Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Delay until I can stop feeling so bad.
Sorry for the delays, if there's anyone who actually reads this blog. I'm under a lot of stress right now and it's just not plausible for me to write all of these right now. Thanks for your understanding, if there is anyone to thank.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
La Cage aux Folles
Well, the musical I was supposed to review today is one that I'm having to order. I would remark on how I hate that all musical isn't digital yet, but that's a rant I don't really feel like pouring time into. Instead, today I'm listening to La Cage aux Folles. I've got a copy of the 2010 revival right in my CD case and it's already been ripped and I'm ready to go. :)
La Cage aux Folles has lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and the book was written by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein. It originally opened up on Broadway in 1983 and ran for four years with 1,761 performances, which was a big deal at the time. The story focuses on a gay couple: George (the owner of a nightclub that the play is named after) and Albin (his star attraction at said nightclub). They both have a son (Jean-Michel) from a previous affair that George had and he is engaged to a girl (Anne Dindon) with ultra-conservative parents. It's a very fun musical with a message of acceptance and it was a risky move back when it opened. I'm glad it has withstood the test of time.
We start with a short little prelude and head into "We Are What We Are". This is a chorus song sung by the chorus "girls" at La Cage aux Folles. It's a nice introduction to the play and lets us know what we should expect. It's immediately followed by a reprise and we learn that Albin is preparing for his part of the show.
"(A Little More) Mascara" is sung by Albin as he's getting ready. It's a nice little song that basically shows that the little things in life can make us feel better.
"With Anne on My Arm" has Jean-Michel explaining why Anne isn't like any other girl he's ever been with and why she's the girl for him. This is a sweet song and you can tell he really loves this girl.
"With You on My Arm" is a duet between Georges and Albin where you can really feel the love between the two characters. This has to be one of my favorites in the whole musical.
"Song on the Sand" has Georges trying to ease into telling Albin about Jean's request for him not to show up at the dinner, but it doesn't end up working because Albin flees out to stage.
"La Cage aux Folles" has Albin entertaining the patrons of the club with a strong song and dance routine in his drag persona Zaza.
After this, Georges breaks the news to him and Albin is shocked and goes out on the stage to sing...
"I Am What I Am". This is most certainly the most famous song from the show, with only one other really even coming close. Albin accepts who he is and doesn't want to live any other way, regardless of what other people might think of him. You go, girl.
Act II begins with Georges making up to Albin with a reprise of "Song on the Sand" and he submits to him an idea to masquerade him as Jean's Uncle Al.
"Masculinity" has Georges trying to get Albin to act more like John Wayne and less flamboyant. It's hilarious and quite moving too, considering how hard Albin is working to try and be there for Jean on his important night.
Jean-Michel doesn't really like the idea of trying this, but Georges reminds him in "Look Over There" that Albin has been a wonderful and kind "mother" to him.
"Cocktail Counterpoint" occurs after Anne's family arrives. It's one of those polyphonic songs I adore with several characters singing their points of view at the same time. Jean's biological mother clearly isn't coming, and Albin emerges dressed in drag as his mother. After the dinner is burned, the characters all go to a restaurant where the owners know Albin and Georges.
"The Best of Times" is sung (at first) by Albin, who was asked to perform for the restaurant by people who recognized him. This is my favorite song in the play and has a wonderful message about not worrying about the past and to live life as if it's your last day alive. At the end of the song, Albin rips off his wig and the ruse is lifted.
The parents are appalled and do not want Anne to marry Jean-Michel. He asks for Albin's forgiveness for acting the way he did and then the paparazzi arrives to see the ultra conservatives having dinner with a gay couple. Georges gets them out of there on the condition that the young ones can marry and that they sneak through La Cage aux Folles in drag and take part in the revue for the night, leading into the Finale.
This is a wonderful musical that really hasn't aged all that much considering it's pretty much a period piece. The characters are all realistic, the songs are fun, and the message is a strong one. You couldn't ask much else from a musical.
Again, I apologize for the chosen musical not being selected today, but it'll be done when I get it in the mail. :)
La Cage aux Folles has lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and the book was written by Broadway legend Harvey Fierstein. It originally opened up on Broadway in 1983 and ran for four years with 1,761 performances, which was a big deal at the time. The story focuses on a gay couple: George (the owner of a nightclub that the play is named after) and Albin (his star attraction at said nightclub). They both have a son (Jean-Michel) from a previous affair that George had and he is engaged to a girl (Anne Dindon) with ultra-conservative parents. It's a very fun musical with a message of acceptance and it was a risky move back when it opened. I'm glad it has withstood the test of time.
We start with a short little prelude and head into "We Are What We Are". This is a chorus song sung by the chorus "girls" at La Cage aux Folles. It's a nice introduction to the play and lets us know what we should expect. It's immediately followed by a reprise and we learn that Albin is preparing for his part of the show.
"(A Little More) Mascara" is sung by Albin as he's getting ready. It's a nice little song that basically shows that the little things in life can make us feel better.
"With Anne on My Arm" has Jean-Michel explaining why Anne isn't like any other girl he's ever been with and why she's the girl for him. This is a sweet song and you can tell he really loves this girl.
"With You on My Arm" is a duet between Georges and Albin where you can really feel the love between the two characters. This has to be one of my favorites in the whole musical.
"Song on the Sand" has Georges trying to ease into telling Albin about Jean's request for him not to show up at the dinner, but it doesn't end up working because Albin flees out to stage.
"La Cage aux Folles" has Albin entertaining the patrons of the club with a strong song and dance routine in his drag persona Zaza.
After this, Georges breaks the news to him and Albin is shocked and goes out on the stage to sing...
"I Am What I Am". This is most certainly the most famous song from the show, with only one other really even coming close. Albin accepts who he is and doesn't want to live any other way, regardless of what other people might think of him. You go, girl.
Act II begins with Georges making up to Albin with a reprise of "Song on the Sand" and he submits to him an idea to masquerade him as Jean's Uncle Al.
"Masculinity" has Georges trying to get Albin to act more like John Wayne and less flamboyant. It's hilarious and quite moving too, considering how hard Albin is working to try and be there for Jean on his important night.
Jean-Michel doesn't really like the idea of trying this, but Georges reminds him in "Look Over There" that Albin has been a wonderful and kind "mother" to him.
"Cocktail Counterpoint" occurs after Anne's family arrives. It's one of those polyphonic songs I adore with several characters singing their points of view at the same time. Jean's biological mother clearly isn't coming, and Albin emerges dressed in drag as his mother. After the dinner is burned, the characters all go to a restaurant where the owners know Albin and Georges.
"The Best of Times" is sung (at first) by Albin, who was asked to perform for the restaurant by people who recognized him. This is my favorite song in the play and has a wonderful message about not worrying about the past and to live life as if it's your last day alive. At the end of the song, Albin rips off his wig and the ruse is lifted.
The parents are appalled and do not want Anne to marry Jean-Michel. He asks for Albin's forgiveness for acting the way he did and then the paparazzi arrives to see the ultra conservatives having dinner with a gay couple. Georges gets them out of there on the condition that the young ones can marry and that they sneak through La Cage aux Folles in drag and take part in the revue for the night, leading into the Finale.
This is a wonderful musical that really hasn't aged all that much considering it's pretty much a period piece. The characters are all realistic, the songs are fun, and the message is a strong one. You couldn't ask much else from a musical.
Again, I apologize for the chosen musical not being selected today, but it'll be done when I get it in the mail. :)
Saturday, October 8, 2011
The Addams Family
Adaptations! There are lots of them in the musical world. This time, we're listening to the Addams Family musical. Now I won't be able to stop snapping my fingers. Thanks a lot, random generator.
The Addams Family has lyrics and music by Andrew Lippa and the book is by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It opened up in 2010, and as of the current date, it's still open! If you want to see it, hurry, because it's closing on December 31.
What would you expect from the overture? If it didn't have that familiar finger snapping, I don't think anyone would want to see it (I'm kidding, of course). It's a pretty overture with lots of Gomez's dancing music thrown in there and some slow parts reminiscent of something Danny Elfman would create.
The first song is "When You're an Addams". It's a celebration of what it means to be an Addams. This song takes place at a family reunion for the Addams family. It's got a Latin feel to it and it's a pretty exciting song. You have to love Nathan Lane. The point is that an Addams loves all things weird, morbid, and dark. At some point in the song, they summon their ancestors from the dead.
"Pulled" is sung from the perspective of Wednesday to Pugsley. She's feeling strange (or in a non-Addams way, normal.) She's fallen in love with her normal boyfriend who is coming to dinner. She really seems to be disturbed by this. Oh, and she's torturing Pugsley during this song and you can hear his gleeful screams. Oh, you Addams'.
"Where Did We Go Wrong?" has Gomez and Morticia worrying about the ways Wednesday is changing and how very un-Addams like she is becoming. They want to cancel the dinner in order to keep it from getting "worse". It's a fun song only because of how peculiar the Addams family is.
"One Normal Night" has Wednesday and her boyfriend, Lucas, pleading with their families to be "normal" for one night. It doesn't go as terribly as one might expect. Wednesday appears in a bright yellow dress, Gomez and Lucas' father share a drink and Gomez shows him the pet squid. After an insult by Wednesday toward her mother, she runs off.
"Morticia" refuses Gomez's invitation to a tango. It's a pretty song, coming from such a weird guy. Of course, Gomez's idea of things that woman might want to hear would only work for an Addams.
"What If?" has Pugsley slipping a potion into Wednesday's drink that will bring out her dark side...Smart idea, kid. He's afraid that she'll never torture him again. You have to admire his masochism, I guess.
"Full Disclosure/Waiting" has the Addams' playing a game with their guests. They all have to confess something. This is an incredibly fun song. During the course of the song Morticia feels insulted by Gomez. Oh, I love Fester in this song. Pugsley's idea kind of falls on its face here as Lucas' mother drinks the potion on accident and Wednesday announces that she's marrying Lucas.
Act II starts with "Just Around the Corner" is a joyous song about death being around the corner. Morticia sounds like your typical Diva here.
"The Moon and Me" gives us an interlude here with a love song to the moon. It's funny and yet somehow sweet. The opening with the acoustic guitar is particularly pretty.
"Happy/Sad" is a song from Gomez that expresses his joy for Wednesday finding love, but lamenting her growing up. I can't say much about this song besides that, but I really like this one.
"Crazier Than You" has Lucas letting Wednesday shoot an apple off his head with her crossbow. It's a pretty awesome duet between the two and has them both gravitating toward each other. :)
"Let's Not Talk About Anything But Love" has Gomez and Fester trying to get Lucas' father to open up. You have to love these characters. It's great that the "normal" one is so apprehensive about love while the "weird" characters are all about love. The reprise has Grandma joining in.
"In the Arms" has Mal confessing his love with Alice (after having been embraced by the giant squid). I am all for more songs about cephalopods in musicals.
"Live Before We Die/Tango de Amor" has Gomez professing his love for Morticia after having inadvertently pissing her off the whole show. It erupts into a tango eventually and those are always fun, but it leaves something to be desired just listening to it. I'm sure it's awesome on stage.
"Move Toward the Darkness" is the finale song. Fester strapped himself to a rocket to get to the moon. It's a pretty good song for the finale with all the characters coming back to sing. It's about facing your fears and coming out strong.
Overall, I'd say it's an enjoyable show, though I doubt I'd pay full price to see it. I'd probably try getting lottery seats.
The Addams Family has lyrics and music by Andrew Lippa and the book is by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It opened up in 2010, and as of the current date, it's still open! If you want to see it, hurry, because it's closing on December 31.
What would you expect from the overture? If it didn't have that familiar finger snapping, I don't think anyone would want to see it (I'm kidding, of course). It's a pretty overture with lots of Gomez's dancing music thrown in there and some slow parts reminiscent of something Danny Elfman would create.
The first song is "When You're an Addams". It's a celebration of what it means to be an Addams. This song takes place at a family reunion for the Addams family. It's got a Latin feel to it and it's a pretty exciting song. You have to love Nathan Lane. The point is that an Addams loves all things weird, morbid, and dark. At some point in the song, they summon their ancestors from the dead.
"Pulled" is sung from the perspective of Wednesday to Pugsley. She's feeling strange (or in a non-Addams way, normal.) She's fallen in love with her normal boyfriend who is coming to dinner. She really seems to be disturbed by this. Oh, and she's torturing Pugsley during this song and you can hear his gleeful screams. Oh, you Addams'.
"Where Did We Go Wrong?" has Gomez and Morticia worrying about the ways Wednesday is changing and how very un-Addams like she is becoming. They want to cancel the dinner in order to keep it from getting "worse". It's a fun song only because of how peculiar the Addams family is.
"One Normal Night" has Wednesday and her boyfriend, Lucas, pleading with their families to be "normal" for one night. It doesn't go as terribly as one might expect. Wednesday appears in a bright yellow dress, Gomez and Lucas' father share a drink and Gomez shows him the pet squid. After an insult by Wednesday toward her mother, she runs off.
"Morticia" refuses Gomez's invitation to a tango. It's a pretty song, coming from such a weird guy. Of course, Gomez's idea of things that woman might want to hear would only work for an Addams.
"What If?" has Pugsley slipping a potion into Wednesday's drink that will bring out her dark side...Smart idea, kid. He's afraid that she'll never torture him again. You have to admire his masochism, I guess.
"Full Disclosure/Waiting" has the Addams' playing a game with their guests. They all have to confess something. This is an incredibly fun song. During the course of the song Morticia feels insulted by Gomez. Oh, I love Fester in this song. Pugsley's idea kind of falls on its face here as Lucas' mother drinks the potion on accident and Wednesday announces that she's marrying Lucas.
Act II starts with "Just Around the Corner" is a joyous song about death being around the corner. Morticia sounds like your typical Diva here.
"The Moon and Me" gives us an interlude here with a love song to the moon. It's funny and yet somehow sweet. The opening with the acoustic guitar is particularly pretty.
"Happy/Sad" is a song from Gomez that expresses his joy for Wednesday finding love, but lamenting her growing up. I can't say much about this song besides that, but I really like this one.
"Crazier Than You" has Lucas letting Wednesday shoot an apple off his head with her crossbow. It's a pretty awesome duet between the two and has them both gravitating toward each other. :)
"Let's Not Talk About Anything But Love" has Gomez and Fester trying to get Lucas' father to open up. You have to love these characters. It's great that the "normal" one is so apprehensive about love while the "weird" characters are all about love. The reprise has Grandma joining in.
"In the Arms" has Mal confessing his love with Alice (after having been embraced by the giant squid). I am all for more songs about cephalopods in musicals.
"Live Before We Die/Tango de Amor" has Gomez professing his love for Morticia after having inadvertently pissing her off the whole show. It erupts into a tango eventually and those are always fun, but it leaves something to be desired just listening to it. I'm sure it's awesome on stage.
"Move Toward the Darkness" is the finale song. Fester strapped himself to a rocket to get to the moon. It's a pretty good song for the finale with all the characters coming back to sing. It's about facing your fears and coming out strong.
Overall, I'd say it's an enjoyable show, though I doubt I'd pay full price to see it. I'd probably try getting lottery seats.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Applause
Ah! Another one I've only ever heard one song from. This one costed me $10, so it better be worth it! :p
Applause opened up on Broadway in 1970 and appeared on television in 1973. The music is by Charles Strouse, the lyrics are by Lee Adams, and the book is by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It's based on the screenplay for the Bette Davis film All About Eve. The main character of the show is Margo Channing, a star who takes a sort of apprentice, Eve, unaware that Eve is planning to steal her career and man. Groovy, let's dig in.
The overture is upbeat, as an overture should be. You can definitely tell that the show was made in the 70s, given the instrument choice. There is a lot of nice brass in this one, almost like a marching band.
"Backstage Babble" is the first song and has Margo Channing's dressing room flooded with admirers. The dialogue by all the admirers is mostly in "yabba dabbas" and "blah blahs". It's a pretty clever song and a nice way to start the show off.
"Think How it's Gonna Be" has her fiance and director, Bill Sampson, telling her goodbye as he goes on a trip to Rome to direct a movie. Len Cariou has an absolutely dreamy voice (did I just say dreamy? Wow. Well, it's true)
"But Alive" has Margo feeling uneasy about attending the opening party alone, but she's still alive and that gives her a little confidence. She persuades her gay hairdresser to take her to the gay discotheque in The Village. She's a little...bitchy in this song, but that's okay, because she's a Broadway diva and they're allowed to be bitchy every now and then.
"The Best Night of My Life" has Eve summing up her feelings about winning the Tony at the beginning of the play. It's short and pretty and leaves me wondering if she's really the antagonist Wikipedia makes her out to be. Time will tell.
"Who's That Girl?" has Margo jokingly asking herself who she is when she sees herself in an old episode of The Late Show. She's a bit cynical about life, but she seems to be enjoying herself. This is another very upbeat song with a healthy dose of self-deprecation.
"Applause" has a "gypsy" singing about the best sound in the world...applause! Being the title song, it's probably no question that it's catchy.
"Hurry Back" is a longing song from Margo, who is dying to see Bill, who is still overseas.
Between this song and the next, Bill has made it home, and his homecoming party becomes disastrous after a misunderstanding.
"Fasten Your Seat Belts" is a strange one. I'm not quite sure what's happening in it. It's not bad, of course, but I'm not sure what's going on.
"Welcome to the Theatre" has Margo confronting Eve, who she isn't happy about. She basically tries to dissuade her from the career with this one. This song is dripping with venom, though it's fairly subtle at the beginning.
Bill accuses Margo of being paranoid about Eve and they fight. They say goodbye after this and Act I ends.
Act II starts with Margo missing a performance and is stuck in the country for a night.
"Good Friends" is a song about friendship and how one can rely on good friends. This is a pretty cookie cutter song, but I like the banjo accompaniment.
"She's No Longer a Gypsy" is a parody of a girl who became an instant success, obviously a jab at Eve, who took over for Margo after she couldn't make it. I like this song because of the jabs at narcissism and slight references to other musicals.
"One of a Kind" is a song from Bill to Margo after he's recognized what Eve was up to. He's still in love with her, but she's married to her career. The references to their past are funny and sweet.
"One Hallowe'en" has Eve remembering a Halloween. She's smugly congratulating herself on how good of an actress she is for fooling people. It's an upbeat song, for a villain. She is kind of a bitch too.
"Something Greater" has Margo realizing her career is over, but now she can be with Bill forever. It's basically about silver linings. Just because things are terrible, it doesn't mean there aren't good things to find. In this case, she gets to be with the one she loves. Bill joins in and we see happiness between the two.
The "Finale" answers the question "Why do we live this crazy life?". This finale harkens back to Applause, of course. It's a pretty good ending to a pretty good show.
As I said, the show itself is pretty good, but not much to write home about. I wonder what the ole' randomizer will give us tomorrow? :)
Applause opened up on Broadway in 1970 and appeared on television in 1973. The music is by Charles Strouse, the lyrics are by Lee Adams, and the book is by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. It's based on the screenplay for the Bette Davis film All About Eve. The main character of the show is Margo Channing, a star who takes a sort of apprentice, Eve, unaware that Eve is planning to steal her career and man. Groovy, let's dig in.
The overture is upbeat, as an overture should be. You can definitely tell that the show was made in the 70s, given the instrument choice. There is a lot of nice brass in this one, almost like a marching band.
"Backstage Babble" is the first song and has Margo Channing's dressing room flooded with admirers. The dialogue by all the admirers is mostly in "yabba dabbas" and "blah blahs". It's a pretty clever song and a nice way to start the show off.
"Think How it's Gonna Be" has her fiance and director, Bill Sampson, telling her goodbye as he goes on a trip to Rome to direct a movie. Len Cariou has an absolutely dreamy voice (did I just say dreamy? Wow. Well, it's true)
"But Alive" has Margo feeling uneasy about attending the opening party alone, but she's still alive and that gives her a little confidence. She persuades her gay hairdresser to take her to the gay discotheque in The Village. She's a little...bitchy in this song, but that's okay, because she's a Broadway diva and they're allowed to be bitchy every now and then.
"The Best Night of My Life" has Eve summing up her feelings about winning the Tony at the beginning of the play. It's short and pretty and leaves me wondering if she's really the antagonist Wikipedia makes her out to be. Time will tell.
"Who's That Girl?" has Margo jokingly asking herself who she is when she sees herself in an old episode of The Late Show. She's a bit cynical about life, but she seems to be enjoying herself. This is another very upbeat song with a healthy dose of self-deprecation.
"Applause" has a "gypsy" singing about the best sound in the world...applause! Being the title song, it's probably no question that it's catchy.
"Hurry Back" is a longing song from Margo, who is dying to see Bill, who is still overseas.
Between this song and the next, Bill has made it home, and his homecoming party becomes disastrous after a misunderstanding.
"Fasten Your Seat Belts" is a strange one. I'm not quite sure what's happening in it. It's not bad, of course, but I'm not sure what's going on.
"Welcome to the Theatre" has Margo confronting Eve, who she isn't happy about. She basically tries to dissuade her from the career with this one. This song is dripping with venom, though it's fairly subtle at the beginning.
Bill accuses Margo of being paranoid about Eve and they fight. They say goodbye after this and Act I ends.
Act II starts with Margo missing a performance and is stuck in the country for a night.
"Good Friends" is a song about friendship and how one can rely on good friends. This is a pretty cookie cutter song, but I like the banjo accompaniment.
"She's No Longer a Gypsy" is a parody of a girl who became an instant success, obviously a jab at Eve, who took over for Margo after she couldn't make it. I like this song because of the jabs at narcissism and slight references to other musicals.
"One of a Kind" is a song from Bill to Margo after he's recognized what Eve was up to. He's still in love with her, but she's married to her career. The references to their past are funny and sweet.
"One Hallowe'en" has Eve remembering a Halloween. She's smugly congratulating herself on how good of an actress she is for fooling people. It's an upbeat song, for a villain. She is kind of a bitch too.
"Something Greater" has Margo realizing her career is over, but now she can be with Bill forever. It's basically about silver linings. Just because things are terrible, it doesn't mean there aren't good things to find. In this case, she gets to be with the one she loves. Bill joins in and we see happiness between the two.
The "Finale" answers the question "Why do we live this crazy life?". This finale harkens back to Applause, of course. It's a pretty good ending to a pretty good show.
As I said, the show itself is pretty good, but not much to write home about. I wonder what the ole' randomizer will give us tomorrow? :)
Thursday, October 6, 2011
South Pacific
This is one everyone should know. I mean, it'sSouth Pacific. Rogers and Hammerstein musicals are legendary for a reason. They're immediately recognizable, the lyrics are timeless (for the most part, considering most are period pieces), and the music is incredibly catchy.
The music is by Richard Rogers and the lyrics/book were written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan. It opened in 1949 on Broadway, during a time when the subject matter was still very much in the public mind due to reasons I'm not going to explain, because if you don't already know, I weep for humanity. Unfortunately, I can't find an mp3 version that contains all the songs, so this is going to be a bit condensed and the descriptions will be short. I'm really sorry for that. :( Let's get started.
The overture, as in typical R&H fashion, is sweeping and magnificent. It summarizes the musical themes of the show all into one orchestral piece.
The first song, "Dites-Moi", has a slow musical intro and two half-Polynesian children singing while they're playing together. It's a nice introduction.
"A Cock-Eyed Optimist" features Navy nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush singing to plantation owner Emile de Becque about staying positive that the outcome of the war will be fine. It's one of those upbeat numbers that you hear a lot in older musicals - especially R&H ones.
"Twin Soliloquies" has both of these characters singing to themselves about the love they have for the other. It's a sweet and romantic song that foreshadows some of the musical themes later on.
"Some Enchanted Evening" is probably one of the most popular songs in the history of showtunes. It has Emile expressing to Nellie his feelings and regales how he fell in love with her immediately. If you listen to a Broadway radio station, you're likely to hear this one at least once a week.
"Bloody Mary" is an example of how desperate the men on the island are getting when it comes to women. It's a pretty funny song and it's very hummable.
"There is Nothin' Like a Dame" has the soldiers all fantasizing about what it would be like if there were actual women on the island. It's yet another classic that you'll hear often.
"Bali Ha'i" is a song with a haunting melody about a mysterious island called Bali Ha'i. The Navy needs someone to go there to help them succeed in the war effort.
"I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of my Hair" has Nellie deciding that she has fallen in love with Emile for little reason and that she'll spurn him. Pretty much immediately afterward, Emile visits and invites her to a party where he explains his past and asks Nellie to marry him. She accepts.
"A Wonderful Guy" is pretty much the opposite of the last song and is my absolute favorite song on the entire soundtrack. She's happy to be in love with Emile.
"Younger than Springtime" has Lt. Cable and Bloody Mary's daughter, Liat, falling in and, er, making love. It's a sweet song. Bloody Mary happily proclaims that Cable will be her son-in-law.
Now, because of the way this soundtrack is, we're skipping ahead to Act 2.
"Happy Talk" is a song by Bloody Mary urging Cable and Liat to marry and not to worry too much. Cable fears his racist family won't accept her and declines, which doesn't turn out well. This song is very catchy.
"Honey Bun" has Nellie dressed as a male sailor singing about his sweetheart. The song isn't really important, but it is good comic relief. As well all know, there needs to be comic relief in a play...especially in the second act when things are bound to get darker. After this, Emile tries to convince Nellie to marry him after a "fight" they had earlier. She claims she can't do it because she knows that Emile's children have a Polynesian mother. Lots of racism in this play.
"You've Got to be Carefully Taught" has Cable explaining that hatred, prejudice, and fear are not natural things and are taught to people at a young age. He's obviously not happy about it.
"This Was Nearly Mine" has Emile lamenting what he could have had. He decides to go with Cable to Bali H'ai. It's a sad song, obviously and what happens afterward is even more sad.
Cable ends up being killed and Emile narrowly escapes.
"Finale" as my cd calls it, is a reprise of "Dites-Moi". Emile, Nellie, and their children sing the song as the show closes. She has dropped her prejudices and we have a happy ending (for this set of lovers, at least.)
There's not much more that can be said of a musical like this, as most R&H plays follow a certain formula and this musical is VERY well-known. Still, I'm glad to listen to it through again. I again apologize for the shortness and the delay. The next review won't be like this.
The music is by Richard Rogers and the lyrics/book were written by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan. It opened in 1949 on Broadway, during a time when the subject matter was still very much in the public mind due to reasons I'm not going to explain, because if you don't already know, I weep for humanity. Unfortunately, I can't find an mp3 version that contains all the songs, so this is going to be a bit condensed and the descriptions will be short. I'm really sorry for that. :( Let's get started.
The overture, as in typical R&H fashion, is sweeping and magnificent. It summarizes the musical themes of the show all into one orchestral piece.
The first song, "Dites-Moi", has a slow musical intro and two half-Polynesian children singing while they're playing together. It's a nice introduction.
"A Cock-Eyed Optimist" features Navy nurse Ensign Nellie Forbush singing to plantation owner Emile de Becque about staying positive that the outcome of the war will be fine. It's one of those upbeat numbers that you hear a lot in older musicals - especially R&H ones.
"Twin Soliloquies" has both of these characters singing to themselves about the love they have for the other. It's a sweet and romantic song that foreshadows some of the musical themes later on.
"Some Enchanted Evening" is probably one of the most popular songs in the history of showtunes. It has Emile expressing to Nellie his feelings and regales how he fell in love with her immediately. If you listen to a Broadway radio station, you're likely to hear this one at least once a week.
"Bloody Mary" is an example of how desperate the men on the island are getting when it comes to women. It's a pretty funny song and it's very hummable.
"There is Nothin' Like a Dame" has the soldiers all fantasizing about what it would be like if there were actual women on the island. It's yet another classic that you'll hear often.
"Bali Ha'i" is a song with a haunting melody about a mysterious island called Bali Ha'i. The Navy needs someone to go there to help them succeed in the war effort.
"I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of my Hair" has Nellie deciding that she has fallen in love with Emile for little reason and that she'll spurn him. Pretty much immediately afterward, Emile visits and invites her to a party where he explains his past and asks Nellie to marry him. She accepts.
"A Wonderful Guy" is pretty much the opposite of the last song and is my absolute favorite song on the entire soundtrack. She's happy to be in love with Emile.
"Younger than Springtime" has Lt. Cable and Bloody Mary's daughter, Liat, falling in and, er, making love. It's a sweet song. Bloody Mary happily proclaims that Cable will be her son-in-law.
Now, because of the way this soundtrack is, we're skipping ahead to Act 2.
"Happy Talk" is a song by Bloody Mary urging Cable and Liat to marry and not to worry too much. Cable fears his racist family won't accept her and declines, which doesn't turn out well. This song is very catchy.
"Honey Bun" has Nellie dressed as a male sailor singing about his sweetheart. The song isn't really important, but it is good comic relief. As well all know, there needs to be comic relief in a play...especially in the second act when things are bound to get darker. After this, Emile tries to convince Nellie to marry him after a "fight" they had earlier. She claims she can't do it because she knows that Emile's children have a Polynesian mother. Lots of racism in this play.
"You've Got to be Carefully Taught" has Cable explaining that hatred, prejudice, and fear are not natural things and are taught to people at a young age. He's obviously not happy about it.
"This Was Nearly Mine" has Emile lamenting what he could have had. He decides to go with Cable to Bali H'ai. It's a sad song, obviously and what happens afterward is even more sad.
Cable ends up being killed and Emile narrowly escapes.
"Finale" as my cd calls it, is a reprise of "Dites-Moi". Emile, Nellie, and their children sing the song as the show closes. She has dropped her prejudices and we have a happy ending (for this set of lovers, at least.)
There's not much more that can be said of a musical like this, as most R&H plays follow a certain formula and this musical is VERY well-known. Still, I'm glad to listen to it through again. I again apologize for the shortness and the delay. The next review won't be like this.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Shock Treatment
We now come to the first movie musical in the bunch. In this case, it's never been a stage show before and has only ever appeared in film form. Today's musical is Shock Treatment, which is a "spiritual sequel" to the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I know the vast majority of RHPS fans hate this movie, but I find it to be pretty good.
Shock Treatment was written as a sort of sequel to RHPS by Richard O' Brien. The film was released in 1981, which explains the sound of the show being more like the music of that decade. The reception for the movie at the time was not flattering, and I can certainly see why, though I still enjoy the film. The characters Brad and Janet are not played by the original actors that played them in RHPS, though the Brad in this film is played by the actor that was the original choice for the character in RHPS.
Let's get into it.
We get an opening narration about a man who lived everything entirely too fast.
Next we get the overture which displays the country feel many of the songs have, while a a large crowd enters a sound stage, filling up the room. We see Brad and Janet grabbing their own seats.
We're introduced to the first song, "Denton U.S.A.". It's a very cheesy song about the supposed innocence of Denton. You know, if you have to sing about how innocent you are...you probably aren't. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The whole town seems to be into this television studio as if it's their entire lives. Right off the bat, you get the feeling that something is very wrong with this town. Almost in a pseudo-Lovecraftian way.
Betty Hapschatt (yes, that minor character from RHPS) speaks to a judge, played by Charles Gray, the criminologist from the previous film. We see the symbol for Farley Flavors, which looks frighteningly like a swastika. It seems that Betty and Ralph split up in between the films. We're also introduced to Bert Schnick, the blind, German host of the show "Marriage Maze." He'll be important later. Brad and Janet are picked for the show to come up to the stage for marriage counseling. Poor Brad seems to be an emotional wreck. I'd assume this is because of the trauma from the end of the previous film.
"Bitchin' in the Kitchen" has Brad and Janet calling upon the appliances they see in commercials to help them with their marriage and life problems. It's weird, I know, but remember what film this is a sequel to. Brad is wheeled off to Dentonvale, a tv show/madhouse.
We're introduced to Dr. Cosmo and Nation McKinley. They're played by Richard O' Brien and Patricia Quinn. They're married in this film. Bert has Janet's parents are answering quiz questions in a gameshow for a new home on another tv show on this crazy network. Apparently, someone has bought Cosmo's tv show.
"In My Own Way" has Janet singing to Brad about her own dilemma of being married to an emotionally shattered man. While she's upset that Brad is no longer the man she knew, she still loves him. This song uses some of the same guitar riffs that songs in RHPS did.
Brad is in an insane asylum now and Janet receives gifts from her mother. Janet's father is kind of a jerk.
He starts a song called "Thank God I'm a Man". This is a strange song and definitely my least favorite in the whole film. Not only because it offends me personally, but because it's really a terrible song. Thank the gods that it's short.
The judge and Betty drink coffee in their office. Apparently, Bert has some plans for Janet that Cosmo and Nation are apprehensive about. The weird people in charge of the station try to convince Janet she's not happy and introduce her to Farley Flavors via tv.
"Farley's Song" is a perfect example of a villain song. He's cocky, arrogant, and overtly evil. He's also awesome. He'll tell you so himself. I like this character a lot.
Farley wants Janet to be his idea of the perfect girl next door for his media empire...and world domination. I don't get it either. Janet is pretty excited about the prospect of being a star. They all decide to go to bed. Meanwhile, the judge and Betty do some snooping around the studio to uncover something or the other.
"Lullaby" has the characters singing about how sleep will hopefully bring clarity to their problems. It's a pretty inconsequential song that's clearly meant for padding, but I really like it's catchiness. I find myself singing this one every now and then. We also see that nearly no one in town ever actually goes home. We also return to a pretty funny scene with the judge and Betty.
Everyone is getting ready for the day ahead and Janet meets up with Cosmo who transitions us into the next song.
"Little Black Dress" has Cosmo explaining about how dressing up is his favorite thing in the world and how a little black dress is truly the greatest piece of clothing. Janet agrees, dons the black dress and sings with him. Um, I think I can see why people dislike this movie so much now. There's a LOT of padding. Luckily the songs that are padding are typically catchy and good.
"Me of Me" has Janet singing for the camera in an 80s music video or something. It's pretty hard to follow this movie.
Apparently the crowd goes wild and Janet leaves to give Brad some medication. Brad is noticeably upset and so are Janet's parents. Janet is turning into quite a bad person.
"Shock Treatment" is the title song and it's a great one. I'm not sure what it's about, but we get to hear a lot of Cosmo, Nation, and whoever the nurse played by Little Nell is. It's obvious what they're planning to do with Brad, and it's not pretty. The judge, seeing the spectacle, sums it up nicely: "Macabre, isn't it? The blind leading the blind." Bert can also sing and dance, apparently.
The town is crazy for Janet, though not for any good reason. Bert and Farley have plans for Janet and she's fallen for their fame game hook, line, and sinker.
"Carte Blanche" is a very short song taking place on a balcony. It's pretty pointless.
Betty and the judge are hatching up a scheme. Janet's mother feeds Brad some sedatives. Poor Brad.
"Looking For Trade" is a drug trip Janet has after having one too many cosmos and pills. The set is very cool for this one, with bright red lights. Brad actually gets to sing a little in this one. Janet hallucinates seeing Brad all over the place.
Janet wakes up to some fans annoying her. The judge and Betty scheme to break Brad out of the asylum. He gives some dramatic one liners at every point, like an ex-Bond villain should.
"Look What I did to my Id" has the characters singing about their futures in television. It's another pretty inconsequential song to the plot, but it's a good look at the television obsessed culture in our country.
Farley is getting ready for the show and a song "Breaking Out" is sung by a local band called Oscar Drill. During this song, the judge and Betty break Brad out of his prison. Appropriate, I suppose.
We see the villains all laughing at a round table during an interview. Apparently, Farley is Brad's brother and he resented Brad for getting what he never could in Janet and a stable upbringing. Janet walks onto the stage and is crowned Miss Mental Health. The president of a car company gives a key to Janet for a new car. Farley enters the scene and addresses the audience. Brad breaks in with the judge and Betty.
"Duel Duet" is a duet song between Brad and Farley about their sibling rivalry. It takes place in their minds and it's awesome. Did I mention they're played by the same person? Brad REALLY kicks some ass in this song and kicks Farley to the curb mentally. Bert makes a comment that probably refers to him being an ex-Nazi. Lovely. Janet chooses to go back to Brad. Farley makes some sort of speech to attempt to get his audience back. They all leave with him on some sort of journey. Brad and Janet are reunited and start singing.
"Anyhow, Anyhow" is an upbeat song with Brad, Janet, the judge, and Betty singing about how they're going to survive no matter what life throws at them. We also cut to all the townspeople in straightjackets singing a reprise of "Denton U.S.A." It really is a madhouse. Our heroes hot wire the car that Janet won and drive out of the studio.
"The sun never sets on those who ride into it".
After watching this film again, I may have been too lenient on it. Most of the songs are filler and the plot doesn't really make much sense. The songs that are memorable are actually good and the songs that are bad are horrible. I've seen worse movies and though this one is decent, it certainly doesn't live up to its predecessor. I'd just listen to the song "Shock Treatment" and call it a day.
Shock Treatment was written as a sort of sequel to RHPS by Richard O' Brien. The film was released in 1981, which explains the sound of the show being more like the music of that decade. The reception for the movie at the time was not flattering, and I can certainly see why, though I still enjoy the film. The characters Brad and Janet are not played by the original actors that played them in RHPS, though the Brad in this film is played by the actor that was the original choice for the character in RHPS.
Let's get into it.
We get an opening narration about a man who lived everything entirely too fast.
Next we get the overture which displays the country feel many of the songs have, while a a large crowd enters a sound stage, filling up the room. We see Brad and Janet grabbing their own seats.
We're introduced to the first song, "Denton U.S.A.". It's a very cheesy song about the supposed innocence of Denton. You know, if you have to sing about how innocent you are...you probably aren't. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. The whole town seems to be into this television studio as if it's their entire lives. Right off the bat, you get the feeling that something is very wrong with this town. Almost in a pseudo-Lovecraftian way.
Betty Hapschatt (yes, that minor character from RHPS) speaks to a judge, played by Charles Gray, the criminologist from the previous film. We see the symbol for Farley Flavors, which looks frighteningly like a swastika. It seems that Betty and Ralph split up in between the films. We're also introduced to Bert Schnick, the blind, German host of the show "Marriage Maze." He'll be important later. Brad and Janet are picked for the show to come up to the stage for marriage counseling. Poor Brad seems to be an emotional wreck. I'd assume this is because of the trauma from the end of the previous film.
"Bitchin' in the Kitchen" has Brad and Janet calling upon the appliances they see in commercials to help them with their marriage and life problems. It's weird, I know, but remember what film this is a sequel to. Brad is wheeled off to Dentonvale, a tv show/madhouse.
We're introduced to Dr. Cosmo and Nation McKinley. They're played by Richard O' Brien and Patricia Quinn. They're married in this film. Bert has Janet's parents are answering quiz questions in a gameshow for a new home on another tv show on this crazy network. Apparently, someone has bought Cosmo's tv show.
"In My Own Way" has Janet singing to Brad about her own dilemma of being married to an emotionally shattered man. While she's upset that Brad is no longer the man she knew, she still loves him. This song uses some of the same guitar riffs that songs in RHPS did.
Brad is in an insane asylum now and Janet receives gifts from her mother. Janet's father is kind of a jerk.
He starts a song called "Thank God I'm a Man". This is a strange song and definitely my least favorite in the whole film. Not only because it offends me personally, but because it's really a terrible song. Thank the gods that it's short.
The judge and Betty drink coffee in their office. Apparently, Bert has some plans for Janet that Cosmo and Nation are apprehensive about. The weird people in charge of the station try to convince Janet she's not happy and introduce her to Farley Flavors via tv.
"Farley's Song" is a perfect example of a villain song. He's cocky, arrogant, and overtly evil. He's also awesome. He'll tell you so himself. I like this character a lot.
Farley wants Janet to be his idea of the perfect girl next door for his media empire...and world domination. I don't get it either. Janet is pretty excited about the prospect of being a star. They all decide to go to bed. Meanwhile, the judge and Betty do some snooping around the studio to uncover something or the other.
"Lullaby" has the characters singing about how sleep will hopefully bring clarity to their problems. It's a pretty inconsequential song that's clearly meant for padding, but I really like it's catchiness. I find myself singing this one every now and then. We also see that nearly no one in town ever actually goes home. We also return to a pretty funny scene with the judge and Betty.
Everyone is getting ready for the day ahead and Janet meets up with Cosmo who transitions us into the next song.
"Little Black Dress" has Cosmo explaining about how dressing up is his favorite thing in the world and how a little black dress is truly the greatest piece of clothing. Janet agrees, dons the black dress and sings with him. Um, I think I can see why people dislike this movie so much now. There's a LOT of padding. Luckily the songs that are padding are typically catchy and good.
"Me of Me" has Janet singing for the camera in an 80s music video or something. It's pretty hard to follow this movie.
Apparently the crowd goes wild and Janet leaves to give Brad some medication. Brad is noticeably upset and so are Janet's parents. Janet is turning into quite a bad person.
"Shock Treatment" is the title song and it's a great one. I'm not sure what it's about, but we get to hear a lot of Cosmo, Nation, and whoever the nurse played by Little Nell is. It's obvious what they're planning to do with Brad, and it's not pretty. The judge, seeing the spectacle, sums it up nicely: "Macabre, isn't it? The blind leading the blind." Bert can also sing and dance, apparently.
The town is crazy for Janet, though not for any good reason. Bert and Farley have plans for Janet and she's fallen for their fame game hook, line, and sinker.
"Carte Blanche" is a very short song taking place on a balcony. It's pretty pointless.
Betty and the judge are hatching up a scheme. Janet's mother feeds Brad some sedatives. Poor Brad.
"Looking For Trade" is a drug trip Janet has after having one too many cosmos and pills. The set is very cool for this one, with bright red lights. Brad actually gets to sing a little in this one. Janet hallucinates seeing Brad all over the place.
Janet wakes up to some fans annoying her. The judge and Betty scheme to break Brad out of the asylum. He gives some dramatic one liners at every point, like an ex-Bond villain should.
"Look What I did to my Id" has the characters singing about their futures in television. It's another pretty inconsequential song to the plot, but it's a good look at the television obsessed culture in our country.
Farley is getting ready for the show and a song "Breaking Out" is sung by a local band called Oscar Drill. During this song, the judge and Betty break Brad out of his prison. Appropriate, I suppose.
We see the villains all laughing at a round table during an interview. Apparently, Farley is Brad's brother and he resented Brad for getting what he never could in Janet and a stable upbringing. Janet walks onto the stage and is crowned Miss Mental Health. The president of a car company gives a key to Janet for a new car. Farley enters the scene and addresses the audience. Brad breaks in with the judge and Betty.
"Duel Duet" is a duet song between Brad and Farley about their sibling rivalry. It takes place in their minds and it's awesome. Did I mention they're played by the same person? Brad REALLY kicks some ass in this song and kicks Farley to the curb mentally. Bert makes a comment that probably refers to him being an ex-Nazi. Lovely. Janet chooses to go back to Brad. Farley makes some sort of speech to attempt to get his audience back. They all leave with him on some sort of journey. Brad and Janet are reunited and start singing.
"Anyhow, Anyhow" is an upbeat song with Brad, Janet, the judge, and Betty singing about how they're going to survive no matter what life throws at them. We also cut to all the townspeople in straightjackets singing a reprise of "Denton U.S.A." It really is a madhouse. Our heroes hot wire the car that Janet won and drive out of the studio.
"The sun never sets on those who ride into it".
After watching this film again, I may have been too lenient on it. Most of the songs are filler and the plot doesn't really make much sense. The songs that are memorable are actually good and the songs that are bad are horrible. I've seen worse movies and though this one is decent, it certainly doesn't live up to its predecessor. I'd just listen to the song "Shock Treatment" and call it a day.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Sunset Boulevard
Today we have another Webber musical and this one isn't nearly as...different...as Starlight Express was. The play originally debuted at the Sydmonton Festival in 1991 and 1992. The show has lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and music, of course, by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It won Tonys for Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score. I certainly hope it lives up to that hype. :)
We start with "Overture/I Guess it Was 5AM." The overture itself is majestic and somber. It's fairly haunting. "I Guess it Was 5AM" starts talking about a murder. The song sounds pretty jazzy and I can't help but feel like it has elements of film noir.
"Let's Have Lunch" is the next song. The narrator, Joe, is a struggling screenwriter. Some repo men attempt to repossess his car. This is a very catchy song. He brings his script to a producer who shoots it down. He seems desperate for a job. Near the end of the song it has some great polyphony between the characters.
"Every Movie's a Circus" has a character named Betty telling Joe she likes his script. He has her distract the repo men and he avoids them...briefly. This leads to...
"Car Chase". It's exactly what it sounds like. It's an exciting instrumental piece, not unlike what one might hear in a decent action movie. He makes it to a garage at an old, run-down mansion.
"At the House on Sunset" has Joe wondering where he is. He's beckoned inside the house by aging silent film star, Norma Desmond. She never made the transition from silent-films over to movies.
"Surrender" has Norma singing about how things used to be. You can feel how heartbroken she is about no longer being in the limelight.
"With One Look" is a song you'll hear on any Broadway radio station and with good reason. There's something about it that sends chills down your spine. Norma exclaims how she is still capable of performing and that she doesn't need to speak to capture the hearts of the audience. It almost brings tears to my eyes just listening to this one. The version I listened to is the version that has Glenn Close in the role of Norma and she really tears it up.
"Salome" has Norma speaking with Joe about a script she wrote that she wants DeMille to direct called, well, Salome. She explains what the film will be about and that she wants to play the lead role. Joe sees potential in the script and convinces her to let him revise the script. There's a lot of energy in this song. Joe gives his own commentary about the incoherency of the plot, but he promises to attempt to revise it.
"The Greatest Star of All" has Max, Norma's butler, explaining why he loves her and why he stays with her. This version has George Hearn playing Max, and he never disappoints. Words cannot explain the feeling he puts into this song. After this, Joe makes observations about Norma's fame with her crying in the background.
Next is a reprise of "Every Movie's a Circus" and a MAJOR tone shift. This song is very upbeat, likely to offset the very sad songs before. Joe talks with Betty and it leads into...
"Boy Meets Girl". It seems Joe and Betty are diving into a romance. It's a cute song. Betty gives Joe some advice about what to do with the ending of "Salome". Some of the lyrics are pretty funny in-context of the time period the show takes place in.
"Back at the House on Sunset" has Max explaining that he writes all of Norma's fanmail. Apparently Norma is incredibly fragile and attempts to commit suicide. Joe is not happy with the circumstances, but continues to write.
The next song is "New Ways to Dream". Norma sings about how her films made people dream and think imaginatively. It's another very pretty song with echoes of "With One Look". Joe thinks on how beautiful Norma still is.
"Completion of the Script" has Joe finishing the script during a huge rainfall. Not long after the narration, organ music plays and Norma says Max will deliver the script to Demille. Joe thanks Norma for trusting him and Norma thanks Joe for finishing it. She's incredibly possessive of Joe now and she falls to pieces when he speaks of wanting to leave. Creepy.
"The Lady's Paying" has Norma giving a birthday party to Joe. Joe is given an entirely new wardrobe by a flamboyant tailor. It reminds me of the songs in Phantom that the owners of the theatre sing. Joe plans to go to a New Year's Eve party, but Norma doesn't want him to go.
"New Year's Eve" has Norma throwing her own party with Joe wanting to leave. The two dance the tango.
"The Perfect Year" continues the tango and I'm fairly certain that isn't the only dance they're doing (wink wink nudge nudge). Joe's in a bit of a pickle now. He finally figures out that there were no other guests. Norma is in love with him. He's freaked out. He ducks out.
"This Time Next Year" takes place at the New Year's party Joe's friend is throwing. It's a high energy song as a drunken party should reflect. The characters all talk about what they wish to do with the year and what they hope to be doing by this point next year. It really sounds like a good Webber song. He plans to stay with Artie and calls Max to have him bring his suitcase, but it seems Norma has cut her wrists with his razor.
When Joe returns back to Norma's house in "New Year's Eve: Back at the House", she isn't happy. Joe placates her by finishing Salome. He stays with her and the act finishes out.
There is an intermission song in "Entr'acte" and Act II starts.
"Sunset Boulevard" picks back up with Joe singing about his current situation at Sunset Boulevard. This is a haunting song about the problems of living in Hollywood. This song is probably my second favorite in the show behind "With One Luck" and "As if we Never Said Goodbye".
"There's Been a Call/Journey to Paramount" is about a phonecall Paramount apparently made to the house. Norma believes DeMille is interested in the film, but won't call back until she's ready. She dresses up extravagantly and makes her way to the studio. Someone working at the gate recognizes her. DeMille is ready to see her.
"As if we Never Said Goodbye" has several people recognizing Norma and greeting her warmly. This song is another very recognizable one. It uses the same melody as "With One Look" and is about how familiar the world of Paramount. It's truly a beautiful song. It's definitely a tie between the aforementioned song and this one for my favorite song.
"Paramount Conversations/Surrender(reprise)" has us figuring out that Norma was only called for the use of her car in a future film. Norma is too delusional to see it and still believes that they'll call her back in soon.
Next, we get a reprise of "Girl Meets Boy". Betty isn't so happy about how Joe has been avoiding her, but she continues to help him come up with an idea. It's a nice little look at a character that isn't Norma. :p
"Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering" has several characters getting Norma ready for stardom again. It's much like "The Lady's Paying" in that certain characters are this song that will likely never be heard from again.
"Who's Betty Schaefer?" has Norma figuring out that Joe has a thing going on with Betty. She is very upset, as we'll see.
"Betty's Office at Paramount" has Joe and Betty writing in her office. Ooh, romance~ Clearly, this won't end well.
"Too Much in Love to Care" has Betty explaining that Artie wants her to move to Tennessee with him. She doesn't wish to do this and tells Joe she's in love with him. We finally get a big song for Betty and Joe. Joe doesn't know how to feel and is conflicted. They decide that they're too much in love to care if their love is foolish or not. We also learn Max was the director of Norma's early films.
"New Ways to Dream (reprise)" is sung by Max and it's an explanation of how he discovered Norma and helped her rise to stardom. Max was Norma's first husband. It's a beautiful song and shows why Max really cares for her so much.
"The Phone Call" has Norma calling Betty. It's a scathing song that has her telling Betty just what Joe is "up to". Joe takes the phone away from Norma and tells Betty that she should see for herself the place he is living in. You can feel how desperate Norma is not to lose Joe.
"The Final Scene" has a (literally) thunderous opening. Joe tells Betty about how he is basically Norma's pet and he enjoys it. He doesn't want to leave the things he has gained with Norma to go back to his apartment. Joe tells Betty to go back to Artie and she tearfully leaves. Norma goes to Joe and thanks him. Joe is packing his things to head back to his hometown in Ohio. He tells Norma the truth about what Paramount wanted her for and about her fan mail. She breaks down and shoots Joe. She's in complete mental shock and in a delusional breakdown. She thinks she's on the set of Salome and descends. The song has a lot of throwbacks to earlier songs in the show. She gives a final speech to a person she believes to be Mr. DeMille. She delivers the immortal line "And now, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up." It's very sad, especially given everything Norma has gone through. Even being insane, you can feel her pain.
I loved this musical. It has everything that a musical needs to interest me and it has a LOT of heart. It's, of course, based on the famous movie of the same name and it really lives up to it. Webber hits it out of the park with the music for this one, and Glenn Close is absolutely breathtaking as Norma. I DEFINITELY recommend listening to this one.
We start with "Overture/I Guess it Was 5AM." The overture itself is majestic and somber. It's fairly haunting. "I Guess it Was 5AM" starts talking about a murder. The song sounds pretty jazzy and I can't help but feel like it has elements of film noir.
"Let's Have Lunch" is the next song. The narrator, Joe, is a struggling screenwriter. Some repo men attempt to repossess his car. This is a very catchy song. He brings his script to a producer who shoots it down. He seems desperate for a job. Near the end of the song it has some great polyphony between the characters.
"Every Movie's a Circus" has a character named Betty telling Joe she likes his script. He has her distract the repo men and he avoids them...briefly. This leads to...
"Car Chase". It's exactly what it sounds like. It's an exciting instrumental piece, not unlike what one might hear in a decent action movie. He makes it to a garage at an old, run-down mansion.
"At the House on Sunset" has Joe wondering where he is. He's beckoned inside the house by aging silent film star, Norma Desmond. She never made the transition from silent-films over to movies.
"Surrender" has Norma singing about how things used to be. You can feel how heartbroken she is about no longer being in the limelight.
"With One Look" is a song you'll hear on any Broadway radio station and with good reason. There's something about it that sends chills down your spine. Norma exclaims how she is still capable of performing and that she doesn't need to speak to capture the hearts of the audience. It almost brings tears to my eyes just listening to this one. The version I listened to is the version that has Glenn Close in the role of Norma and she really tears it up.
"Salome" has Norma speaking with Joe about a script she wrote that she wants DeMille to direct called, well, Salome. She explains what the film will be about and that she wants to play the lead role. Joe sees potential in the script and convinces her to let him revise the script. There's a lot of energy in this song. Joe gives his own commentary about the incoherency of the plot, but he promises to attempt to revise it.
"The Greatest Star of All" has Max, Norma's butler, explaining why he loves her and why he stays with her. This version has George Hearn playing Max, and he never disappoints. Words cannot explain the feeling he puts into this song. After this, Joe makes observations about Norma's fame with her crying in the background.
Next is a reprise of "Every Movie's a Circus" and a MAJOR tone shift. This song is very upbeat, likely to offset the very sad songs before. Joe talks with Betty and it leads into...
"Boy Meets Girl". It seems Joe and Betty are diving into a romance. It's a cute song. Betty gives Joe some advice about what to do with the ending of "Salome". Some of the lyrics are pretty funny in-context of the time period the show takes place in.
"Back at the House on Sunset" has Max explaining that he writes all of Norma's fanmail. Apparently Norma is incredibly fragile and attempts to commit suicide. Joe is not happy with the circumstances, but continues to write.
The next song is "New Ways to Dream". Norma sings about how her films made people dream and think imaginatively. It's another very pretty song with echoes of "With One Look". Joe thinks on how beautiful Norma still is.
"Completion of the Script" has Joe finishing the script during a huge rainfall. Not long after the narration, organ music plays and Norma says Max will deliver the script to Demille. Joe thanks Norma for trusting him and Norma thanks Joe for finishing it. She's incredibly possessive of Joe now and she falls to pieces when he speaks of wanting to leave. Creepy.
"The Lady's Paying" has Norma giving a birthday party to Joe. Joe is given an entirely new wardrobe by a flamboyant tailor. It reminds me of the songs in Phantom that the owners of the theatre sing. Joe plans to go to a New Year's Eve party, but Norma doesn't want him to go.
"New Year's Eve" has Norma throwing her own party with Joe wanting to leave. The two dance the tango.
"The Perfect Year" continues the tango and I'm fairly certain that isn't the only dance they're doing (wink wink nudge nudge). Joe's in a bit of a pickle now. He finally figures out that there were no other guests. Norma is in love with him. He's freaked out. He ducks out.
"This Time Next Year" takes place at the New Year's party Joe's friend is throwing. It's a high energy song as a drunken party should reflect. The characters all talk about what they wish to do with the year and what they hope to be doing by this point next year. It really sounds like a good Webber song. He plans to stay with Artie and calls Max to have him bring his suitcase, but it seems Norma has cut her wrists with his razor.
When Joe returns back to Norma's house in "New Year's Eve: Back at the House", she isn't happy. Joe placates her by finishing Salome. He stays with her and the act finishes out.
There is an intermission song in "Entr'acte" and Act II starts.
"Sunset Boulevard" picks back up with Joe singing about his current situation at Sunset Boulevard. This is a haunting song about the problems of living in Hollywood. This song is probably my second favorite in the show behind "With One Luck" and "As if we Never Said Goodbye".
"There's Been a Call/Journey to Paramount" is about a phonecall Paramount apparently made to the house. Norma believes DeMille is interested in the film, but won't call back until she's ready. She dresses up extravagantly and makes her way to the studio. Someone working at the gate recognizes her. DeMille is ready to see her.
"As if we Never Said Goodbye" has several people recognizing Norma and greeting her warmly. This song is another very recognizable one. It uses the same melody as "With One Look" and is about how familiar the world of Paramount. It's truly a beautiful song. It's definitely a tie between the aforementioned song and this one for my favorite song.
"Paramount Conversations/Surrender(reprise)" has us figuring out that Norma was only called for the use of her car in a future film. Norma is too delusional to see it and still believes that they'll call her back in soon.
Next, we get a reprise of "Girl Meets Boy". Betty isn't so happy about how Joe has been avoiding her, but she continues to help him come up with an idea. It's a nice little look at a character that isn't Norma. :p
"Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering" has several characters getting Norma ready for stardom again. It's much like "The Lady's Paying" in that certain characters are this song that will likely never be heard from again.
"Who's Betty Schaefer?" has Norma figuring out that Joe has a thing going on with Betty. She is very upset, as we'll see.
"Betty's Office at Paramount" has Joe and Betty writing in her office. Ooh, romance~ Clearly, this won't end well.
"Too Much in Love to Care" has Betty explaining that Artie wants her to move to Tennessee with him. She doesn't wish to do this and tells Joe she's in love with him. We finally get a big song for Betty and Joe. Joe doesn't know how to feel and is conflicted. They decide that they're too much in love to care if their love is foolish or not. We also learn Max was the director of Norma's early films.
"New Ways to Dream (reprise)" is sung by Max and it's an explanation of how he discovered Norma and helped her rise to stardom. Max was Norma's first husband. It's a beautiful song and shows why Max really cares for her so much.
"The Phone Call" has Norma calling Betty. It's a scathing song that has her telling Betty just what Joe is "up to". Joe takes the phone away from Norma and tells Betty that she should see for herself the place he is living in. You can feel how desperate Norma is not to lose Joe.
"The Final Scene" has a (literally) thunderous opening. Joe tells Betty about how he is basically Norma's pet and he enjoys it. He doesn't want to leave the things he has gained with Norma to go back to his apartment. Joe tells Betty to go back to Artie and she tearfully leaves. Norma goes to Joe and thanks him. Joe is packing his things to head back to his hometown in Ohio. He tells Norma the truth about what Paramount wanted her for and about her fan mail. She breaks down and shoots Joe. She's in complete mental shock and in a delusional breakdown. She thinks she's on the set of Salome and descends. The song has a lot of throwbacks to earlier songs in the show. She gives a final speech to a person she believes to be Mr. DeMille. She delivers the immortal line "And now, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close up." It's very sad, especially given everything Norma has gone through. Even being insane, you can feel her pain.
I loved this musical. It has everything that a musical needs to interest me and it has a LOT of heart. It's, of course, based on the famous movie of the same name and it really lives up to it. Webber hits it out of the park with the music for this one, and Glenn Close is absolutely breathtaking as Norma. I DEFINITELY recommend listening to this one.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Five Guys Named Moe
Today we have another musical I've never listened to before. My younger brother has seen this one before and told me he liked it as a kid, but doesn't remember much about it. Let's dig in.
Five Guys Named Moe debuted on the West End in 1990 and at Broadway in 1992. The music and lyrics are by Louis Jordan, who the show is a tribute to. I can't seem to find a plot synopsis of this one, so I'll interpret what I can from the songs. From what I've found, this is a very high energy show that involves a lot of audience participation. When listening to this one, get ready for some jazz.
We start with a very jazzy overture where the narrator introduces us to the five Moes, Big Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Eat Moe, No Moe, and Little Moe. You have to love the puns. They all seem rather arrogant.
Our next song, "Early in the Morning" is fairly quiet and mellow. If we weren't already in the mood for jazz or the blues, we should be by now. The lyrics indicate the narrator is going through all of the normal things that cause the blues, but it's early in the morning. Geeze, I know how that feels.
Our next song is "Brother Beware". Has a narrator telling us about the kind of women to be afraid of - the ones who fall in love with you! He explains why we shouldn't bother with these girls. This is a pretty funny song.
"I Like 'Em Fat Like That" is exactly what it says on the tin. It's yet another comedic song. I'd be surprised if you don't crack a smile during this song, at least.
"Messy Bessy" is about a raucous woman who one of the Moes seems to be dating and his troubles trying to keep her presentable in public. We get an awesome saxophone solo in this song. This is a song that seems to be very danceable.
"Pettin' and Pokin'" gives a story about Jack and Jill...not the hill walkers, but a couple of lovers who live next door who never can seem to keep "quiet". At one point a lion visits the pair and runs back into its cage! Oh married life.
"Life is So Peculiar" is about peculiar things that make complete sense. I don't quite get the point of this song, but it's lively.
"I Know What I've Got" is about seeing that his girl isn't the best, but she's far from the worst. Have I mentioned how short these songs are? Because they're very short.
"Azure Te" is a slow and quiet song about longing for someone far away. This is one of those songs that it seems easy to drink to in a dimly lit bar.
"Safe, Sane, and Single" starts off with some slow humming and quickly picks up energy. It's basically a hoedown song about staying single. One of the verses is pretty damn funny. This is probably one of my favorites.
"Push Ka Pi Shi Pie" has a Calypso flavor to it. It's very upbeat with a rhythm like what you'd typically find in most Calypso dance music. From what I gather, the song itself is about a female con-artist.
"Saturday Night Fish Fry" has a big band sound. I definitely like this one.
"What's the Use of Getting Sober?" is pretty depressing. Alcoholism tends to be. :(
"If I Had Any Sense" is very short and it's very upbeat. The lyrics are not nearly as upbeat as the music. Ouch, lyrical dissonance.
"Dad Gum Your Hide, Boy" is great. It's about repaying what is owed...sort of. You just have to listen to it. :)
"Let the Good Times Roll" contains parts of the title song and is a very exciting song. I can only assume there is some great dancing while this song is being performed because of the sound effects in the song.
"Cal'donia" sounds quite a bit like other songs in the show, but this one has a lot more audience participation. These kinds of shows are always a lot of fun.
"There Ain't Nobody Here But Us" is about someone hiding in a hen house. Um, you'll have to listen to it. This is my favorite in the show.
"Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" is another slow, sad song. Geeze, I feel like I need a drink now.
"Look Out Sister" is a continuation on "Brother Beware", except it's a warning for the ladies. I find this one funnier.
"Choo Choo Boogie" is one I've heard before. It's really catchy and I'll probably be humming it the rest of the night.
The next song is a medley of three songs. The one I recognize right off the bat is "Is You is or is You Ain't my Baby?" I blame Tom & Jerry.
Now we get another track named "Five Guys Named Moe". It's very short and it plays the group out.
The final song is "Band Play Out", which is exactly what it sounds like. It's a jazz number that plays the Moes out while they sing a bit. It's a great ending to the show and sounds a lot like a good time to give applause and standing ovations and whatnot.
Overall, I'd say I liked this musical, even if it was a bit short on substance. I'm hoping for something with more content tomorrow. :)
Five Guys Named Moe debuted on the West End in 1990 and at Broadway in 1992. The music and lyrics are by Louis Jordan, who the show is a tribute to. I can't seem to find a plot synopsis of this one, so I'll interpret what I can from the songs. From what I've found, this is a very high energy show that involves a lot of audience participation. When listening to this one, get ready for some jazz.
We start with a very jazzy overture where the narrator introduces us to the five Moes, Big Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Eat Moe, No Moe, and Little Moe. You have to love the puns. They all seem rather arrogant.
Our next song, "Early in the Morning" is fairly quiet and mellow. If we weren't already in the mood for jazz or the blues, we should be by now. The lyrics indicate the narrator is going through all of the normal things that cause the blues, but it's early in the morning. Geeze, I know how that feels.
Our next song is "Brother Beware". Has a narrator telling us about the kind of women to be afraid of - the ones who fall in love with you! He explains why we shouldn't bother with these girls. This is a pretty funny song.
"I Like 'Em Fat Like That" is exactly what it says on the tin. It's yet another comedic song. I'd be surprised if you don't crack a smile during this song, at least.
"Messy Bessy" is about a raucous woman who one of the Moes seems to be dating and his troubles trying to keep her presentable in public. We get an awesome saxophone solo in this song. This is a song that seems to be very danceable.
"Pettin' and Pokin'" gives a story about Jack and Jill...not the hill walkers, but a couple of lovers who live next door who never can seem to keep "quiet". At one point a lion visits the pair and runs back into its cage! Oh married life.
"Life is So Peculiar" is about peculiar things that make complete sense. I don't quite get the point of this song, but it's lively.
"I Know What I've Got" is about seeing that his girl isn't the best, but she's far from the worst. Have I mentioned how short these songs are? Because they're very short.
"Azure Te" is a slow and quiet song about longing for someone far away. This is one of those songs that it seems easy to drink to in a dimly lit bar.
"Safe, Sane, and Single" starts off with some slow humming and quickly picks up energy. It's basically a hoedown song about staying single. One of the verses is pretty damn funny. This is probably one of my favorites.
"Push Ka Pi Shi Pie" has a Calypso flavor to it. It's very upbeat with a rhythm like what you'd typically find in most Calypso dance music. From what I gather, the song itself is about a female con-artist.
"Saturday Night Fish Fry" has a big band sound. I definitely like this one.
"What's the Use of Getting Sober?" is pretty depressing. Alcoholism tends to be. :(
"If I Had Any Sense" is very short and it's very upbeat. The lyrics are not nearly as upbeat as the music. Ouch, lyrical dissonance.
"Dad Gum Your Hide, Boy" is great. It's about repaying what is owed...sort of. You just have to listen to it. :)
"Let the Good Times Roll" contains parts of the title song and is a very exciting song. I can only assume there is some great dancing while this song is being performed because of the sound effects in the song.
"Cal'donia" sounds quite a bit like other songs in the show, but this one has a lot more audience participation. These kinds of shows are always a lot of fun.
"There Ain't Nobody Here But Us" is about someone hiding in a hen house. Um, you'll have to listen to it. This is my favorite in the show.
"Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" is another slow, sad song. Geeze, I feel like I need a drink now.
"Look Out Sister" is a continuation on "Brother Beware", except it's a warning for the ladies. I find this one funnier.
"Choo Choo Boogie" is one I've heard before. It's really catchy and I'll probably be humming it the rest of the night.
The next song is a medley of three songs. The one I recognize right off the bat is "Is You is or is You Ain't my Baby?" I blame Tom & Jerry.
Now we get another track named "Five Guys Named Moe". It's very short and it plays the group out.
The final song is "Band Play Out", which is exactly what it sounds like. It's a jazz number that plays the Moes out while they sing a bit. It's a great ending to the show and sounds a lot like a good time to give applause and standing ovations and whatnot.
Overall, I'd say I liked this musical, even if it was a bit short on substance. I'm hoping for something with more content tomorrow. :)
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Starlight Express
Ah, we go to the first of many musicals I've never listened to before. It is always exciting to listen to something new. :) These may be less in-depth than the ones I have listened to, but I'll try and use the same track by track look into the show the way I did with Music Man. Let's begin, shall we?
Starlight Express debuted in London in 1984 with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Wikipedia says the plot features around a group of toy railway trains, portrayed by actors on roller-skates, who come to life inside the mind of a small boy. The characters race to become the 'fastest engine in the world', and in the end, the underdog, Rusty, triumphs, winning the race and the heart of a beautiful observation car, Pearl. Neat. Oh, and I'm listening to the original London production, according to the CD. Well, let's dig in.
The overture has already gotten me interested in the show. It has a very 80s sound to it and a very sci-fi one at that. It's very keyboard and synth heavy with some kind of narrator. By the end, it sounds like the score to a movie that will lead us into some sort of grand adventure. Very nice.
The first song is "Rolling Stock" and it has a pretty rocking intro. This song is sung by Greaseball and his gang of thugs. Oh, and they're trains. Diesel trains. This song has sort of a David Bowie sound to it. I cannot say that is a bad thing. The character seems pretty full of himself and seems to believe he'll never lose a race.
Enter our hero, Rusty, with the song "Call me Rusty". He's a steam train, apparently. Greaseball and his posse try and intimidate him. Rusty is confident for a rusty engine. He seems like our typical 80s hero, only, of course, he's a train. You go, steam train.
"A Lotta Locomotion" introduces us to the Coaches, and they don't seem to be as confident as he is in his ability to race. The song is pretty poppy and shows us the personalities of the Coaches. We have Ashley, the smoking car who is trying to kick the habit. Buffy, the buffet car who offers snacks. Dinah, the dining car who lends an ear. Finally, we have Pearl, the "new" girl. I'm guessing she's the leading girl. Er, coach.
Next, we have what sounds like another villain song for Greaseball, "Pumping Iron". He's got a rock theme, it seems. He's taking the diesel thing to sound like a greaser.
The next song is "Freight", which introduces the boxcars. I really like the guitar in this song. There isn't much to say about this one, really.
The next song, "AC/DC" introduces us to Electra. He's a showoff like Greaseball. He's got a pretty sexy voice. I like this song a lot, though the synthed voices can be a little grating. I like his use of "AC/DC" to refer to his use of electricity and also his sexuality. Oh, did I mention he was an electric train? His components do a lot of the singing for him. According to the plot synopsis, he's a new challenger in the race that's coming up.
Next, we have "He Whistled at Me". Pearl seems to have dreams of a steam engine that will whistle for her. Man, I'm digging the synth in this show. She runs off to pair up with Electra.
Finally, we start "The Race", which on versions that are not the one I have, is apparently called "Heat One". It starts with the narrator character starting the race. This has something of a disco sound to it, and it seems easy to dance to. Oh, and supposedly, this scene has Greaseball and Dinah cheating. That's not cool, guys.
"There's Me" has Dinah and Greaseball arguing about the cheating. Dinah isn't happy about it. Wait a second, the melody sounds a bit like a Phantom of the Opera song. Nicely done, Webber. This is sung by C.B., who I don't believe I remember. The song is pretty and sounds like your classic musical ballad song.
Ooh, the next song is a blues song called "Poppa's Blues". It's very soulful and teaches us about the blues. You've got to love blues songs in musicals. There's some awesome piano and harmonica in this one. Rusty says he doesn't really want to race unless Pearl will race with him. Poppa offers up another coach for him, Belle the Sleeping Car. Which segues into...
"Belle the Sleeping Car" I bet you didn't see that coming. I really like her voice and she explains the story of her life. She used to race with Poppa and Rusty asks to race with her and she accepts.
Next we enter "Starlight Express". In this song, I believe Poppa has been knocked out of the race and nearly killed. He tells Rusty to believe in the Starlight Express, which I assume is some sort of train god. :p Not a bad song at all. This finishes off Act I.
Act II starts with "The Rap". Guess what kind of song it is. Anyway, it has the characters arguing about whether or not Rusty can take Poppa's place. They decide that he should. I've never been a rap fan, so I can't say I'm a fan of this song, especially it seems like one of those rap songs that older people try to imitate whenever they want to seem cool these days.
The next song, U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. has Dinah singing about Greaseball. It's a parody of D.I.V.O.R.C.E. It's pretty funny.
After this, we have a reprise of "Rolling Stock". It has the girls convincing Dinah that she can make Greaseball jealous if she races with Electra.
Next, we have "CB". It starts off sounding like "There's Me" and "The Rap". From what I gather, CB is fond of causing disasters for fun. I like this one because I get to hear more Electra. :)
"Right Place, Right Time" is a rap about racism...I think. It's not bad, but it's pretty forgettable.
After this, we have another plea to the train god with "I Am the Starlight". The train god appears before Rusty and tells him that he has the ability to be Starlight himself. It gives Rusty faith in himself and he now has determination. I like the train god's voice. This sounds a lot like songs from other Webber musicals, but I really dig it.
Then we have a "He Whistled at Me" reprise. My favorite thing about this song is the Cockney accent of the character singing with Rusty...that I still can't identify. This is one of those musicals that I really need to see in order to identify the characters well. Dinah complains that Electra can't whistle at her.
Up next is "Race: The Final". Electra, CB, and Greaseball all crash; Rusty rescues Pearl from Greaseball; and he wins! Again, we have a lot of synth and keyboard with drum machines. I can't imagine how other people would feel about this, but because I'm a big fan of New Wave and 80s pop/rock, I rather like it.
"No Comeback" is a very cool song. I can't really explain what it is about this song that I like, but I guess the fact that it's a tirade by Electra makes me like it. That train has a sexy voice. The song itself reminds me of "Danger Zone" for some reason.
"One Rock n' Roll Too Many" has the cast laughing at the condition Greaseball is in. This is another song that reminds me of the kind of song you'd hear in Grease.
"Only He" is a power ballad delivered by Pearl. It's your basic 80s power ballad sung by a woman...and there's nothing wrong with that. She really tears it up in this song. :)
"Only You" gives us a duet between Rusty and Pearl. Now they're together. Aww. This song really soft-rocks the house. Not being a fan of soft-rock, I can't say I really like this one, but story-wise it's sweet.
"Light at the End of the Tunnel" sounds like a gospel song praising the train god and it brings a message that many steampunk aficionados would agree with. This song is pretty funny to me. Control gets angry that they're not following it any more. Woot, renewable energy in the form of steam. What a way to end the show.
Starlight was an interesting musical. I don't think I'll likely find another musical like it (barring anything that Webber ever does, considering his shows tend to sound the same when Tim Rice isn't involved.) I'm glad to have heard it and I like it, but I wouldn't consider it a favorite. Here's a short clip of AC/DC:
If you can find a better version, please tell me about it and I'll embed that one instead. :)
Starlight Express debuted in London in 1984 with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Wikipedia says the plot features around a group of toy railway trains, portrayed by actors on roller-skates, who come to life inside the mind of a small boy. The characters race to become the 'fastest engine in the world', and in the end, the underdog, Rusty, triumphs, winning the race and the heart of a beautiful observation car, Pearl. Neat. Oh, and I'm listening to the original London production, according to the CD. Well, let's dig in.
The overture has already gotten me interested in the show. It has a very 80s sound to it and a very sci-fi one at that. It's very keyboard and synth heavy with some kind of narrator. By the end, it sounds like the score to a movie that will lead us into some sort of grand adventure. Very nice.
The first song is "Rolling Stock" and it has a pretty rocking intro. This song is sung by Greaseball and his gang of thugs. Oh, and they're trains. Diesel trains. This song has sort of a David Bowie sound to it. I cannot say that is a bad thing. The character seems pretty full of himself and seems to believe he'll never lose a race.
Enter our hero, Rusty, with the song "Call me Rusty". He's a steam train, apparently. Greaseball and his posse try and intimidate him. Rusty is confident for a rusty engine. He seems like our typical 80s hero, only, of course, he's a train. You go, steam train.
"A Lotta Locomotion" introduces us to the Coaches, and they don't seem to be as confident as he is in his ability to race. The song is pretty poppy and shows us the personalities of the Coaches. We have Ashley, the smoking car who is trying to kick the habit. Buffy, the buffet car who offers snacks. Dinah, the dining car who lends an ear. Finally, we have Pearl, the "new" girl. I'm guessing she's the leading girl. Er, coach.
Next, we have what sounds like another villain song for Greaseball, "Pumping Iron". He's got a rock theme, it seems. He's taking the diesel thing to sound like a greaser.
The next song is "Freight", which introduces the boxcars. I really like the guitar in this song. There isn't much to say about this one, really.
The next song, "AC/DC" introduces us to Electra. He's a showoff like Greaseball. He's got a pretty sexy voice. I like this song a lot, though the synthed voices can be a little grating. I like his use of "AC/DC" to refer to his use of electricity and also his sexuality. Oh, did I mention he was an electric train? His components do a lot of the singing for him. According to the plot synopsis, he's a new challenger in the race that's coming up.
Next, we have "He Whistled at Me". Pearl seems to have dreams of a steam engine that will whistle for her. Man, I'm digging the synth in this show. She runs off to pair up with Electra.
Finally, we start "The Race", which on versions that are not the one I have, is apparently called "Heat One". It starts with the narrator character starting the race. This has something of a disco sound to it, and it seems easy to dance to. Oh, and supposedly, this scene has Greaseball and Dinah cheating. That's not cool, guys.
"There's Me" has Dinah and Greaseball arguing about the cheating. Dinah isn't happy about it. Wait a second, the melody sounds a bit like a Phantom of the Opera song. Nicely done, Webber. This is sung by C.B., who I don't believe I remember. The song is pretty and sounds like your classic musical ballad song.
Ooh, the next song is a blues song called "Poppa's Blues". It's very soulful and teaches us about the blues. You've got to love blues songs in musicals. There's some awesome piano and harmonica in this one. Rusty says he doesn't really want to race unless Pearl will race with him. Poppa offers up another coach for him, Belle the Sleeping Car. Which segues into...
"Belle the Sleeping Car" I bet you didn't see that coming. I really like her voice and she explains the story of her life. She used to race with Poppa and Rusty asks to race with her and she accepts.
Next we enter "Starlight Express". In this song, I believe Poppa has been knocked out of the race and nearly killed. He tells Rusty to believe in the Starlight Express, which I assume is some sort of train god. :p Not a bad song at all. This finishes off Act I.
Act II starts with "The Rap". Guess what kind of song it is. Anyway, it has the characters arguing about whether or not Rusty can take Poppa's place. They decide that he should. I've never been a rap fan, so I can't say I'm a fan of this song, especially it seems like one of those rap songs that older people try to imitate whenever they want to seem cool these days.
The next song, U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. has Dinah singing about Greaseball. It's a parody of D.I.V.O.R.C.E. It's pretty funny.
After this, we have a reprise of "Rolling Stock". It has the girls convincing Dinah that she can make Greaseball jealous if she races with Electra.
Next, we have "CB". It starts off sounding like "There's Me" and "The Rap". From what I gather, CB is fond of causing disasters for fun. I like this one because I get to hear more Electra. :)
"Right Place, Right Time" is a rap about racism...I think. It's not bad, but it's pretty forgettable.
After this, we have another plea to the train god with "I Am the Starlight". The train god appears before Rusty and tells him that he has the ability to be Starlight himself. It gives Rusty faith in himself and he now has determination. I like the train god's voice. This sounds a lot like songs from other Webber musicals, but I really dig it.
Then we have a "He Whistled at Me" reprise. My favorite thing about this song is the Cockney accent of the character singing with Rusty...that I still can't identify. This is one of those musicals that I really need to see in order to identify the characters well. Dinah complains that Electra can't whistle at her.
Up next is "Race: The Final". Electra, CB, and Greaseball all crash; Rusty rescues Pearl from Greaseball; and he wins! Again, we have a lot of synth and keyboard with drum machines. I can't imagine how other people would feel about this, but because I'm a big fan of New Wave and 80s pop/rock, I rather like it.
"No Comeback" is a very cool song. I can't really explain what it is about this song that I like, but I guess the fact that it's a tirade by Electra makes me like it. That train has a sexy voice. The song itself reminds me of "Danger Zone" for some reason.
"One Rock n' Roll Too Many" has the cast laughing at the condition Greaseball is in. This is another song that reminds me of the kind of song you'd hear in Grease.
"Only He" is a power ballad delivered by Pearl. It's your basic 80s power ballad sung by a woman...and there's nothing wrong with that. She really tears it up in this song. :)
"Only You" gives us a duet between Rusty and Pearl. Now they're together. Aww. This song really soft-rocks the house. Not being a fan of soft-rock, I can't say I really like this one, but story-wise it's sweet.
"Light at the End of the Tunnel" sounds like a gospel song praising the train god and it brings a message that many steampunk aficionados would agree with. This song is pretty funny to me. Control gets angry that they're not following it any more. Woot, renewable energy in the form of steam. What a way to end the show.
Starlight was an interesting musical. I don't think I'll likely find another musical like it (barring anything that Webber ever does, considering his shows tend to sound the same when Tim Rice isn't involved.) I'm glad to have heard it and I like it, but I wouldn't consider it a favorite. Here's a short clip of AC/DC:
If you can find a better version, please tell me about it and I'll embed that one instead. :)
Saturday, October 1, 2011
The Music Man
Well, here we are! The first musical on the list, as deemed by the random generator. I am already pretty familiar with this musical because I saw it once at the Tennessee Theatre (the film, I mean, not the actual play). I love the story and the characters, but I'm not so fond of how long it is.
The Music Man opened up in 1957 with lyrics and music by Meredith Wilson. The story, as if you don't already know, is about a conman salesman ("Professor" Harold Hill) who enters a town (River City) to try and bamboozle them out of their money. All kinds of waaaacky things happen to prevent the mayor from ever really catching him and somehow through all this, he falls in love with the town librarian (Marian).
The first song, "Rock Island", is an interesting one and always one that I like to listen to. It involves a bunch of salesmen on a train, and they keep their conversation in the tune of train noises. It's very entertaining. It ends with Harold stepping off the train and entering River City.
The second song, "Iowa Stubborn", gives us a picture of the kind of people "Dr." Hill will be trying to con. The movie has a certain sight gag that I always laugh at that reminds me slightly of Rocky Horror. I like this song.
The third song "(Ya Got)Trouble", is probably my favorite song in the whole show, as I'm sure it is for many. Professor Hill needs a scapegoat so the people will listen to him, and he singles out the new pool table in town as a source of "corruption" for the young people. The whole town gets involved in the song and it's a blast to see and hear. You've got to love a smooth con man.
The fourth song "Piano Lesson", introduces us to Marian and her mother. It's a short song, but it's entertaining how they frame their conversation on the music a child is playing on the piano in the background.
The fifth song "Goodnight, My Someone", has Marian pining for a man who may or may not exist. It shows us that she's not the ice queen that people in town might think she is. It's a rather sweet song, and pretty relatable, I think.
The next song "Seventy-Six Trombones", is a very catchy and rousing song where Harold has convinced the town to purchase supplies and lessons for a boy's band in River City, which he of course, has no intention of supplying. It's a great march song and is very high energy. It's definitely a favorite of mine.
This one is followed by the first of the quartet songs "Sincere". Hill convinces the school board members to sing together (to get them out of his hair). After this, they are never apart. I like the song, but the quartet starts to get grating later on in the play.
The eighth song is "Sadder, But Wiser". Harold and his old friend talk about how he wants to find a girl that you know will end up being Marian. Not much to say about this one.
The ninth song, I'm going to combine with the tenth one because I'd rather not waste time on the quartet song. This one is called "Pickalittle (Talk-a-little)" and it's a pretty funny song because of the connection it makes with the gossiping ladies and a bunch of chickens. The movie shoves a bunch of chickens into the scene just in case we didn't get that. Funny song. Harold gets harassed by the school board, but he gets them to sing good night to the ladies.
The next song is another favorite of mine "Marian the Librarian". In this song, Harold tries to convince Marian to basically go out with him. It's a cute song.
The 11th song is "My White Knight". It's basically Marian's second "I Want" song. It's pretty, but it doesn't bring much to the show. It's at least better than what's coming later.
And the last song in the first act is "The Wells Fargo Wagon". It's a pretty amusing song that the townspeople sing about, well, you know. Living in a pretty small town, I can't help but feel the same way when I see the UPS truck and I know Amazon is supposed to be sending me my order.
The second act opens up with another quartet song and then it shifts into the most pointless song in the show "Shipoopi". I really can't say I like this song at all, considering all it seems to be is filler. I generally skip this one.
Next we get a reprise of Pick-a-little and another quartet song. This quartet song is sung along with "Will I Ever Tell You?" It's kind of a duet between the quartet and Marian and it's the only other song featuring the quartet that I don't skip besides the first one.
Next up is "Gary, Indiana". Mr. Hill tries to explain where he's from and comes up with this one on the spot. It's a pretty good song and it pushes the plot along.
Next we get a reprise of a quartet song and that's followed by Marian's song to Harold, "Til There Was You." This is a beautiful song, especially if you're listening to the original cast album. Barbara Jones has such a beautiful voice and it really shows in this song. The end of the song has Harold singing with her. Sure, the lyrics don't make much sense considering how fast she fell for Harold, but hey, this is a musical, and in musicals love is spontaneous and beautiful (most of the time). Just roll with it.
This is followed by a reprise of "Seventy-Six-Trombones, "Good Night My Someone" and then a final reprise for "Til There Was You". I won't usually go over reprises unless I feel they're especially good, and while these are certainly not bad, I won't really go into them.
That's pretty much the ending of the play. Overall, I really like this one. Harold Hill is one of the greatest musical characters ever and it really shows. The only thing to really say against it is the abundance of filler songs, but even most of those have importance (except Shipoopi.) I recommend seeing the movie if you haven't seen the show before. It's a little long, but it's good.
The Music Man opened up in 1957 with lyrics and music by Meredith Wilson. The story, as if you don't already know, is about a conman salesman ("Professor" Harold Hill) who enters a town (River City) to try and bamboozle them out of their money. All kinds of waaaacky things happen to prevent the mayor from ever really catching him and somehow through all this, he falls in love with the town librarian (Marian).
The first song, "Rock Island", is an interesting one and always one that I like to listen to. It involves a bunch of salesmen on a train, and they keep their conversation in the tune of train noises. It's very entertaining. It ends with Harold stepping off the train and entering River City.
The second song, "Iowa Stubborn", gives us a picture of the kind of people "Dr." Hill will be trying to con. The movie has a certain sight gag that I always laugh at that reminds me slightly of Rocky Horror. I like this song.
The third song "(Ya Got)Trouble", is probably my favorite song in the whole show, as I'm sure it is for many. Professor Hill needs a scapegoat so the people will listen to him, and he singles out the new pool table in town as a source of "corruption" for the young people. The whole town gets involved in the song and it's a blast to see and hear. You've got to love a smooth con man.
The fourth song "Piano Lesson", introduces us to Marian and her mother. It's a short song, but it's entertaining how they frame their conversation on the music a child is playing on the piano in the background.
The fifth song "Goodnight, My Someone", has Marian pining for a man who may or may not exist. It shows us that she's not the ice queen that people in town might think she is. It's a rather sweet song, and pretty relatable, I think.
The next song "Seventy-Six Trombones", is a very catchy and rousing song where Harold has convinced the town to purchase supplies and lessons for a boy's band in River City, which he of course, has no intention of supplying. It's a great march song and is very high energy. It's definitely a favorite of mine.
This one is followed by the first of the quartet songs "Sincere". Hill convinces the school board members to sing together (to get them out of his hair). After this, they are never apart. I like the song, but the quartet starts to get grating later on in the play.
The eighth song is "Sadder, But Wiser". Harold and his old friend talk about how he wants to find a girl that you know will end up being Marian. Not much to say about this one.
The ninth song, I'm going to combine with the tenth one because I'd rather not waste time on the quartet song. This one is called "Pickalittle (Talk-a-little)" and it's a pretty funny song because of the connection it makes with the gossiping ladies and a bunch of chickens. The movie shoves a bunch of chickens into the scene just in case we didn't get that. Funny song. Harold gets harassed by the school board, but he gets them to sing good night to the ladies.
The next song is another favorite of mine "Marian the Librarian". In this song, Harold tries to convince Marian to basically go out with him. It's a cute song.
The 11th song is "My White Knight". It's basically Marian's second "I Want" song. It's pretty, but it doesn't bring much to the show. It's at least better than what's coming later.
And the last song in the first act is "The Wells Fargo Wagon". It's a pretty amusing song that the townspeople sing about, well, you know. Living in a pretty small town, I can't help but feel the same way when I see the UPS truck and I know Amazon is supposed to be sending me my order.
The second act opens up with another quartet song and then it shifts into the most pointless song in the show "Shipoopi". I really can't say I like this song at all, considering all it seems to be is filler. I generally skip this one.
Next we get a reprise of Pick-a-little and another quartet song. This quartet song is sung along with "Will I Ever Tell You?" It's kind of a duet between the quartet and Marian and it's the only other song featuring the quartet that I don't skip besides the first one.
Next up is "Gary, Indiana". Mr. Hill tries to explain where he's from and comes up with this one on the spot. It's a pretty good song and it pushes the plot along.
Next we get a reprise of a quartet song and that's followed by Marian's song to Harold, "Til There Was You." This is a beautiful song, especially if you're listening to the original cast album. Barbara Jones has such a beautiful voice and it really shows in this song. The end of the song has Harold singing with her. Sure, the lyrics don't make much sense considering how fast she fell for Harold, but hey, this is a musical, and in musicals love is spontaneous and beautiful (most of the time). Just roll with it.
This is followed by a reprise of "Seventy-Six-Trombones, "Good Night My Someone" and then a final reprise for "Til There Was You". I won't usually go over reprises unless I feel they're especially good, and while these are certainly not bad, I won't really go into them.
That's pretty much the ending of the play. Overall, I really like this one. Harold Hill is one of the greatest musical characters ever and it really shows. The only thing to really say against it is the abundance of filler songs, but even most of those have importance (except Shipoopi.) I recommend seeing the movie if you haven't seen the show before. It's a little long, but it's good.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Overture
For some, musicals are considered a guilty pleasure. Not this guy. I love musicals with all my heart. I love them so much that I want to start writing about them every day that I can. Musicals embody so much of what I consider good about the world and life in general, even though sometimes the subjects can be dark (Sweeney Todd, for example) or the endings depressing (West Side Story, anyone?)
That's why I'm going to write about one musical per day. I'll randomly select a musical from a list, listen to it, and then I'll write my thoughts about it. There will be no grading scale or anything like that, because I don't believe that does justice to anyone. Originally, I was going to start with "Merrily We Roll Along", but because that cd is taking a little longer to get here, I'll begin with a randomly selected musical like the rest.
I hope that I can make this interesting enough for people to read, but if not, this is a great way to try and place my thoughts out there every day and to expand my horizons with new musicals I hadn't given a chance.
From now on, anything goes. :)
That's why I'm going to write about one musical per day. I'll randomly select a musical from a list, listen to it, and then I'll write my thoughts about it. There will be no grading scale or anything like that, because I don't believe that does justice to anyone. Originally, I was going to start with "Merrily We Roll Along", but because that cd is taking a little longer to get here, I'll begin with a randomly selected musical like the rest.
I hope that I can make this interesting enough for people to read, but if not, this is a great way to try and place my thoughts out there every day and to expand my horizons with new musicals I hadn't given a chance.
From now on, anything goes. :)
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