Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
sondhead
Broadway Star Joined: 10/25/06
#1Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 5:52pm
The chorus to "Comfort and Joy" from Bat Boy is pretty much exACTLY the chorus to "Legally Blonde."
Discuss.
#2re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 5:57pm
not, really.
familiar, maybe. Not exactly.
and all composers plagiarize themselves, Sondheim included.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#2re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 6:04pmIf it was good enough for Jule Styne why not.
Poster Emeritus
#3re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 6:11pmIt's not really even plagiarism. There's no point to these discussions unless they're stealing from other composers.
TheEnchantedHunter
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/27/05
#4re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:18pm
As if there was a point to discussing this.
Natasha Rostova
St. Petersburg, Russia
Updated On: 4/29/08 at 09:18 PM
#5re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:23pm
not called for.
His work in LB may be his weakest, but as a composer and lyricist I find Batboy, and " the mice" (a one act from the musical '3hree' to be more than adept in the field and quite clever and charming.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
#6re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:32pmI often wonder what in the Musical Theatre oeuvre TheEnchantedHunter actually likes and appreciates.
-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
#7re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:33pmAnd what's wrong with the music in Legally Blonde? It's the lyrics that need a little work...
#8re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:37pmexactly. I think it is his weakest because he didn't write the lyrics himself.
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
#9re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 9:38pm
Never trust a woman with lyrics.
Except Lynn Ahrens
-Benjamin
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
--http://www.benjaminadgate.com/
#11re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 11:13pmJeanine Tesori doesn't write lyrics...
#12re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 11:20pm
O'Keefe is a fabulous composer. I love "The Sensitive Song".
There are excellent women lyricists. Not just Lynn Ahrens but Betty Comden, Marsha Norman, Lisa Lambert, etc...
And I want to know what TheEnchantedHunter likes too.
[title of show] on Broadway. it's time. believe.
TheEnchantedHunter
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/27/05
#13re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 11:33pm
"Jeanine Tesori doesn't write lyrics..."
She sure doesn't write music either.
Vivian Darkbloom
Ramsdale, New England
Smaxie
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
#14re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/19/07 at 11:38pmNever trust a woman with lyrics? What about Carolyn Leigh, Dorothy Fields and Betty Comden?
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
don logan
Leading Actor Joined: 8/30/06
#15re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:03amHey enchanted hunter: ever write anything? Ever write anything that made it to off b'way or b'way? Ever write anything that was nominated for a tony? I find criticism like yours tiring.
"Never before has an American president been so closely tied to a foreign power that harbors and supports our country's mortal enemies."
#16re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:58am
Hey enchanted hunter: ever write anything? Ever write anything that made it to off b'way or b'way? Ever write anything that was nominated for a tony? I find criticism like yours tiring.
Sorry, Mr. logan: TheEnchantedHunter is actually Arthur Laurents.
"Y'know, I think Bertolt Brecht was rolling in his grave."
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
Updated On: 10/20/07 at 12:58 AM
-Nellie McKay on the 2006 Broadway production of The Threepenny Opera, in which she played Polly Peachum
husk_charmer
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/06
#17re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 5:25am
And again sondhead and I disagree.
It does sound familiar, I will grant you that, however, there are enough changes to make it different. Partially the fact that the words "Legally Blonde" is sung going down the scale and "Comfort and Joy" are sung going up the scale. And, partially because both songs are different in tone and style. One is ominous and foreboding, the other is happy and peppy.
http://www.youtube.com/huskcharmer
Boq101
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/20/06
#18re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:21pmJeanine Tesori is a great composer! EnchantedHunter, have you heard her other work? Caroline, or Change is an amazing piece of work, as was her score for Twelfth Night.
Smaxie
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/26/05
#19re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:23pmAnd TheEnchantedHunter's attack of Caroline coming in 5...4...3...
Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.
#20re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:26pmI posted that the two songs sounded the same when the show opened, but alas, no one agreed. The sha-la-la's in Legally Blonde Remix are also in Children, Children.
#21re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:45pm
An interesting point i'd like to bring up...
In the 2005 Workshop of Legally Blonde, Larry O'Keefe was credited to writing music and lyrics, and his wife Nell Benjamin, was credited to ONLY lyrics. Now on Broadway, Larry's credited to Music and Lyrics, and Nell is credited to Lyrics and Music. Does this mean that Nell didn't have any involvement with the original workshop music?
A little known fact is that in the original screenplay, Pan's Labyrinth was Pan's FLAByrinth. Hmmmmmmm...glad they changed it.
#22re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:47pm
the sha la la's in the legally blonde remix are at a completely different tempo than the ones in Children, Children.
Just because he uses the same words does not mean he is plagiarizing himself.
for fierce, fabulous and fun times visit eric mathew's world.
http://ericmathew.blogspot.com/
Boq101
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/20/06
#23re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 12:50pm
I suppose as the show got mroe and more near completion her lyris influenced and music and his lyrical input might have caused them both to share credits.
Seeing as how they're married they probably write both together and just piece it all bit by bit.
jbdc
Leading Actor Joined: 3/17/07
#24re: Laurence O'Keefe Plagiarizes Himself
Posted: 10/20/07 at 1:46pmI must say that that I thought the same thing about Comfort and Joy when I saw Legally Blonde. "I'll eat nothing but soy to... be Legally Blonde."
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