Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
I really got more of a "The Wizard and I" impression from it.
It's more similar thematically to "The Wizard and I" but there are some chords that are undeniably "Defying Gravity"
Never noticed the similarities between You and Me and Defying Gravity until you mentioned it. No wonder I love it so much.
For the record guys, The Wizard and I and Defying Gravity are essentially the same song as well. So it's both. You can literally sing both songs over You And Me (trust me, I've been doing it for days now lol).
I second the SUNDAY quote when I first heard the opening note motive of "Making Things Up". Unlike the others, however, that homage just seems kind of arbitrary.
And the verse to "Hasa Diga" is quite evidently the intro to "I Just Can't Wait to Be King"; really listen to the melody of both...it's identical. I have my LION KING score in front of me and can actually sing "There isn't enough food to eat, hasa diga eebowai" in tandem with the given notes. Of course, replicating the orchestration in the toms, winds, and marimba helps, as well.
And I can't be the only person who thought of MISS SAIGON's "Sun and Moon" when I first heard "Sal Tlay Ka Siti". Anyone? Please?!
I can hear some of these references, but I don't see how "Making Things Up Again" is anything like "There is Life Outside Your Apartment". Maybe I'm just not hearing it?
And I can't be the only person who thought of MISS SAIGON's "Sun and Moon" when I first heard "Sal Tlay Ka Siti". Anyone? Please?!
THAT'S WHAT IT IS!!! THANK YOU!!! I knew it was something I loved dearly, but I couldn't put my finger on it. You are so right.
Featured Actor Joined: 5/8/06
"I can hear some of these references, but I don't see how "Making Things Up Again" is anything like "There is Life Outside Your Apartment". Maybe I'm just not hearing it?"
The chorus of both are structurally very similar. Listen just to the line "There is Life Outside Your Apartment" in conjunction with "You're making things up again, Arnold", hopefully it'll make sense then.
Not to keep harping on this, but I'm surprised no one mentioned the blatant similarity in tone/instrumentation/concept of "I Am Africa" to "Circle of Life". Perhaps it was already said.
Where is this said FIDDLER reference? That's the one I'm missing.
And, can we assume that the spoken patter bits of "All-American Prophet" are a la THE MUSIC MAN? Although the music, too, does seem to ring a bell for me.
Okay, I'll concede that this IS quite a substantial amount of pastiche. But, really, is it that problematic? THE PRODUCERS, SPAMALOT, and AVENUE Q all did that (to varying degrees) and had great success to say the least.
I've been listening to this all day.....I can't wait till my CD arrives!
I'd love to see this show again.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
Does anyone else get a vibe of "Mama Will Provide" from Once On This Island during "Hasa Diga Eebowai"?
I'm wondering if this is all pastiche or people just hearing similarities and deciding it's pastiche.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
I dunno, it may just be the similar style of music.
The only one of these observations that I think sounds EXACTLY like another song is You and Me. It's hard to NOT hear Wicked when listening to the song. The other ones I can see, but I don't think they are similar enough to say they are essentially the same. I understand some of the songs reminding people of other songs (Sal Tlay Ka City reminds me of Sun and Moon, but it doesn't sound EXACTLY like Sun and Moon), but I think the only one that sounds the same is the example cited above. And I don't know that it's even pastiche. It might just sound like Defying Gravity by chance.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
I just listened to "Sal Tlay Ka City" and I didn't hear "Sun and Moon" at all, though I did hear "Somewhere That's Green."
I think the only part that sounds like Somewhere That's Green is the very end.
When I saw Book of Mormon, all I could think of when I watched "All-American Prophet" was Joseph and the American Technicolor Dreamcoat. They both have that cheeky, rock 'n roll approach to legend.
Featured Actor Joined: 7/7/09
Gee. I was very pleased to be able to listen to the fully-covered album on the NPR site today. Haven't seen the show. So apparently it "works" on the stage. Which is good,
because truly, aside from some SouthPark-ian clever wordplay, I can't remember such a copy-cat, "stolen-and-pseudo-hommage-masking-as-original" Score in ages. I know it's the new thing. (Remember when all of NY came in their pants over "The Producers" and then thought twice.... kinda like Roberto Begnini winning the Oscar ?)
Oh well. The very fact that so many posts here are arguing about which tune or what lyric resembles what OTHER melody or dramatic concept only proves that what the Broadway World wants to celebrate as "new" seems to be based on imitatiom and, in-joke-comedy (instead of fresh writing). The ORCHESTRATIONS are stunning! And some of the singers -- when they get their voices out of their noses -- are terrific.
But "new", "fresh", "brilliant"....???
Talk through this again, when the latest ga-ga has overtaken the town.
Another one I haven't seen anyone mention is "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream." That's definitely a parody of "Dance of the Vampires."
The costumes, the rigid dancing and that hard rock/Euro-techno beat.
I'm not sure what the song was called in the Broadway version, but in the original German version it's a dream sequence as well and titled "Carpe Noctem." Look up "Tanz Der Vampire Carpe Noctem" on 'that site' and watch the first search result. You'll see what I mean. Very clever!
Another one I haven't seen anyone mention is "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream." That's definitely a parody of "Dance of the Vampires."
I doubt Matt and Trey even saw Dance of the Vampires, let alone gave it enough thought to pay homage to it in their musical.
Spooky Mormon Hell Dream is similar to their portrayals of hell in all their works, like in Bigger, Longer and Uncut- which predates Dance of the Vampires.
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/17/06
And, can we assume that the spoken patter bits of "All-American Prophet" are a la THE MUSIC MAN? Although the music, too, does seem to ring a bell for me.
I did hear similarities to MUSIC MAN in that song! I guess that must have been "what they were going for."
And by the way, was I the only one who heard a bit of "Hell Isn't Good" from SP:BL&U in "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" or was that a musical shout-out to "Number 918" from Altar Boyz (friends and coworkers of Lopez and Marx wrote the music) and a lot of the hellish bits from Jerry Springer: The Opera? (Oremus conducted that one)
^I think you're just throwing sh*t at the wall and hoping something sticks.
You can hear whatever you want, but that doesn't make the song an intentional reference to an obscure off-Broadway show written by acquaintances of the Book of Mormon conductor.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/27/05
I agree with orangeskittles. If you listen to "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream" it sounds very similar to the scene where Kenny gets sent to hell in South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut.
Also most hell-themed songs have that kind of sound to them. Listen to "Murder!" from Reefer Madness, for instance.
I can honestly say that this is the first cast recording since Avenue Q that I can't stop listening to. And when I can't listen to it, there's always one of the songs stuck in my head.
Videos