‘Pac-Man Fever’ Writer Dies at 63
Here's some sad news that should "date" some people. Gary Garcia, one-half of the Buckner and Garcia songwriting team that had a major pop culture moment courtesy of their massive 1982 hit parody 'Pac-Man Fever, has died. Garcia, 63, passed away on Nov. 17 in his own home.
'Pac-Man Fever' was a serious hit 30 years ago, capitalizing on the video game craze the swept the country at the time. It was inspired by Pac-Man mania and went on to sell over 1 million copies. It even peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard Top 100 chart, as well.
His songwriting partner Jerry Buckner posted a touching and heartfelt eulogy for his friend here.
Buckner referenced 'Pac-Man' fever in his post:
Gary and I wrote Pac Man Fever in my front room. He mostly handled the lyrics and I the music. He was a gifted writer. His opening line, “I gotta pocket full of quarters and I’m headed to the arcade” is a classic and summed up the entire video game craze that was sweeping the country at that time.
Achieving success in the music business is very difficult. It’s like going to war. Through it all Gary and I formed a unique bond that was broken yesterday with his passing. But we had a personal bond that was also broken. The pain of losing his friendship is immeasurable to me. He was a kind hearted, loving, caring person who was always there for me and can never be replaced in my life. I loved him like a brother and will miss him beyond words.
More From PopCrush
