music is probably the most important thing in our lives, at least in mine. i wake each morning with a song playing in my head. i connect songs to things that happen, people i meet, and events that occur. a song can bring back a memory - good or bad. i connect music to every part of my life.
Let It Be from Across the Universe Carol Woods & Timothy T. Mitchum
When I find myself in times of trouble Mother Mary comes to me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. And in my hour of darkness She is standing right in front of me Speaking words of wisdom, let it be. Let it be, let it be. Let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
And when the broken hearted people Living in the world agree, There will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is Still a chance that they will see There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Let it be, let it be. Yeah, There will be an answer, let it be.
And when the night is cloudy, There is still a light that shines on me. Shine until tomorrow, let it be. I wake up to the sound of music Mother Mary comes to me There will be no sorrow
Let it be, let it be. Let it be, yeah let it be. There will be and answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Let it be, yeah let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
- The Beatles
the first time i heard this version of Let It Be it sent chills up my spine. i have said this before and caught flak, but i've always found that the Beatles' music always sounds better when sung by other performers. this being in a gospel version adds to the beauty of the lyric and sound.
Well, show me the way To the next whiskey bar Oh, don't ask why Oh, don't ask why Show me the way To the next whiskey bar Oh, don't ask why Oh, don't ask why For if we don't find The next whiskey bar I tell you we must die I tell you we must die I tell you, I tell you I tell you we must die Oh, moon of Alabama We now must say goodbye We've lost our good old mama And must have whiskey, oh, you know why Oh, moon of Alabama We now must say goodbye We've lost our good old mama And must have whiskey, oh, you know why Well, show me the way To the next little girl Oh, don't ask why Oh, don't ask why Show me the way To the next little girl Oh, don't ask why Oh, don't ask why For if we don't find The next little girl I tell you we must die I tell you we must die I tell you, I tell you I tell you we must die Oh, moon of Alabama We now must say goodbye We've lost our good old mama And must have whiskey, oh, you know why
Alabama Song, aka Next Whiskey Bar, was made most famous by The Doors. it's been sung by many people, including Marilyn Manson. What most people do not know is that it is from an opera composed by Kurt Weill with a libretto written by Bertolt Brecht. It is entitled Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny. It was first performed in 1930.
the story is really very interesting in that it deals with vice being the acceptable way of life in the City of Mahagonny [pronounced Ma-ha-GO-nny]. the song is sung by a prostitute named Jenny Smith. she sings it, along with six other girls, as they leave home in alabama searching for whiskey, dollars and pretty boys. she settles in Mahagonny [it's in Florida in the opera], she finds her pretty boy and they lead a life of, well, debauchery. Jimmy, her pretty boy [of the moment] is the lead and runs afoul of the laws of the city. He is hung for not paying his bar bill.
I've seen the opera performed a few times and I really like it. It also helps to understand the historical background. It was written with a backdrop of the upheaval in Germany after WWI and with Hitler beginning his rise to power. It was a very bleak time in Germany with runaway inflation and people looking for an escape to all their troubles.
the story of The Doors recording this song i'll leave to another time. i have a long history with the group and especially Jim Morrison. not a personal history in that i knew them, but a history in how my life developed. as just a little foresight, Jim Morrison is one of my heroes. strange thing to say, i know, but it is true. i did my own version of running away as Jenny did and found my own whiskey bar...
wow! this is so much fun. it's done as Sammie Davis Jr. & Frank Sinatra performed it. well... not the end, but the style.
[spoken] [Robbie: (american accent)] Johnny and Robbie [Jonathon:] Youth why you talking like that were from Stoke! [Robbie:] I dunno but I can't stop here pally
Like the wallpaper sticks to the wall Like the seashore clings to the sea Like you'll never get rid of your shadow You'll never get rid of me
Let all the others fight and fuss Whatever happens, we've got us.
(Me and my shadow) Closer than pages that stick in a book We're closer than ripples that play in a brook (Strolling down the avenue) Wherever you find him, you'll find me, just look Closer than a miser or the bloodhounds to Liza
Me and my shadow Closer than smog is to all of L.A. Closer than Ricky to confessing he's gay?? Not a soul can bust this team in two We stick together like glue
And when it's sleeping time That's when we rise We start to swing Oh you think you're so jazz you Our clocks don't chime What a surprise They ring-a-ding-a-ding-ding! Happy New Year
(Me and my shadow) And now to repeat what I said at the start You'll need a large crowbar to break us apart We're alone but far from blue
Before we get finished, we'll make the town roar We'll hit a few late spots, and then a few more We'll start out at Stringy's and maybe Groucho Life is gonna be wow-wow-whee! For my shadow and me!
[spoken] [Jonathon:] Can we do that again [Robbie:] No, I'm too tired [Jonathon:] Please Rob [Robbie:] No, I'm swung out [Jonathon:] I'll give you some money [Robbie:] I don't need money [Jonathon:] What about a cup of tea [Robbie:] I'm not thirsty [Jonathon:] I won't tell anyone you're gay. [Both Laugh]
Before we get finished, we'll make the town roar We'll hit all the late spots, and then a few more We'll start out at Stringy's and maybe Groucho Life is gonna be wow-wow-whee! For my shadow and me!
i'm sitting here watching the 2006 version of Company by Stephen Sondheim on PBS right now with Raul Esparza. It won the 2007 Tony for Best Revival and he was nominated for Best Actor in a Musical.
Being Alive is usually considered the show stopper in the play. it is also the finale. it really says a lot when you listen to the words. I prefer the John Barrowman version of all of the ones i've heard. Barrowman did it in a revue with Carol Burnett years ago, but the videos are not very clear. when i found the video above, it combined John's version with my favorite character - Captain Jack - in Torchwood. what more could i ask for?
after the lyric, i have included the Raul Esparza version for your added enjoyment.
Someone to hold you too close Someone to hurt you too deep Someone to sit in your chair And ruin your sleep And make you aware of being alive
Someone to need you too much Someone to know you too well Someone to pull you up short And put you through hell And give you support for being alive - being alive Make me alive, make me confused Mock me with praise, let me be used Vary my days, but alone is alone, not alive.
Somebody hold me too close Somebody force me to care Somebody make me come through I'll always be there As frightened as you of being alive Being alive, being alive
Someone you have to let in Someone whose feelings you spare Someone who, like it or not Will want you to share a little, a lot of being alive Make me alive, make me confused Mock me with praise, let me be used Vary my days, but alone is alone, not alive
Somebody crowd me with love Somebody force me to care Somebody make me come through I'll always be there As frightened as you to help us survive Being alive, being alive, Being alive, being alive.
Being Alive - Raul Esparza
[the other song from the play i'll have to post is The Ladies Who Lunch with Elaine Stritch who was in the original Broadway version at another time. it was a theme song the bartenders had at the bar i worked at many years ago. we had a tendency to go out to lunch before work and felt no pain when we got there. if you get my drift?]
i had the pleasure of actually being at the performance when this was taped. the entire show was quite an experience. this piece, Reflections was my favorite.
they are a Chicago & Virginia based group with members working not only in performance but also instructing at university; the University of Chicago and the University of Richmond in Virginia.
Cet air qui m'obsède jour et nuit Cet air n'est pas né d'aujourd'hui Il vient d'aussi loin que je viens Traîné par cent mille musiciens Un jour cet air me rendra folle Cent fois j'ai voulu dire pourquoi Mais il m'a coupé la parole Il parle toujours avant moi Et sa voix couvre ma voix
Padam...padam...padam... Il arrive en courant derrière moi Padam...padam...padam... Il me fait le coup du souviens-toi Padam...padam...padam... C'est un air qui me montre du doigt Et je traîne après moi comme un drole d'erreur Cet air qui sait tout par cœur
Il dit: "Rappelle-toi tes amours Rappelle-toi puisque c'est ton tour 'y a pas d'raison pour qu'tu n'pleures pas Avec tes souvenirs sur les bras... " Et moi je revois ceux qui restent Mes vingt ans font battre tambour Je vois s'entrebattre des gestes Toute la comédie des amours Sur cet air qui va toujours
Padam...padam...padam... Des "je t'aime" de quatorze-juillet Padam...padam...padam... Des "toujours" qu'on achète au rabais Padam...padam...padam... Des "veux-tu" en voilà par paquets Et tout ca pour tomber juste au coin d'la rue Sur l'air qui m'a reconnue ... Écoutez le chahut qu'il me fait ... Comme si tout mon passé défilait ... Faut garder du chagrin pour après J'en ai tout un solfège sur cet air qui bat... Qui bat comme un cœur de bois...
this song is about its melody - padam, padam, padam. it causes a great uproar for her. She sees all the comedies and all the tragedies of her past loves. In one performance Piaf says, "This melody you will hear follows me everywhere I go. I hear it when I am sad and especially when I am glad. It seems to mock me for my past sins. It taunts me and it is driving me crazy."
Qui bat comme un cœur de bois... - it beats like a wooden heart...
Cunegonde - June Anderson, Candide - Jerry Hadley, Leonard Bernstein, conducting
Leonard Bernstein died within a few weeks of this performance. June Anderson was severely ill with the flu during the performance but Bernstein literally begged her to sing, saying that she was his ideal Cunegonde. Jerry Hadly committed suicide a few months ago. This may very well be the ultimate recording of Bernstein's Candide.
CANDIDE You've been a fool And so have I, But come and be my wife. And let us try, Before we die, To make some sense of life. We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house and chop our wood And make our garden grow... And make our garden grow.
CUNEGONDE I thought the world Was sugar cake For so our master said. But, now I'll teach My hands to bake Our loaf of daily bread.
CANDIDE AND CUNEGONDE We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house and chop our wood And make our garden grow... And make our garden grow.
(ensemble enters in gardening gear and a cow walks on)
CANDIDE, CUNEGONDE, MAXIMILLIAN, PAQUETTE, OLD LADY, DR. PANGLOSS Let dreamers dream What worlds they please Those Edens can't be found. The sweetest flowers, The fairest trees Are grown in solid ground.
ENSEMBLE (a cappella) We're neither pure, nor wise, nor good We'll do the best we know. We'll build our house and chop our wood And make our garden grow. And make our garden grow!
(The cow dies)
VOLTAIRE Any questions?
update:
After posting "Make our garden grow", I realized that I also had to post Christa Ludwig, who was in the same performance as the Old Woman, singing "I am easily assimilated." She almost, no, she did, steal the show with this number. If you watch carefully, you will see June's face with a grin on it because she's enjoying it, as sick as she was during the performance, and actually is applauding Ms. Ludwig at the end, a fairly rare thing to see in a performance.
I had the pleasure to spend an evening with Ms. Ludwig and her husband. By the end of the night my sides ached from laughing. As funny as she did this role, she is the same way, and more, in person. At one point in the evening she turned to her husband, who seemed to be talking alot, and said, "I'm supposed to be the Diva, not you!" We all lost it...
Old Woman - Christa Ludwig
I was not born in sunny Hispania, My father came from Rovno Gubernya. But now I'm here, I'm dancing a tango; Di dee di! Dee di dee di! I am easily assimilated. I am so easily assimilated.
I never learned a human language. My father spoke a High Middle Polish. In one half-hour I'm talking in Spanish: Por favor! Toreador! I am easily assimilated. I am so easily assimilated.
It's easy, it's ever so easy! I'm Spanish, I'm suddenly Spanish! And you must be Spanish, too. Do like the natives do. These days you have to be In the majority
Tus labios rubi Dos rosas que se abren a mi, Conquistan mi corazon, Y solo con Una cancion.
Mis labios rubi Dreiviertel Takt, mon tres cher ami, Oui ou, si si ja ja ja, yes yes, da da. Je ne sais quoi!
Me muero, me sale una hernia!
A long way from Rovno Gubernya!
Mis/Tus labios rubi Dos rosas que se abren a mi, Conquistan mi corazon, Y solo con Una divina cancion. De tus labios rubi! Rubi! Rubi! Hey!
Gaetano Donizetti wrote three opera about the queens of the Tudor era in England - Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, & Roberto Devereux. They are a great trilogy, though I've never heard of any company doing them in trio. It could be a great success. Below are scenes from each of the operas.
The first is with Dame Joan Sutherland as Anna Bolena; the second is Montserrat Caballe in the "Final Scene" from Maria Stuarda; and the third is Edita Gruberova as Elisabeth I in Roberto Devereux. The last is also quite different than the first two in that it is a revisionist production from Bayreuth. Europeans are wont to update operas and they always seem to do it right.
oh, and if you don't remember your Tudor history, someone gets their head chopped off at the end of each opera. What else would you expect?
enjoy...
Anna Bolena with Dame Joan Sutherland
Maria Stuarda with Montserrat Caballe
Roberto Devereux with Edita Gruberova as Elizabetta I
this is my newest music-crush. i really like his music and voice. i also have a penchant for what i call "story songs". songs that relate a story or part of a scene. his song "New Year's Resolution" is my current favorite, but i couldn't find a decent video of it.
With everything I've ever done I'd give it all to everyone For one more day Another night I'm waking through Another door I walk into I can't break
And it's a winding road And it's a long way home
So don't wait For someone to tell you it's too late Cause these are the best days There's always something tomorrow So I say let's make the best of tonight Here comes the rest of our lives
I count the steps The distance to The time when it was me and you It's so far gone
Another face, Another friend, Another place, Another end, But I'll hang on
And it's a winding road
And it's a long way home
So don't wait For someone to tell you it's too late Cause these are the best days There's always something tomorrow So I say let's make the best of tonight Yeah, let's make the best of tonight Here comes the rest of our lives Rest of our lives
And it's a winding road It's a long way home
So don't wait For someone to tell you it's too late Cause these are the best days There's always something tomorrow So I say let's make the best of it
Don't wait Cause no one can tell you it's too late Cause these are the best days There's always something tomorrow So I say let's make the best of tonight Yeah, let's make the best of tonight We'll make the best of tonight Here comes the rest of our lives
Stranded alone on a sea of emotion You found me Your love was a light In the darkness that shone So profoundly Say that you’ll stay Do not be afraid, afraid You, you’re my breath The air I breathe You are my imagination Su le finesse Song of my heart Secrets I’m not afraid to whisper
Con te partiro I’ll go where you lead me Wherever you are (forever and ever we’ll stay) In love together I will go with you I’ll go where you lead me Forever true (forever and ever we’ll stay) In love together
Stranded alone on a sea of emotion You found me It’s you who first found me Come here, come here Put your arms around me, Come here It’s you who surrounds me Come here, come here Come here Come here You, you’re my breath The air I breathe You are my imagination Su le finesse Song of my heart Secrets I’m not afraid to whisper
I will go with you I’ll go where you lead me Forever true (forever and ever we’ll stay) In love together Con te partiro I’ll go where you lead me Wherever you are (forever and ever we’ll stay) In love together I will go with you I’ll go where you lead me Forever true (forever and ever we’ll stay) In love together
Con te partiro I’ll go where you lead me, Wherever you are I will go with you I’ll go where you lead me Forever true In my... Heart!
this video could have been great without the pretty dancers doing a lot of stupid moves. i love this version of the song the best...
