Wicked Country

[SueleenGay]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 6:55pm

Call me crazy, but listening to Wicked I could not help but think that someone like Rheba would do a great country cover of both "I'm Not That Girl" and "For Good." Before you respond, listen to them again with this in mind. Isn't it time a Broadway tune had a crossover hit?

Okay, now you can call me crazy.

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 6:58pm

I agree. "For Good" has a very country feel to it.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 7:07pm

There were some rumors floating around that Stephen Swartz was trying to get two big names to do a pop cover of "As Long As You're Mine" similar to what he did with Prince of Egypt's "When you believe".

[Fiyero5]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 7:21pm

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!

[bestofbroadway]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 7:30pm

Fiyero- your post is so anti climatic. Here allow me to fix it for you:

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...HOOOOOOO!!

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 8:27pm

I dont know about anyone else, but i was always opposed to the idea of songs going "mainstream" (for lack of a better word). I dont know why I think it is almost like selling out. It would do great for ticket sales and maybe introduce other people to theatre who wouldnt noramlly go. Yet i still cant help but almost feel 'protective' of it. Can imagine Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey (spelling?..lol) performing As Long as You're Mine? It would completely ruin it! If done right it can be incredible, I'm just afraid that they will pick the wrong people or approach it in the wrong way. I don't know.. could be wrong!!

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 10:47pm

Thats why they have professionals pick the singers.....

Whitney and Mariah singing When You Believe is freakin amazing..

I dont think it's selling out at all... they are songs....they aren't locked and shouldn't be confined within just the walls of their theatre.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 11:14pm

Those ladies did do an amazing job with that song. I still remember when they performed it together at the Academy Awards. It was beautiful.
I love the lyrics in "When You Believe." I listened to that song right after 9/11/01 and I thought they were even more amazing and relatable to life than ever before.

I think Reba has a beautiful voice and would do a great job with either song. "I'm Not That Girl" might be too young for her....but I bet someone like Leann Rhymes could do it.
What about having Reba and Faith Hill doing "For Good" together?

Updated On: 2/1/04 at 11:14 PM

[TheGirlinTheFrock]

Posted: 2/1/04 at 11:17pm

you're definately right. that song is amazing and i'm sure that if they decide to do this they will get someone who can do it justice, yet i still cant help but worry!

[newyorkuniq]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 12:10am

Selling out to what? Being successfull? Sorry to break it to yah but the most well known performers in the world are pop singers and movie stars not broadway actors. The power lies in Hollywood and in "mainstream" culture.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 12:14am

I totally believe that I'm Not That Girl would be a great song. And why not let Reba do it! She is the best.
Or maybe Faith Hill

And please whatever they do.. do not let Beyonce do "As Long As Your Mine" I am not liking her at all.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 8:50am

Maybe Justin and Janet can record it..I mean they were such a hit at the Super Bowl

[Unknown User]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 9:44am

Justin and Janet...Now that would be just tacky. Off the cuff, I can't think of two pop artists to sing "As Long as You're Mine" but it's funny that this thread was started because someone recently quipped to me that it would, indeed, make an excellent cover.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 10:03am

Dissenting vote about "If You Believe.." I love the song for its sweet simplicity, but thought Whitney and Mariah damn near destroyed it with that melisma vowel-extension thing we talked about in an "Idol" thread. I like the song as performed in "Prince..." by Michelle and the unknown. Everyone can beat me up.

But covers of b'way tunes used to be a staple of pop music. Songs were given to artists before the shows even went into rehearsal. For example, "Mame" was covered by many, as was "If He Walked Into My Life" (Edie Gorme -- Grammy nom!) The Schwartz sound lends itself to this practice, though everyone should remember that people expected the RENT songs to have covers, and the only one to emerge is "Seasons of Love." Everyone was shocked.

The WICKED ballads are appropropriate, maybe more than RENT. I called "For Good" months ago, and thought it should be Emmylou and Dolly Parton.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 10:09am

I think it's more important to note that 'If You Believe' is an awful song, regardless of how it's sung.

(I thought it was 'When You Believe?' Am I wrong? I haven't listened to that wretched score in forever.)

[Auggie27]

Posted: 2/2/04 at 10:36am

JohnPapa: Your post reminded me that Dreamworks had to keep running the lyrics by gravely concerned rabbis, because the original words "there WILL BE miracles" offended, as if some ordinary cartoon version of the Bible characters dare not assume the power of G-D. Whatever. "There CAN be miracles" sounds like revised advertising copy for some weight-reduction herb. "There CAN BE pounds shed, if you stuff these!" instead of "There WILL be pounds shed..." What a world, you can't promise too much, even from the Almighty. But I still say, those spiritual promises are much more bogus comin' out of the mouths of wailin' Mariah n'Whitney (powder on her nostril).

Updated On: 2/2/04 at 10:36 AM