'You Have to Be There' as slaughtered by Susan Boyle.

This is one of the worse things i've ever heard.

I like how she tried to "act it out." But—even though the two songs have very similar themes—I guess the type of desperation & sadness she had in "I Dreamed a Dream" didn't translate to this song.

And this song loses something without the screaming high Ds at the end.

We're not that lucky.

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can Susan Boyle please go away!! now!

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Ripley's live version of this song is absolutely stunning. I'll keep that in my head, and not click to Boyle's warbling.

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Helen Sjoholm owns this song and while I did think Susan's version was, um.....tolerable, it was edited, rushed and just plain lacking.

As for "Kristina" and it's Broadway fate, I think that ship might have sailed. After the Carnegie Hall concerts, both of which I attended, critics praised Benny's score to the heavens, but both the English lyrics (many of which I think are clunky)and the cumbersome plot came under fire.

A production is being mounted in Finland next year but I haven't heard anything about Broadway in the two years since Carnegie Hall.

I appreciate that sentiment, but is Boyle a "theatre performer"? When she performs on this show, IMHO, she just comes off as a middle of the road singer the Talent franchise wants to promote. I don't even think the majority of her fans would bother finding out it's from Kristina...

(I admit, I like a ton of pop singers, and some that could be called middle of the road--and don't get me started on my disco faves--but I simply don't get the Boyle appeal).

TheaterFan4:

Wow, such anger.

You think the fact that they know it that those millions really give a sh*t to find out more? I Dreamed a Dream was already a well known song...

No, actually, IDAD wasn't already a well known song in the general, mostly occasional/non-theater-going public. Not by a long shot. The song that broke out mainstream from Les Mis was Bring Him Home. I guarantee the majority of people in the US watching Boyle's video heard IDAD for the first time. In the UK, it was likely very different.

I wrote:
Wouldn't it be great if some tv show somewhere - other than Glee - would show theater performers in prime time? Sure. Are they going to? Nope.

You answered:
She is a karaoke singer.

Nice response. I like how you addressed my point about the lack of performances of songs from the theater on prime time television.


Yeah, so what if she sounds horrible! She sells CDs! Yay! Am I supposed to be happy about a novelty act?

I never requested you be happy. I have my suspicions that might not even be possible. But, yes, the music industry does need singers who sell large quantities of CDs in order to keep producing CDs for singers who don't. It's a fact.

And is she a "novelty act" three years and three albums on? Maybe.

Publicity for the shows? She sings from Les Miz & Cats if those shows need publicity we've run into a problem.

I haven't heard anything on her CDs from Cats. I've heard songs from Les Mis, Chess and Kristina.

Regarding Les Mis in the UK, read up on the Susan Boyle effect there. It's really interesting. Seriously. When Cameron Macintosh says, "We're open now because of Susan Boyle" that means something.

And, I'm fairly certain the Benny and Bjorn aren't too upset at having YHTBT sung from Kristina - since they couldn't get capitalization to open here, and since 99.9% of the public won't have a clue the musical even exists.

1.) Now more than ever I believe Robin Williams should play her in a bio-pic.

2.) I've never seen a performer look more uncomfortable. She looks strapped in that dressed and her body never moves. Who the f@#k did her make-up?

3.) There is so much going on on-stage to distract you from the fact that she blows. To those saying they want variety shows back, this is not variety show material. On variety shows performers often sang on a bare stage, showcasing the song and their voice. This number was overblown with orchestra and strings, crazy lighting effects, confetti etc. They have to make one song a spectacle because she blows.

4.) I don't care how many albums she sells, her sound is atrocious. Her albums are awful tripe. The adult contemporary equivalent of Glee CDs-overproduced and garish. Her first CD was like a funeral procession-lackluster, joyless, and every song sounded the same.

5.) She reminds of the singing Frankenstein monster in Young Frankenstein.

6.) She has enough cash to keep her in cats, flannel jammies, Ovaltine and Hitachi magic wands, She can fade into obscurity now.

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Hey Bettyboy, what do you really think? LOL

Just fyi, she does move awkwardly for a reason - she has a disability. Attack her voice, her songs and the production all you want, but there's no need to make fun of her for that.

Susan Boyle suffers from depression, anxiety, and has some cognitive delays (learning disabilities). I've watched her TV bios, interviews and specials. There has never been mention of any physical disabilities that I'm aware other that being older and the limitations of age. I'd never make fun of a documented physical disability had I been aware.

Believe me, I was on the band wagon with SuBo for a very short time. I think she's had a nice run and needs to retire. This isn't for her and she's got lots of $$$. Her mum would be proud. Now she can go away.

Everyone loves on American Idol when hopefuls with lacking talent get crushed. Someone needs to tell SuBo that the world was in love with her underdog story, not her mediocre pipes.

Then again the general public is beginning to no longer be able to identity a good singer because music is so filtered and overproduced they don't understand what vocal technique and craftsmanship sound like.

Christine Ebersole should be selling 20 million albums-not Susan Boyle.

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I'm only glad for this if it will help me locate the d**n sheet music for this song. We've been googling for a week, without success. Anyone have the sheet music that they'd like to share? PM if possible.
On topic, I didn't find Boyle horrible - although some of her phrasing was awkward. She's just an okay singer - she's not a performer. Alice Ripley is a performer. Helen Sjoholm is a performer. They understand the song - the tension - the passion - the longing - the confusion. That's why their versions are stirring and Boyle's is flat.