Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 10:06am

Has anyone bought this yet? I got it today and I am slightly aghast. Aghast at Debbie and her terrible performance of the song, and aghast at myself for not really being able to think outside of the Idina/Shoshana/Eden/Wicked-as-a-stage-show box.

It's nice to hear a song performed kinda differently really isn't it. And it's nice to hear the solo version too. Interesting phrasing...

Anyway, the rest of the CD is divine Debbie-ness so that's all good.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 10:30am

Her making this the title track of the CD kept me away. I saw her in Jerome Robbins Broadway and Boys From Syracuse (she was wonderful in both), but I have no desire to hear her sing DG.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:13am

I heard her perform this song at Carnegie last October, and I agree with you completely. She doesn't have the vocal chops for it, and her version lacked any dramatic tension even though she seems like a very dramatic performer. She was much better in numbers like "Big Spender."

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:17am

i find the title and packaging CRINGEWORTHY. way to jump on a bandwagon and appear even more irrelevant. i think she did herself a real disservice.

[morosco]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:37am

I agree. Recording Defying Gravity was a poor artistic choice. But from a marketing standpoint it might make sense because the album will probably appeal to the kiddies.
Updated On: 1/12/06 at 11:37 AM

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:47am

Hell, it appealed to me. Maybe by some people's terms I'm a kid though. 22?

The packaging and title of a CD is not how I judge a recording...ever heard of judging a book by its cover? I like to listen to it beforehand and then decide. As it happens I hadn't heard this album but I liked her other stuff and was interested in a different version of Defying Gravity.

She definitely cannot handle the song. It is a tad cringeworthy if you have heard anyone else sing it. She has neither the range nor the breath control to handle it (at least she doesn't sound like she has the breath control). Listening to her other stuff, she sounds like at one point she could belt fairly well, although not up to those notes.

On the other hand, the rest of the CD is pretty good. I like it. I think her Alan Menken album is better though.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 12:06pm

Its sad but true, but I judge stuff all the time by the cover. If i don't like a Logo for a show or something like that, then I'll loose interest in it all together. Most of the time, if the CD has sh*tty packaging, the its mostly likley a sh*tty recording as well. just my opinion.

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 12:16pm

Interesting...I have never met anyone like you before. Interesting you're prepared to admit that too.

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 12:21pm

i just don't understand her choices. it seemed so desperate to me. she was reaching far outside her fach, and i thought, well-maybe it's a deconstruction, maybe the arrangement is unique, etc. she doesn't necessarily have a close relationship with stephen schwartz. why did she do it? and on top of that, she doesn't sing it well -- and in a studio they could have done 20 takes, or a phrase at a time, or plugged in notes, overdubs whatever, and it still sounds like ****. i don't get it.

[Ourtime992]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 12:28pm

Doesn't have much of a relationship with Stephen Schwartz? She was singing this song for him years before the rest of Wicked came together, and long before Idina Menzel went into workshops of the show. Gravitte may have been the first to really sing it at all. That's not to say her rendition is great, but she isn't really jumping on the bandwagon to include it on her album. Now making it the title track -- that was a blatant effort to get unsuspecting buyers to pick it up.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 12:31pm

Well jczelyph, sometimes I can be pleasantly surprised, but I think its just something we all do subconsciously. I don't really think it's that big of a deal. I mean if you see a book that has a clever photo on it or an interesting cover design, you're going to be more drawn to that book, then one that doesn't have anything interesting on it. ya know? I mean, I guess that's the idea of good marketing.


EDIT: Does anyone have the song "defying gravity" sung by her adn can upload it to your computer? I would love to hear her version, but dont want to buy the entire CD. Thanks. Updated On: 1/12/06 at 12:31 PM

[Garland Grrrl]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 12:49pm

they are not necessarily close friends is what i'm saying, not that they "don't have much of a relationship" --which is misquoting me. if they were close buds i could see why she would want to record the song even though it doesn't sound so hot for her. i've heard liz callaway sing this song in her show with stephen and her rendition is superb. this song is much more appropriate for liz's voice. with all the material in the world to choose, why would a good singer like debbie choose to record/release a song that doesn't work for her? i'm just trying to work out her thought process.

Updated On: 1/12/06 at 12:49 PM

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 1:17pm

Maybe she thought it sounded good? I also thought that with all the clout of a studio behind her, it should sound better than it does, suggesting perhaps, that this is a sound she likes and wanted to keep?

[andrea2]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 3:08pm

Debbie Gravitte sang this long before Wicked opened when she performed in concerts with Stephen Schwartz so she is definitely not just jumping on the bandwagon or trying to capitalize on the succes of the show. In fact, it was her performance of the song, which I saw in concert in Westport, CT, that made by buy tickets to Wicked when it eventually opened.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 3:09pm

i just listened to a clip of Defying Gravity and i think i am a little speechless.

[jczelyph]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 3:55pm

I feel bad for starting this thread. Bless her, she thought it was good enough for a CD. Silly minge.

[keggss23]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:07pm

I checked Amazon.com and there was no sound clip. Can someone point me in the right direction to find a sound clip? Thanks!

[morosco]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:13pm

You can listen to clips at Barnes and Noble's website. Thank goodness I still have time to cancel my order!
Barnes and Noble

[Unknown User]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:18pm

the clips are on debbie's website i think its www.debbiegravitte.com or www.debbie-gravitte.com

[keggss23]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:20pm

Thanks so much!

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:24pm

The cheesey synthesizer has got to go!

[Benzy92]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:39pm

i feel awful for spending my $25 at Colony to get this early.. i'm SEVERELY dissappointed with her vocals

[morosco]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:48pm

"...i'm SEVERELY dissappointed with her vocals..."

She seems to have become a one trick pony with her vocals.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 4:55pm

Yikes! Lounge Lizard Elphaba!
http://debbiegravitte.com/disco.htm

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/12/06 at 5:03pm

I guess DG has become the definitive song to sing for females. How does Debbie do the last note? She look so young on her album cover, but her voice sounds so much older. Although, to her credit, I can finally understand what the lyrics are for the song.

EDIT: I really like her "Memory" - I'm feeling that. ha. Updated On: 1/12/06 at 05:03 PM