Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity — Page 2

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#26

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 5:08pm

They all sound the same. Morosco, you're right, one trick pony.

Hey Dottie! Did your colleagues enjoy the cake even though your cat decided to sit on it? ~GuyfromGermany

#27

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 5:10pm

The I DREAMED A DREAM cut sounds like she's imagining how Ethel Merman would have sounded if she had created the role of Fantine.

#28

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 5:13pm

*cackles*

"This thread reads like a series of White House memos." — Mister Matt

#29

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 6:23pm

Oh Debbie, I had such hope for this album. And you've gone and dumped on my head from a great height.

I thought I was listening to Harvey Fierstein singing DG. Bad Debbie.

"Jane, I've been dealt a blow - I've been dealt a blow, Jane."

#30

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 6:36pm

I saw Debbie sing this this summer, at a concert with Jodi Benson, and a great performer who's (yeah I suck) name I have forgotten. (3 Diva's at the Jay Printzker Pavillion in Chicago).

I ADORED everything she did, UNTIL she sang that song...

just because you are talented as all hell does not mean you can sing this song...the same goes for the divine Lea Salonga...it's sad, but true.

But, I need to buy this cd, because I adore "Mr. Monotony" more than anything right now, and it's worth the money for that alone.

The End :)

-Steph

and all that I could do because of you was talk of love...

#31

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 7:45pm

Oh yeah, I still really like the CD. I wish there were more solo albums of show tunes (can anyone recommend any)! Alas, Stephanie, you are so right, just because you are talented doesn't mean you can sing this song. Never a truer word spoken. Lea Salonga, Debbie Gravitte, beaten by DG. But they're good at other things so it's not the end of the world!

"Jane, I've been dealt a blow - I've been dealt a blow, Jane."

#32

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 9:38pm

I saw her perform a concert in the town where she lives next to mine, and I do have this CD, and I think her "defying Gravity" is a lot better than Idina's or Shoshana's just because..she's debbie Gravitte. She has a hell of a better voice than any Elphaba on the stage. So it made me feel better when I heard her sing this live.

I think it's a great album and I'm proud of her.

"It's a great feeling of power to be naked in front of people. We're happy to watch actual incredible graphic violence and gore, but as soon as somebody's naked it seems like the public goes a bit bananas about the whole thing."

#33

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 10:07pm

Sally---she is more legit than Idina/Sho..but NO where near as good at THAT song (judging only on that) than Stephanie J. Block, or Jenna Leigh Green for that matter...

It takes a certain TYPE of voice to sing that music, and Debbie's is toooooo legit to pull it off, it comes of quite unimpressive on what is supposed to be the "big build" at the end.
I've seen 4 different Elphaba's, and no matter how much I didn't like them, they were better at that song than Debbie...and I adore Debbie.

But I guess I should add: everyone is entitled to their opinion :)

and all that I could do because of you was talk of love...

#34

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:03pm

Debbie is wonderfully talented but her voice is way to heavy and deep for this song...but hey, its her interpretation, and it has a meaning for her and i guess we're not used to hearing it sung that way.
as far as it being a definitive song? it sort of is..its one of the best female songs out there to sing right now as far as new stuff and its fun to sing!! i LOVE singing it and if it wasn't so overdone i would definately sing it at auditions. i have recorded it too in hopes of one day having a CD but thats not happening any day soon!

#35

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:36pm

Have none of you lot ever considered that she was not singing the show version of the song but a solo version? And as such its up to her and her arranger to pick what key etc they want. From what I have read the only reason that high F is in the show is because Idina could sing that. The song may have been written lower etc and just cause we are used to hearing it up in the statosphere does not mean that everyone who records this must sing it EXACTLY as everyone else

I mean cmon! How boring would that be? Plenty of performers chose songs for albums and mess around with the key or take notes down an octave here or there..... its OK

Still if everyone is so close minded as to be unwilling to accept a fresh interpretation........

Oh and btw I was a tad disappointed to find the lack of high notes but I got over it quickly. There is more to life and the rest of the cd has some nice tracks on it. Plus i think its lovely to hear the song with a traditional belt rather than the howl belt that seems to have come into fashion either here or in the States.

I for one would love to see the London production cast an Elphaba who can do a different take on things but still belt all those high notes. Becky Vere from Bat Boy is my choice

#36

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/12/06 at 11:53pm

I have no problem with the solo version...

I have a problem with the OBVIOUS switch from chest to soprano to falsetto....

and the classical sounding vowels in a POP song...

and all that I could do because of you was talk of love...

#37

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/13/06 at 1:02am

Perhaps we look at vocal technique differently in the UK but the way I look at voice is through five vocal qualities

speech, belt, twang, falsetto and cry

Now she is using a few of these in her interpretation as all interesting interpretations do. A different voice quality for a different emotion whatever. But all this chest/soprano stuff you all seem to talk about is really out dated and not at all relevant to vocal science and its application to musical theatre. Sorry I didnt mean to go into a rant or lecture but there is no obvious shift in Debbie's voice in this song. She is belting that last note whether you wanna call it chest/mix or whatever. Its the position of the phayrnx and larynx that matters

#38

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/13/06 at 1:19am

I guess that's where you get into opinions...I don't think those words are outdated, my voice teacher and every voice student I've ever met uses them. I do have a similar vocal technique to one that most legit musical theatre singers use today (I.E Stephanie J. Block, Sutton Foster, Debbie Gravitte, meaning a soprano belt, not using chest voice for high notes, not really mixing either) I can clearly hear the difference in each voice they go into (having not made my own very smooth).

On singers such as Steph and Sutton (and MANY more) I have IMMENSE trouble hearing that switch, if I hear it at all. Debbie is the same way, I didn't hear any switches on any songs--EXCEPT Defing Gravity.

Though that's not my main problem with it. Mine was her obvious classical-ness to it, and it sounded much like a opera version of the song. Very round vowels, very classical like singing. None of the pop sound that the sound was written in.

It would be like me singing "...baby one more time" by Britney Spears as a classical aria...

well not that bad :)

but I will state again, TOTAL difference in opinions, so I respect yours.

(Side NOTE: I believe I have a recording of her singing DG at the concert I saw, PM if you are interested and I'll try to find it)

and all that I could do because of you was talk of love...

Updated On: 1/13/06 at 01:19 AM

#39

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:24am

My apologies then. This must be one of those Uk vs US differences

And seeing as you have all the good shows on Broadway well I cant really argue lol

#40

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/13/06 at 11:59am

Has anyone heard Julie Budd's version of DG from her "The New Classics" CD? Any comments?

#41

re: Debbie Gravitte - Defying Gravity

Posted: 1/14/06 at 4:09pm

I've heard Julie Budd's version of this song and found it to be rather lackluster. The arrangement was interesting, but the vocals were underwhelming to me.

"Word of advice: Be who you are, wear what you want---just learn how to run real fast." Marc, UGLY BETTY

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