# I Was Eddie Cochran! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 5, 2019, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992 "2019-02-05T04:36:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/1 "2019-02-05T04:36:47Z")
I figure the whole reincarnation thing happens pretty much immediately. You die and then you get the next available slot. As far as I know, I was born on time. This was January 17th, 1961. But that means I was conceived (for purposes of this thread) on April 17th, 1960. And who died on that date? [Eddie Cochran](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Cochran&ved=2ahUKEwiTqZed4aPgAhXSposKHUQeCcMQ5OUBMBR6BAgCEAE&sqi=2&usg=AOvVaw0Qb4cjoEohaOM9etP2A-9W). I was\*\* Eddie Cochran\*\* Who were you? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/2 "2019-02-05T04:56:22Z")
According to Wikipedia, the most interesting person to be born nine months (and two years) before I was born was Peter Stoner, a mathematician and astronomer who dabbled in Christian apologetics. ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/3 "2019-02-05T06:17:42Z")
And two years? Purgatory? According to my former life’s wiki page, my music “captured teenage frustration and desire in the mid-50’s.” I feel pretty good about that. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/4 "2019-02-05T13:50:07Z")
Looks like I am the reincarnation of mob boss [Lucky Luciano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Luciano)! ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/5 "2019-02-05T14:48:22Z")
Either of these two. Since I am neither a boxer or a sex symbol (except in my own delusional mind), I’m not sure which one got stuck with me. Primo Carnera, Italian boxer (b. 1906) Jayne Mansfield, American actress (car accident) (b. 1933) ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/6 "2019-02-05T15:20:12Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Looks like I am the reincarnation of mob boss [Lucky Luciano](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucky_Luciano)! You must have some awkward ghost memories and deja vu. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/7 "2019-02-05T16:09:31Z")
I am apparently H.G. Wells. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/8 "2019-02-05T16:54:35Z")
[Thomas Beecham](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Beecham), conductor I’ve never conducted, but I’ve been yelled at by a few. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/9 "2019-02-05T17:13:29Z")
I was [Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelmina_of_the_Netherlands)! ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/10 "2019-02-05T17:15:08Z")
**Kurt Atterberg** (a Swedish composer) and **George W. Snedecor** (an American mathematician) are the closest but it’s only 8 months + 28 days, and I don’t think I was born early. As a matter of fact, my mum liked reminding me of how long it took :dubious: . If not them, then **Edward Beck** (a senior British Army officer) at 9 months + 5 days. That would explain my love of all things British and Classical music. Snedecor, however, is difficult to figure out. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/11 "2019-02-05T17:26:17Z")
**Rudolf Klein-Rogge** – Rotwang himself from Fritz Lang’s _Metropolis_! He was also Dr. Mabuse, that Napoleon of Crime in _Dr. Mabuse, der Spieler_ and \*Das Testament des Dr. Mabuse. (along with roles in _the Cabinet of Dr, Caligari_ and _Die Nibelungen_ and a bunch of films I never heard of.) Well, there were lots of other people who died around then, but I’d like to think I was more consequential than that. and Albert Einstein and Shemp Howard didn’t die close enough to my conception date. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/12 "2019-02-05T17:27:15Z")
Nobody remotely interesting seems to have died in late July or early August 1975, which is when I reckon I was conceived, but when I was a teenager I found out that [Ulrike Meinhof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrike_Meinhof) died on the day I was born. I thought that was sort of awesome, at the time. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/13 "2019-02-05T21:26:24Z")
Paul Landowski: the sculptor who made the big Jesus in Rio de Janeiro ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/14 "2019-02-05T23:45:24Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > Paul Landowski: the sculptor who made the big Jesus in Rio de Janeiro Well done. Are you so inspired in this life? ---
**Author:** ![Biotop](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biotop/32/321_2.png) [@Biotop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biotop)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2019, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/15 "2019-02-05T23:51:13Z")
> [@Fretful\_Porpentine](#): > > Nobody remotely interesting seems to have died in late July or early August 1975, which is when I reckon I was conceived, but when I was a teenager I found out that [Ulrike Meinhof](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ulrike_Meinhof) died on the day I was born. I thought that was sort of awesome, at the time. I think you were [Dmitri Shostakovich](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dmitri_Shostakovich&ved=2ahUKEwjt0Lbv46XgAhXRwFkKHSCYCFMQ5OUBMBV6BAgEEAE&usg=AOvVaw2fpYE2PmEoVxlqykeItI5v), the famed composer and pianist. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/16 "2019-02-06T00:25:28Z")
My likeliest date of conception would have been May 1, 1967. Can’t find anyone I’ve ever heard of who died within a week of that date. I guess I’ll be J. B. Lenoir, African-American bluesman. If I stretch the dates a little further, I could get Konrad Adenauer or Edward Hopper, but I think I’d rather play the blues and die at 38. ---
**Author:** ![Thing\_Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@Thing\_Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thing_Fish)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/17 "2019-02-06T00:27:12Z")
Oh, wait, I’ve figured it out. The soul remains in transition for four days after death, and only enters the body at the time of birth. Therefore, your last incarnation died four days before you were born. I am Neal Cassady!!! ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/18 "2019-02-06T00:28:13Z")
Apparently, I was Gordon Harker, British actor (Facts of Love, Champagne, Inspector Hornleigh). This explains so much! (Not really) ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/19 "2019-02-06T00:49:27Z")
Nobody. I am a non-reincarnated person. The veritable first of my kind. A babe, if you will. Be kind. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2019, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992/20 "2019-02-06T00:59:04Z")
I remember a joke Carlin did about reincarnation. “I suppose it would be nice if reincarnation were a reality, but 1 have problems with the math. At some point, originally, there must have been a time when there were only two human beings. They both died, and presumably their souls were reincarnated into two other bodies. But that still leaves us with only two souls. We now have nearly six billion people on the planet. Where are all the extra souls coming from? Is someone printing up souls? Wouldn’t that tend to lower their value?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-eddie-cochran/828992.md?page=2)