THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT (Batman's aria) from BATMAN: THE MUSICAL

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 1:28am

Jim Steinman has posted another song from his aborted BATMAN: THE MUSICAL

Here are his comments:

The opening sequence from Batman. It starts with VESPERS coming from the Gotham Cathedral, then into "THE SONG OF GOTHAM CITY" which includes, for the first time, the "Angels Arise" melody (later "Appropriated & annexed & snatched" for VAMPIRES, where it was wasted. We see the Gothamites fearing the onset of night, pulling those metal sliding "doors/barriers" down and filling with oncoming terror as a storm approaches. The soprano is a SALVATION ARMY woman on the street in front of the cathedral. THEN: "we rise up" to see the entire panoramic vista of all of Gotham City. And from the darkness, amidst gargoyles and turrets and spires (OH MY!), suddenly we see a gargoyle come alive-- its Batman, watching all before & below him. He sings THE GRAVEYARD SHIFT, on the Gothic rooftops, a human, watchful, vengeful dark presence. Then HES GONE! During his aria, below, a parade of characters pass by: Selena Kyle/Catwoman, The Joker, various city dwellers and "villains" we'll meet later on......

You can listen to the song by following this link:
www.freewebs.com/batman_themusical (MUSIC section)

It will give you a hyperlink to the file Jim has placed up at the official site.

My one impression: DAMN YOU WARNER BROS.!!!

Updated On: 7/20/06 at 01:28 AM

[Gingersnap]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 2:28am

Speaking as someone who really has no love for the whole comic book genre, including Batman, I have to say I liked this...especially the Vespers/Angels Arise part.

[Kungaloosh1937]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:11am

Wow.

I gotta say. Having heard both of the songs now.

Kudos to Warner Brothers for pulling the plug on this before it got too far.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:13am

Why make such a rude comment and not explain yourself?

EDIT: Come up with something better. And when you've finished, send it to my email address

Updated On: 7/20/06 at 03:13 AM

[Kungaloosh1937]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:15am

What is there to explain? The music is dreadful and the lyrics dull. I have nothing against a Batman musical - love the character and mythos, but those demos are awful.

EDIT: PLEASE. The old "can you do better?" argument is the worst one in the book. It doesn't take a composer/lyricist to know bad musical theatre. Updated On: 7/20/06 at 03:15 AM

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:20am

Then do it. Go away, take piano lessons, learn how to write lyrics, and if you already have these skills it should take quicker, then come back and convince me you can do better.

Until you do, I think you are a fool

Bye bye

[Kungaloosh1937]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:25am

So you don't have an opinion on anything?

OH, I see... you can't have an opinion of something UNLESS you enjoy it OR you can either do better than said composer.

This is seriously the worst argument ever. Far too many people use it as a crutch whenever they can't stand someone having the opposing opinion. (the second worst being compared to Hitler/Nazis... that's when you know the argument has hit rock bottom)

So, because I don't have the knowledge and capacility to create a film... I can't stand up and say "Freddy Got Fingered" is horrible.

Right?

Or, because I have neither the time nor the inclination to write one myself, I can't say that any number of Anne Rice books are trite and boring.

Right?

Or, because I am not a composer/lyricist I cannot say that "Brooklyn - the Musical" was two hours of my life I'll never get back.

Right?

So, why don't you tell me why this musical is so brilliant? Because I certainly don't see it.
Updated On: 7/20/06 at 03:25 AM

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:33am

What I'm pissed off about is all this presumptious "attitude". If you don't like something, then explain it. No one is gonna respect someone's "opinion" when they say, "oh, I hate it, it's the worst thing on earth" when they refuse to substantiate their claims. I mean, give me a little more than just "oh, it's the worst thing ever." If you had have done that in the first place, we wouldn't be in this position now. Would we?

But no. Too many people are quick to say, "oh, it sucks" and leave it at that. I completely disregard those opinions. They are not even opinions, they're just filler.

My opinion is it's a great song, your opinion is it's a bad song, because... which you finally explained when I posted my response. That's all there is to it. Moving right along...

And, seriously, if you can do better, please do. And I say that to everyone. And I stick that by that theory, and if you don't like that, son, not my issue. Not my issue 't all

Cheerio

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 3:40am

Furthermore, I have been attending and listening to musical theatre since as long as I can remember. I know all the great shows, the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, the commercial spaz of Andrew Lord Webber, the grusicals etc. I like to consider myself pretty "informed" based on my experience

I felt, single-handedly, this is in the Top 5 most moving experiences I have ever encountered from a musical ever.

There's my opinion.

[SMiller]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 4:59am

I get an error message when I click on the link for Angels Arise. Any advice?

Thanks,
SMiller

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 6:21am

Try right-click and save. That worked for me.

Any further problems, I'll check

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 12:12pm

Just wanted to add lyrics are also available at that link

Thanks to the official site for helping me out there

[Nycboi23]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 1:29pm

I like it! Maybe because I've always liked "Angels Arise" and the fact the song infuses Fire Inc.'s "Nowhere Fast" (Steinman's piece) from J.Steinman's 1984 film, STREETS OF FIRE. AGAIN, my feelings revolve around the orchestrations. If orchestrated correctly (which I'm sure it would have been), the song would have been a strong opening number.
Thanks for the post!!!
Updated On: 7/20/06 at 01:29 PM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 1:34pm

We loved DOTV even though it did not come out as planned

We knew going in it was not Oklahoma. We took it for what it was. Wished we had not paid full price though. My wife wanted to see Crawford & who knew.

To those who say the music is dreadful know that as dreadful as you may think it is ,it is a song & most people could not put 2 notes together so Mr Steinman will do something (possibly not to your liking) that you could never do no matter how hard you try

Bob - The Gun per The Joker

Updated On: 7/20/06 at 01:34 PM

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 4:49pm

can someone post the lyrics here in the thread instead of linking them?!?! Thanks.

And as for opinions, remember the butthole analogy....

[[e-mail]]

Posted: 7/20/06 at 4:59pm

This was quite average. Probably would have lasted under a year, but I will say, WB would have been wiser to invest in this over LESTAT.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:14am

Definitely. I have been crying out for this musical to happen since 1998! And it never did...

My BATMAN memorial site has everything you need to know. Unfortunately, I don't think this site allows for copying and pasting lyrics, but they are available at www.freewebs.com/batman_themusical

Alternatively, you could send me a PM

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:36am

Is there a link to the Batman/Catwoman duet? That site has the other two sound files but not that one.

Oh, and Rock, you dismiss someone's opinion for not stating why they disliked it, yet you do not elaborate on why you do. What is it about these two songs that lead you to believe that this musical would have been any good?

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 2:59am

Why? Because everything Steinman's *ever* done is an exception to the rule. He was turned down by every record company in the world, four times over, for "Bat Out Of Hell". Everyone kept saying you couldn't capture music like that...

Steinman had (previously) worked in the theatre, but grew frustrated with the lack of understanding toward his "unique version". He was too rock for theatre, and too theatre for rock. That was the problem. But then Todd Rundgren believed him, produced BAT OUT OF HELL, met a guy called Steve Popovitch and released it on Epic / Cleveland International. Look at it now, it's in the Top 10 of greatest selling albums of all time. It is praised for being so unique, you can't classify it in any genre (and it's always amusing to see people's attempts)

And look at BATMAN. Yeah, when I found out there'd be a BATMAN musical I laughed my face off. But when I read the name, Jim Steinman, I was like "haaang on a second." Aren't ALL of Jim's songs big superhero arias? "Making Love Out Of Nothing At All", "Total Eclipse Of The Heart", "Holding Out For A Hero", "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" and "I'd Do Anything For Love (But I Won't Do That)". It just ALL fits.

I don't even have to hear ANY of the music to believe that it fits. That's why I feel so passionate, that Warner Bros. saw how the combination would work.

But that's why I like it, and I think I explained it above as well but I can't remember. As for "Not Allowed to Love". Well, that's a complicated story. I take it you can interpret subliminal messages?

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 3:13am

"I don't even have to hear ANY of the music to believe that it fits."

That explains just about everything.

Sorry, I like Steinman. But this is just...bad. I tried to like it but it borders cheesey and amateur.

I don't disagree with the rockness of Batman, itself. And there is a Steinman-esque-ness about it that works. But perhaps Steinman is too far gone to make Batman a serious musical...serious in that it can combine the comedy, rock, and heroic qualities of the story.

These songs are jokes with terrible lyrics.

The first time you posted a song people hated it. This time, same thing. And yet you KEEP getting heated.

Thanks for posting this so we can hear. But don't berate people for not liking it.

It's wonderful you are so in tune with the theatre greats - it doesn't mean your skill of relating your opinions to others is very good.

PERSON: Terrible song.
YOU: Explain!
PEROSN: The lyrics are lousy, the music is bland...
YOU: Let's see you do something better.

Well, this musical is written for the people to see! Average people who can't write musicals. Who want to SEE musicals. If it's bad, it's bad.

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 3:16am

That explains your obsession with Steinman, but not what about these two songs in particular that you like. It seems you are of the opinion that anything he writes is brilliant, even as you say yourself you " don't even have to hear ANY of the music to believe that it fits." Now I think Steinman has written some really great music in his career, but to blindly say that whatever he writes has to be great without even having to hear it causes you to lose some credibility and makes you come off as an obsessed fan.

So is there a link to the Bat/Cat duet? I would really like to hear it.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 3:35am

That's not what I meant. 50% of the music Steinman writes is a load of garbage. I've heard pretty much all of it, although I admit there's a "dark side" that nobody has heard and probably never will.

I am not one of those die-HARD fans.

But I know that in the context of a BATMAN musical, which seems so appropriate to Jim's writing style, it would work

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 3:46am

Now that makes sense. Not that I agree with you, but at least it was more articulate.
So I am guessing that the love duet is nowhere to be found on line?

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:03am

Not now, but one day it will I imagine.

[AdamBateman33]

Posted: 7/21/06 at 4:10am

I really just hope if a Batman musical ever comes onto Broadway, it is actually based on Batman and not the Burton ****. Is this Steinman musical original or based on Burton?