age of aquarius...

i want to believe that the hope and dreams we carried and believed during the 1960's have a chance to be reignited next Tuesday.

the kids today, though they don't realize it and would probably deny it, are actually influenced in their hope for a better and brighter future by the ground that was laid with the battles of the 1968 Democratic Convention and the protestations against a dirty little war in Southeast Asia.

i want to believe. i hear the words in the change that Barack Obama wants to bring about. it has been a recurring dream for centuries of many men and women - the Martin Luthers, the Martin Luther Kings, the John XXII's, the Abraham Lincolns, the Susan B. Anthony's - only to be dashed by those afraid of loosing control and, most important, power. sadly, the power they fear loosing, they really don't have. no one really does...

Age of Aquarius
from the movie version - Hair


When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revalation
And the mind's true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

When the moon is in the Seventh House
And Jupiter aligns with Mars
Then peace will guide the planets
And love will steer the stars

This is the dawning of the age of Aquarius
The age of Aquarius
Aquarius!
Aquarius!

what exactly is the Age of Aquarius? check it out at Wikipedia - HERE.

cross-posted on my main site - no matter what... eschew obfuscation

the ladies who lunch...

in an earlier post i shared "Being Alive with you from Stephen Sondheim's Company. i mentioned in the post that my favorite song from the play is The Ladies Who Lunch. i also have to post the video with the lady who began the entire thing: Elaine Stritch. though many have sung it, no one does it better...

and since today is Stephen Sonheims' birthday - I'll drink to that...


The Ladies Who Lunch
sung by Elaine Stritch


I'd like to propose a toast...
Here's to the ladies who lunch--
Everybody laugh.
Lounging in their caftans
And planning a brunch
On their own behalf.
Off to the gym,
Then to a fitting,
Claiming they're fat.
And looking grim,
'Cause they've been sitting
Choosing a hat.
Does anyone still wear a hat?
I'll drink to that.

And here's to the girls who play smart--
Aren't they a gas?
Rushing to their classes
In optical art,
Wishing it would pass.
Another long exhausting day,
Another thousand dollars,
A matinee, a Pinter play,
Perhaps a piece of Mahler's.
I'll drink to that.
And one for Mahler!

And here's to the girls who play wife--
Aren't they too much?
Keeping house but clutching
A copy of LIFE,
Just to keep in touch.
The ones who follow the rules,
And meet themselves at the schools,
Too busy to know that they're fools.
Aren't they a gem?
I'll drink to them!
Let's all drink to them!

And here's to the girls who just watch--
Aren't they the best?
When they get depressed,
It's a bottle of Scotch,
Plus a little jest.
Another chance to disapprove,
Another brilliant zinger,
Another reason not to move,
Another vodka stinger.
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!
I'll drink to that.

So here's to the girls on the go--
Everybody tries.
Look into their eyes,
And you'll see what they know:
Everybody dies.
A toast to that invincible bunch,
The dinosaurs surviving the crunch.
Let's hear it for the ladies who lunch--
Everybody rise!
Rise!
Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise! Rise!
Rise!

Ms. Stritch finished a one-woman show not too long ago of which there is an album - Elaine Stritch at Liberty.
she is 82 years old. maybe i should say young...

bosom buddies...

Bosom Buddies
from Auntie Mame
Lucille Ball & Bea Arthur

Vera and Mame:
[singing]
We'll always be bosom buddies,
Friends, sisters and pals;
We'll always be bosom buddies,
If life should reject you,
There's me to protect you.
Vera:
If I say that your tongue is vicious,
Mame:
If I call you uncouth;
Vera and Mame:
It's simply that who else but a bosom buddy
Will sit down and tell you the truth.
Vera:
[speaking]
Tho' now and again I'm aware that my candid opinion may sting,
Mame:
Tho' often my frank observation might scald;
I've been meanin' to tell you for years
You should keep your hair natural like mine.
Vera:
If I kept my hair natural like yours, I'd be bald.
[singing]
But darling,
Vera and Mame:
We'll always be dear companions,
Vera:
My crony,
Mame:
My mate;
Vera and Mame:
We'll always be harmonizing,
Vera:
Orphan Annie and Sandy,
Vera and Mame:
Like Amos and Andy.
Vera:
If I say that your sense of style's as far as off as your youth;
It's simply that who else but a bosom buddy
Will tell you the whole stinkin' truth.
Mame:
[speaking]
Each time that a critic has written, "Your voice is the voice of a frog!"
Straight to your side to defend you I rush;
You know that I'm there ev'ry time that the world makes and unkind
remark.
When they say "Vera Charles is the world's greatest lush!"
[singing]
It hurts me!
Vera:
And if I say your fangs are showing,
Mame, pull in your claws,
It's simply that who else but a bosom buddy
Will notice the obvious flaws!
Mame:
[speaking]
I feel it's my duty to tell you it's time to adjust to your age;
You try to be "Peg O' My Heart", when you're "Lady Macbeth."
Exactly how old are you, Vera? The truth!
Vera:
Well, how old do you think?
Mame:
I'd say somewhere in between forty and the death!
Vera and Mame:
[singing]
But sweetie,
Vera:
I'll always be Alice Toklas,
If you'll be Gertrude Stein.
And tho' I'll admit I've dished you,
I've gossiped and gloated,
But I'm so devoted.
Mame:
And if I say that sex and guts made you into a star,
It's simply that who else but a bosom buddy
Will tell you how rotten you are.
Vera and Mame:
Just turn your bosom buddy
For aid and affection,
For help and direction,
For loyalty, love and for sooth!
Remember that who else but a bosom buddy
Will sit down and level
And give you the devil,
Will sit down and tell you the truth!

You can pull all the stops out...

Till they call the cops out
Grind your behind till you bend.
But you gotta get a gimmick
If you wanna get a hand.
You can sacrifice your sacharo
Working in the back row.
Bump in a dump till you're dead.
Kid you gotta have a gimmick
If you wanna get ahead.
You can uh...You can uh...
You can uh...uh...uh...
That's how Burlesque was born.
So I uh...and I uh...
And I uh...uh...uh...
But I do it with a horn...
Once I was a Schleppa,
Now I'm Miss Mazzeppa,
With my revolution in dance.
You gotta have a gimmick
If you wanna have a chance!



stephen sondhiem is known for many, many musicals - sweeney todd, assassins, company.... what a lot of people forget is that he also wrote the lyrics for many other shows - west side story and gypsy being two of the biggies. the video above is from the movie gypsy. you gotta have a gimmick is my favorite song from it but there is a personal story that adds to my favoring it. back in the day, many, many many years ago, i tended bar in chicago. one evening chili pepper and a couple of the other performers from the baton came in. when i saw them i grabbed the gypsy disc and put you gotta have a gimmick on the turntable. chili came up to the bar and said, "michael, you're a bitch!" i said, "thank you" and bought them all cocktails. see... ya gotta have a gimmick...

i am what i am...

i am my own special creation
so come take a look, give me the hook or the ovation
it's my world that i want to have a little pride in
my world and it's not a place i have to hide in
life's not worth a damn 'til you can say, hey world
i am what i am

i am what i am is from the musical version of la cage au folles. this is the breakout song. the scene in the play is albin getting ready to perform and putting on his makeup/costume, hence, the opening explanation that john does here.

john barrowman is doing it from a bbc tv show called the sound of musicals that focused on, what else, musicals. he has also been seen in the new dr. who series, his own bbc show torchwood, london stage productions - sunset boulevard. the movies de-lovely and the producers, on broadway, in the nighttime soap opera central park, and many, many other venues.

john was born in england and lives there now with his partner. he grew up in the joliet/plainfield, illinois area not that far from where i live. he returns to his high school alma mater to run summer workshops for students in theatre, film and music. in the interviews i've watched with him, he seems like quite a character. i would love to meet and get to know him. he always seems like he's having a great time. you'll see more of him here from time to time. i'm a great fan.

priceless...

i started out looking for cole porter music, got into elaine paige, ended up with john barrowman.

but... in looking at john barrowman performances, i came across this priceless blooper with carol burnett and john (he's in the deep red shirt). it's worth it. watch...



i'll have to do john barrowman next

sins of the flesh...

the history of the world, my dear, is who gets eaten and who gets to eat...



we'll serve anyone, and to anyone, at all...........

try a little priest!

faerie tales...

though i prefer the original version with bernadette peters, i really like the message that barbra gives with her rendition. my life has been surrounded by children. i see in them the hope of everything. they are going to be what i will miss the most when i retire in march.