The Silver Screen Oasis

"And Eve Was Weak" from the original Broadway production of CARRIE: THE MUSICAL with Betty Buckley as Margaret White and Linzi Hateley as Carrie
Music by Michael Gore and lyrics by Dean Pitchford

The show closed on Broadway after only 16 previews and 5 performances so there was no cast album. This recording is from closing night.



I was singing this part recently while making dinner.
I might have freaked out my neighbors.

And God made Eve from Adam’s rib
And Eve was weak
And Eve was weak
And I was weak.
I prayed this day would never come.
I should have known.
I should have known.
Now I’m alone
And so afraid.
Oh, Lord, I’ve seen this power before.
The flesh is weak and I implore
Father, don’t forsake her!
Father, take her!
Cleanse and purify her
With the fire
And the power
And the glory
Forever
And ever
And ever!
Amen!

listening to a tearjerker of a song: "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush. It was originally written for the 1988 film She's Having a Baby, and thoroughly upstaged the rest of the film. Amazing that the Academy could not even nominate it for Best Song at the time. I gather from the comments on YouTube that it has just appeared in that new Tom Hanks film (Man Called Otto) where it is causing massive wells of tears in the audiences who attend the film. Some songs really do not lose their power.....

^ I like KATE BUSH.

BEATLES FOR SALE

Mr Tambourine Man by The Byrds June 1965

One of my favorite albums, I own every Byrds album so I thought I would review all of them in the coming days and weeks. The original group consisted of lead guitarist/vocalist Jim McGuinn, singer and songwriter Gene Clark, singer/guitarist David Crosby, bass player Chris Hillman and drummer Michael Clarke.

The title track opens the album, a great version of Bob Dylan's original. McGuinn's jangling 12 string electric and his Dylan/John Lennon combination voice which blended well on harmonies with Gene Clark and David Crosby. A Gene Clark original "I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better" is next, a great pop song with terrific ringing guitar playing, Gene's voice has an interesting scratchy, weary quality. A nice version of Dylan's "Spanish Harlem Incident" is next. A more rocking song with a Ray Charles style guitar riff is on "You Won't Have To Cry" where you can hear Crosby's beautiful, clear tenor voice. "Here Without You" is a hauntingly beautiful Gene original with great harmonies. "The Bells Of Rymney" , a traditional song about a Welsh mining disaster ends Side 1. The ringing guitar and soaring Gothic harmonies of Jim, Gene and David give a haunting feel to this. Side 2 opens with another Dylan song, the playful and dark humored "All I Really Want To Do". Another beautiful Gene Clark ballad "I Knew I'd Want You" is next. "Don't Doubt Yourself Babe" is a Jackie DeShannon song with a Bo Diddley beat. "Chines Of Freedom" is a fine version of a Dylan protest song. The last track is the old World World II English song "We'll Meet Again" done with tongue in cheek style, as in the recent Stanley Kubrick film Dr Strangelove

Charo- Malagueña

Turn Turn Turn by The Byrds- Dec 1965

The groups' second album, though not as great as the first, still some good stuff on here. The title cut opens it, the best song on the album, more jangling electric guitar and beautiful 3 part harmony singing the whole song, another classic. "It Won't Be Long" is catchy song with driving beat, co written by McGuinn and Harvey Gerst. "Set You Free This Time" has another interesting weary vocal from Gene Clark. "Lay Down Your Weary Tune" has more good harmonies on a Dylan song. The side ends with the haunting tribute to JFK, "He Was A Friend Of Mine". Side 2 opens with "The World Turns All Around Her" a great pop song with more lush harmonies. "Satisfied Mind" is good version of a classic country song. They do a version of Dylan's "The Times They Are A Changing" but it is too bouncy and uptempo for the song's lyrics. McGuinn and Crosby co wrote a good Beatles-like number "Wait And See". It ends with an OK rendition of the Stephen Foster classic "Oh Susannah".

DEPECHE MODE People Are People

THE ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND Live At Fillmore East

SAM COOKE Portrait of a Legend

Chicago - "25 or 6 to 4" (Live 7/21/70)

Fifth Dimension by The Byrds-Jul 1966

The group's third album and another winner. Gene Clark had quit prior to this being recorded.The title track opens it and has some mystical lyrics by McGuinn. Some beautiful harmonies on the traditional song "Wild Mountain Thyme". McGuinn then does a funny novelty song "Mr Spaceman". McGuinn and Crosby wrote "I See You" together and it is one of the best with some ominous melody and lyrics. Crosby sings solo on "What's Happening" an OK song. My favorite track is the chilling anti war "I Come And Stand At Every Door" sung from the POV of a dead 7 year old Japanese child killed at Hiroshima. "Eight Miles High" is a great top twenty single about flying in a jet plane, with an excellent bass line and outer worldly 12 string electric guitar breaks. Crosby sings a fast version of "Hey Joe" which was popular with garage bands at the time. "John Riley" is another traditional song with beautiful harmony singing. It ends with 2-4-2 Fox Trot, another song about flight with some Lear Jet sound effects.

Younger Than Yesterday by T-he Byrds Feb 1967

The fourth album by the group and my second favorite, right after Mr Tambourine Man. The first great track is the satiric "So You Want To Be A Rock N Roll Star". written by Jim McGuinn and Chris Hillman. Hillman also wrote "Have You Seen Her Face" with an excellent guitar riff and good melody, his songs on here are as good as anything the others did. "CTA 102" is another fun look at outer space and space men, with some weird sound effects. "Renaissance Fair" is a McGuinn/Crosby song with haunting melody and dream like lyrics. "Time Between" is nice bluegrass tune by Hillman. "Everybody Has Been Burned" is a Crosby song with some hypnotic guitar and great restrained vocal from Crosby. "Thoughts And Words" is another fine Hillman song with some psychedelic guitar. "Mind Gardens" is a Crosby song that was criticized but I think it's fun psychedelic trip. The next song is my favorite on the album, a beautiful version of Bob Dylan's "My Back Pages". I think it is the best version they ever did of Dylan. "The Girl With No Name" is another good Hillman bluegrass number. "Why" is more good psychedelia which ends the album.