I didn't have Murray as my commentator living in the States. Bob Varsha and David Hobbs were who we had. I have similar nostalgic feelings as what you were describing with "It was better then..." much of it was due to the broadcast team we respectively grew up with. I hadn't heard anything Murray had done until the first PS1 Formula 1 game. Actually didn't see any race he called until a few years later when people started posting BBC and ITV race clips online. My appreciation quickly grew from there of Murray's enthusiasm and talent. I'll miss him too.
Without doubt one of the best tributes out there for this icon, all down the fact it's a personal remembrance and what he meant to the common UK Motorsport fan. And not a 5 minute pre packaged obituary from a media bod who did it for their work for a day
I became a true F1 fan in 2013 with Ben Edwards and DC on the Beeb.
After hearing Murray’s commentaries, he is now one of my favourite voices of Britain alongside Tom Baker, George Cole, Peter Sallis and Jeff Stelling.
I've watched a few Murray tributes, mainly featuring drivers and tv broadcasters. While moving they haven't made me feel as emotional as this on. Thank you for capturing and conveying the feelings of those of us on the other side of the screen who grew up with The Voice of Motorsport. And now I have to stop because I have a lump in my throat. RIP Murray.
Any time I think / thought of Murray, one line comes to mind: "It's Michael!!1!'" (and I'm not even much of a Schumi fan...)
A real excellent commentator. The trio at, formerly, The Sarcasm Channel, Bob Varsha, Steve Matchett & David Hobbs are a distant second.
Murray-isms for life!