CHESS' Nobody's Side

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 10:31pm

I was going through youtube, watching, Idina Menzel's version which is excellent. Also I see that Julia Murney sang it, and some others... I think my picks are Judy Kuhn's and Idina's. I don't like Elaine Page's version too much. Which version is your favorite?

[ChecksintheMayo]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 11:07pm

Emma Kershaw. She's top on the list of few Florences who don't make my ears bleed.
Updated On: 10/12/08 at 11:07 PM

[ashley0139]

Posted: 10/11/08 at 11:30pm

Julia Murney. Love Judy's as well.

[philly03]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 12:14am

My favourite will always be Judy Kuhn's. I really liked Elaine's (although it obviosuly sounds different & older), and Coleen Sexton/Julia Murney are probably my third/fourth favourite. Menzel is quite possibly my least favourite.
Updated On: 10/12/08 at 12:14 AM

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 2:45am

JULIA MURNEY. As far as I'm concerned, she birthed that song (well, role really) a new life and called it "masterpiece".

[artifact11]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 12:38pm

It's still Elaine Paige- You spits out the lines with incredible fire, she is pissed and knows the world, the orchestration works with her to tremendous effect, her voice is the strongest.

The original is still the best.

[DeNada]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 8:02pm

I see your UK/US Florences and raise you Helen Sjoholm as a drunk, angry, clubbing (and awesome) Florence:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=knPdCfzGnmY

Nobody's Side is one of those that seems to sing itself, and it ALWAYS sounds good in any orchestration (unlike the god-awful country and western orchestration they had at the Albert Hall for Someone Else's Story!). Even Idina (who gave a pretty poor performance the night I saw Chess in Concert) did a good job on the song.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 8:03pm

Judy Kuhn all the way.

[Justin D]

Posted: 10/12/08 at 8:05pm

I am partial to the lady on the Swedish cast recording / DVD and love how she gets pissed off her head at the club and tosses the shows and dances with all the hotties, lol.

[Lorelai]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 12:55pm

JULIA MURNEY

[EponineAmneris]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 12:59pm

Judy Kuhn

[alliez92092]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 1:03pm

Julia Murney hands down. Judy Kuhn's version is brilliant as well. And as a huge Idina fan, I have to say that I was very underwhelmed with her performance of the song. Thought not nearly as underwhelmed as I was with Kerry Ellis's version of Someone Else's Story.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 3:19pm

Recording: Elaine Paige

Live: Judy McLane

[uncageg]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 4:04pm

It is my favorite song from the show and now it is stuck in my head and I am singing it at my desk. Even worse, I don't have it on my zune to listen to and no sound card on my work computer!

[LilMiZBroADwaY23]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 5:15pm

Julia Murney.

It's absolute perfection. She is the role to me.

[artifact11]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 5:15pm

Never let a friend fool you twice-

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 5:19pm

Murney pushes to hard on the number for my taste.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 5:50pm

I think Elaine Paige has the most control and power in that song. I've only heard her sing it in the recording, but prefer it to Murney (whom I normally love but seems to scream most of the song and only gets points for that money note) and I-screama.

That Swedish version was very well done, but also felt like an acid trip. Updated On: 10/13/08 at 05:50 PM

[A Fleur De Toi]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 5:56pm

I have to say Julia Murney brought more emotion to the song that the rest of the others put together. Case of pushing too much? I don't really think so. She isn't screamy throughout the entire song, just mostly for that crazy note she hits in the middle.

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 5:58pm

I feel the emotion from Elaine's. I feel like I'm being beaten ever the head with the song in Julia's.

[A Fleur De Toi]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 6:15pm

It's her crazy vibrato. Maybe it's a little too strong for your tastes in this song.

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 10:40pm

Idina Menzel's version of this song is scary: she did not quite make those money notes when she sang this at the Royal Albert Hall.

Not having seen her live, I'd go with Elaine Paige.

Someone above quoted a lyric. I love the energy and the melody of this song, but there are some dumbass lyrics in it. My favorite is, "Never waste a hot afternoon." WTF

[logan0215]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 10:59pm

Thats a fair assessment I think. I love her vibrato in other songs, and I think that depending on the key and the notes it has variation, but this song really just has it throughout.

[insertclevernamehere]

Posted: 10/13/08 at 11:01pm

I'm kind of loving Idina's version. I'm not a fan of Julia's version.

[Salene]

Posted: 10/14/08 at 12:47am

Elaine Paige (her rendition made me fall in love with musical theatre in the first place), Linzi Hateley, Helen Sjöholm.