Who Are The Finest Lyricists on Broadway Today? — Page 3

Sally, I have the recording made when or after the first tour ended. Is "Meadowlark" shortened? I only know the song from Russ Thacker's nightclub act (30 years ago) and can't remember it well enough to know how long it might be. The lyric sounds complete to my ear.

But I'd say almost every song on the American album I have is excellent. In its way, "Proud Lady" is as brilliant as "Meadowlark"; and Paul Sorvino is astonishingly good on both of his soliloquies during the Wife's absence.

Even "Where Is the Warmth?" is a lovely ballad; though I agree it's a rather weak argument since it has to support the entire plot reversal. Perhaps there's something in the book that makes it stronger.

But as for character and rhyme, yes, I think we're saying the same thing. Someone, I think Schwartz has always been hit or miss in that area. To me, WICKED is by no means the worst (and I've said elsewhere that I think his musicalization of "Loathing" is sheer brilliance). I love THE MAGIC SHOW as a pop album in which most of the songs seem tailored for Bette Midler; however, the lyrics are nearly incomprehensible in the theater. Of course there's not much "character" in that show to begin with.

Re THE BAKER'S WIFE, I actually saw the original production in its Boston leg of the out-of-town tryout. At the time, it was more important to me that I was seeing the very last Jo Mielziner-designed set for a show (the great set designer died during the tryout, and his faithful assistant Ming Cho Lee completed the designs-- talk about a brilliant passing of the baton!) The show itself was a lengthy bore with completely unpersuasive chemistry between Patti LuPone and Paul Sorvino. After a great sendoff like "Meadowlark" there was no convincing reason in the world why she would return to the baker in the second act. So you were stuck with an untenable shape for the evening, whatever the charms of the individual songs. 

Thank you, Sally and Someone, for the additional info. What a shame there was no chemistry between LuPone and Sorvino, because the latter is an amazing tenor as character actors go. And to be fair, the show had been on the road for six months with Carole Demas/Topol and, later, LuPone/Topol. Sometimes a lack of chemistry isn't the fault of the actors...

I like the version of "Where Is the Warmth?" that Judy Kaye includes on her tribute to Broadway divas. Her version actually sounds like a song. I don't know what happened in the LuPone recording or who was to blame, but the version on that album sounds like somebody (singer or orchestra) has wandered so far from the beat that the song form is barely recognizable. To me, it's the only clunker on that abbreviated CD.

Thanks for the YOUTUBE link, Sally. I don't know if I can bare an abbreviated "Meadowlark", but I still look forward to watching it.