Glenn Slater's Lyrics in "Love Never Dies".

[Holbee]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 12:41pm

THIS about the supposed heir apparent to Howard Ashman:

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/stage/theatre/article7056896.ece

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 12:58pm

I know I've said this endlessly and have absolutely nothing concrete to back it up with, but I refuse to believe that the lyrics in Love Never Dies can be primarily blamed on Glenn Slater. I just go off of history, knowing that whenever Webber works with a decent lyricist, he beats all the clever out of him. Webber only cares about how pretty his music is, he doesn't want to tell a story well and doesn't seem to want his lyricists to, either. Whatever you thought of The Little Mermaid (the production looked so awful, I didn't even see it), his new lyrics in songs like "I Want the Good Times Back" were really nicely done and fit in very well with what Ashaman had written. There is no such thing as an "heir" to Howard Ashman, he is one of the greatest lyricists of all time and had a truly unique voice, but Glenn Slater is a real talent, too.

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 4:25pm

It's not really even that the lyrics are BAD, they are simply childish... thoughtless. Like no thought went into them. Find the easiest way to say say what we need to say... Especially The Phantom's lines.

They should have taken more time to work out the proper words.

Updated On: 3/14/10 at 04:25 PM

[BroadwayBenny]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 4:34pm

Couldn't agree more with comment about how the lyrics sound like they were lifted from Twitter updates. I was not impressed with his additional work in "The Little Mermaid." Even the otherwise lovely "Her Voice" and "If Only" don't even begin to compare to the wit that Ashman brought to the original songs.

"Love Never Dies" does have a few good moments but his lyrics at their best are merely serviceable.

2 strikes as far as I'm concerned.
Updated On: 3/14/10 at 04:34 PM

[BDrischBDemented]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 4:36pm

"Whatever you thought of The Little Mermaid... his new lyrics in songs like 'I Want the Good Times Back' were really nicely done and fit in very well with what Ashman had written."

Really? I thought most of the new song lyrics were pretty average. Not as bad as what he crapped out for "Love Never Dies" but certainly not as good as Ashman's lyrics to the original songs.

[James885]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 10:30pm

I was underwhelmed by Slater's lyrics in The Little Mermaid. IMO they sounded very pedestrian and they didn't seem to gel well with Howard Ashman's superior lyrics. His new lyrics for Love Never Dies have also left me underwhelmed, although there are a few nice moments.

Posted: 3/14/10 at 10:59pm

I can't take Glenn Slater seriously because of this Mermaid lyric: How could she just suddenly, completely disappear into thin water?

[James885]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 11:01pm

That's not as bad as this one from The World Above (Reprise): "I'll make you obey till you do as I say." It makes absolutely no sense.

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 11:18pm

Generally, I think he does much better with the more comedic numbers where he gets to play with words. He wins major brownie points from me for rhyming "good times back" with "aphrodisiac" (Howard Ashman surely would have approved) and "She acts like she don't see me, she doesn't even speak" with "She treats me like sashimi left over from last week."
Updated On: 3/14/10 at 11:18 PM

[CurtainPullDowner]

Posted: 3/14/10 at 11:54pm

I know it's from a COW movie,
but the way these lyrics go with the tune
is perfect:

Rain is pourin' down like the Heavens are hurtin'
Seems like it's been dark since the Devil knows when
How do you go on, never knowin' for certain
Will the Sun ever shine again?
Feels like it's been years since it started to thunder
Clouds are camping out in the valley and glen
How do you go on, when you can't help but wonder
Will the Sun ever shine again?
What if the rain keeps fallin'?
What if the sky stays grey?
What if the wind keeps squallin'?
And never goes away?
Maybe soon the storm will be tired of blowin'
Maybe soon it will be over, Amen
How do you go on, if there's no way of knowin'
Will the Sun ever shine?
Wish I could say
Send me a sign
one little ray
Lord if you're listnin'
How long untill then?
Will the Sun ever shine again?

[JBSinger]

Posted: 3/15/10 at 10:29am

There are a few lyrical clunkers in LOVE NEVER DIES, but mostly I think it's because ALW wants purple prose for his songs to float out of the show on. There is also very little opportunity for humor in LND, and humor is what Slater does best.

His lyrics for HOME ON THE RANGE are playful, descriptive, funny and touching.
SISTER ACT is a very solid score.
There are a couple cringe-worthy spots in LITTLE MERMAID (like the disappear into thin water noted above - gack). But mostly, they are pretty terrific. They are best when he and Alan got to fully create a song, not build one off of old underscoring.

He may not be Howard Ashman, but he's a solid craftsman and a good collaborator for Menken.