Could I Leave You? Question

Who do you feel interprets this song best?

Alexis Smith... actually she doesn't interpret the song.. she OWNS it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_Jj0ZLyHQA&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PL6C6696D0CE7CD563

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Interesting, I didn't know about the alternate lyrics. I think Donna Murphy interprets it best. Jan Maxwell's is wonderful as well.

The Julie Andrews version is good: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bkTAKWyB38

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Updated On: 10/20/11 at 06:44 AM

Oh, they're all good, but Alexis Smith's acid delivery seemed not only well-performed in 1971--it seemed shocking.

Her performance was the musical-theater equivalent of the first performances of Hedda Gabler: the reaction of the audience was "People don't do that sort of thing! They don't say that sort of thing! They don't think that sort of thing--or, if they do, they keep it to themselves."

But of course, the brilliance of Sondheim (and his collaborators) was that, in reality, every woman in the audience (and some of the men) had indeed thought that sort of thing, many times, and had always wanted to say it.

Alexis expressed all that, dazzlingly. And then she came out at the end of the show and dazzled us again.

For anyone who saw that performance, hers is the greatest rendition.

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Yep, overkill, same here. Love it.

The only one I've seen live is Jan's which I loved bbut they're all so great. I don't think Carol Burnett has been mentioned so I'll throw her name out . EDIT: I like that Carol was angry but more than anyone else she found the humor in the song. She found it so funny that Ben (or old man or George Yearn or whoever) was so focused on his own misery he'd completely missed her sadness and rage.
Phyllis is one of those roles that seems to have endless possibilities but any choice made works. It's a testament to the quality of writing that Alexis' cool, understated approach is as equally effective as Donna's wild attack of the song.

Updated On: 10/20/11 at 12:02 PM

It's a great song, and all the versions mentioned are terrific. However, I'd have to go with Donna Murphy's version at the Sondheim birthday celebration. What sets this performance apart from the others is that we have a spellbound Patti LuPone in the background, clearly enthralled with Murphy's rendition.

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qolbinau: LOL.

I vote Donna Murphy as well.

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Updated On: 10/20/11 at 04:52 PM

Want to throw my hat in the ring for Dee Hoty. I've always thought hers has a good mix of the icy veneer cracking with moments of the passion exploding through. Just so well sung, and I just think she's fabulous.

But, as others have said, you can't go wrong with any of these ladies.

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I think those lyric changes were put in place for "Putting it Together." I'm not 100% sure, but that recording is the first time I heard those lyrics.

It makes a HUGE difference, actually. There is a major difference in a relationship where the couple has sex once a week and a relationship where they have sex once a year. One is average and one is almost non-existent.

Deciding who performs it best is splitting hairs. It's an excellently written song and any capable actress could perform it and have it be quite moving. Heck, Paltrow could sing it on Glee and it would still be genuinely good stuff.

I love threads like this.

That's quite a difference between passionless lovemaking once a year and once a week. Each is sad in its own way. Maybe the "once a week" version is meant to make Ben more of a heel, condescending and selfish with Phyllis the victim.