Idina "Defying Gravity" Television

Does anyone have the airing of Idina singing "Defying Gravity" a short while back? I have Kristen and Idina singing "Popular" on the today show which was featured the same week as Idina's Defying Gravity. I am willing to trade!

Defying Gravity from the David Letterman Show?

I wish I had it taped.
That and Popular.

I wish I had copies of both of those. I saw the Defying Gravity segment at Sidetrack in Chicago. I always miss those when they air.

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it was just "Defying Gravity" basically as it was in the show. They performed at that was it. I wish I knew what happened to my tape.

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Updated On: 1/24/04 at 08:47 PM

she did. and I freakin' lost my tape! *cries*

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The Today Show appearance was terrible. They both performed wonderfully, but taken out of context of the show and without understanding the characters (as they are presented in the show, the song comes off as fluff and isn't funny. NO ONE around watching the segment taping laughed. (Plus, the song is all about Kristen and didn't allow Idena a chance to do anything but sit there in the cold). If I had not known anything about the show, seeing this particular number on the TODAY show would not have made me wanted to rush out and buy tickets.

I wish they would have sung something such as FOR GOOD, out of character, which would have been an incredible duet and made me interested in going to see the show and who these actresses portray in the show.

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kristin is in the show. but she isn't in enough of it for her to be on the segment. they probably shot only the singing and kristin doesnt do enough of it, like in popular with idina, kristin mainly stands there.

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LETTERMAN: I thought was very different from the show. Kristin was not there, so Idina just sang everything from the song that she sings alone (with the exeption of "ITS MEEEEEE"). The flying effect wasn't as neat without the proper lighting. Still, Idina sang the heck out of it, and it made me want to buy tickets.

TODAY SHOW: Terrible. Nothing was Idina or Kristin's fault. The scene was just very awkward on camera, and taken out of context it wasn't funny. I was also distracted by the fact that Idina was just sitting there, green and in the rain while Kristin performed. Not a fun experience, huh?

I saw both the Today show and the Letterman performance and there was no comparison as far as I was concerned. Contrary to most of the posts here, I loved the Today show and didn't like the Letterman perf much at all. First of all, Chenoweth was enchanting on the Today show, and Menzel was important to the number. Clearly the two ladies had chemistry to burn and the number made the show look delightful. I could not understand the hostility to the score on the basis of the charming "Popular," with clever rhymes, a catchy tune, and a terrific rendition by Chenoweth.

Then came the Letterman show and I suddenly understood a lot of the criticism of the score. "Defying Gravity" is a generic power ballad, and ENDLESS to boot. Idina has a wonderful instrument, but on television all I remember is that she has the largest mouth since the glory days of Martha Raye. I swear I could almost see her tonsils. The song is loud, tuneless, and boring.

I still want to see the show, though.

"Defying Gravity" on TV had some of "March of the Witch Hunters" sung at the beginning.

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Thanks for the description, Auggie. That makes sense, and I hope I agree with you when I see the show.

I thought it was weird how much they re-worked the song to account for Kristin not being there.

Most notably - instead of "unlimited/together we're unlimited/dreams the way we planned 'em / if we work in tandem/just you and I..." the equivalent section from "The Wizard and I" was used ("unlimited/my future is unlimited/and I just had a vision almost like a prophecy/I know/It sounds truly crazy and true the vision's hazy/but I swear someday there'll be/a celebration throughout Oz that's all to do with me") which had the last note interrupted by the arrival of the ozian guards so that Idina could rush back and get into position to fly.

My opinion: you want to showcase a song... showcase it as is or don't show it at all! :)

Updated On: 1/26/04 at 04:33 PM

I love the flying effect. It isn't as thrilling without the lights, so Letterman was nothing like it is at the Gershwin, but I love how she just hovers above everyone, instead of really flying around, which would be sort of cheesy, IMO. The way she just sort of "is" above everyone speaks literally and figuratively. It's very powerful in the show.