meadowlark ?

[alxscrz2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 6:58pm

hey my friend said that the best show tune he has ever heard is called meadowlark. And that sarah brightman sings the best rendition of that song. I never heard of that song. Can any one tell me what show that song is from and who sings the best version of it ?
- Thanks

[Mother's Younger Brother]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 7:03pm

It's from The Baker's Wife, originally sung by Patti LuPone. Betty Buckley has since adopted it and it's become one of her standards. I'm not sure I have a favorite version of it...though I've never heard Sarah Brightman's.

Thankfully.

[Demitri2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 7:05pm

Nah, the best rendition is by far IMHO by the person who first introduced it in "The Baker's Wife"...Ms. Patti Lupone. It's from "The Baker's Wife" which played in L.A. and closed in Washington D.C. I believe, never making it to Broadway. From what I hear it's one of the most used audition songs by female vocalists.

[cheezedoodle]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 7:06pm

Ann Hampton Calloway's version is great. Very simple - piano/combo back up. Sweet.

Sibling Rivalry featuring Meadowlark

Updated On: 7/24/07 at 07:06 PM

[Popular]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 7:12pm

Another one to your list...
Stephanie J. Block - Meadowlark

[karen24]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 7:41pm

Actually, it's Liz Callaway (of the two Callaway sisters) who has made "Meadowlark" one of her signature songs as well. In addition to the "Sibling Revelry" CD, she also sings it on "The Story Goes On: Liz Callaway on & off Broadway." I love her rendition.

[pc1145N2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 8:05pm

All of the above mentioned versions are good. However, Patti LuPone owns the song. Once you've heard her sing it live....you'll never listen to anyone else's version the same again.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:33pm

i love susan egan's version of it, actually.

does anyone have that song who would be willing to send it to me? PM me please! =)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 9:45pm

It's surprising that David Merrick tried to pull it from the show. According to LuPone (and others) Merrick came one night and stole all the sheet music for the song.

As Patti LuPone tells it: the song was in, the song was out, the song was in, the song was out, the song was in, the song was out, the song was in, the song was out.

[Johanna2]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 10:00pm

Check out:
http://www.myspace.com/susanegan
to hear her version of Meadowlark...and I actually just clicked on download there and it appears to work, which is odd. So check it out before they fix it!

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:02pm

I honestly think that's one of Schwartz's best songs, ever. I love Susan Egan's version.

There's a video of some student singing it on the unmentionable site--she is very good.

[ElFantasma14]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:19pm

I believe Schwartz wrote the song, and the role, for Betty Buckley. However, when she auditioned, they found she wasn't adequate, so LuPone got the job. It's a beautiful song, and my favorite track of "Patti LuPone: Live!"
Updated On: 7/25/07 at 11:19 PM

[everythingtaboo]

Posted: 7/24/07 at 11:51pm

I do love Betty's rendition of the song, as performed on her London Concert CD.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 12:17am

My friend Leanne does a really good version of it.
Medowlark

[jeniferrenepatricia]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 12:42am

I can't decide- but it's between Betty Buckley and Patti LuPone! Listen to both versions....

[iliketheater]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 2:04am

I also love Patti LuPone's version. I used to always skip it b/c it's so long ( a bad habit of mine), but it's absolutely one of my favorites.

Posted: 7/25/07 at 2:14am

Too bad the recording of Patti is so iffy--it sounds like two performances badly edited together (maybe it was)--though I knwo that Original Cast of Baker's Wife was cobbled together very cheaply and I'm rgateful we have it.

Baker's Wife has a number of fabulous songs (Dominic's solo Proud Lady, and Serenade are my personal faves) but Meadowlark is the one that's kept interest in this hard to make work show alive over the years--I knwo Trevor Nunn instigated the London revision because so many people sang the song at auditions and he fell for it.

I love the performance on the London album as well (forget who sings it) and as much as I'm NOT a Brightman fan she does a pretty good take on her album.

E

[JBSinger]

Posted: 7/25/07 at 8:45am

Best recording - Patti LuPone (original cast recording) A perfect performance and her voice just soars.

2nd - Betty Buckley (Children Will Listen). She doesn't go for the high E but her version is exciting and wonderful storytelling.

3rd - Liz Callaway (On & Off Broadway) - simply pristine singing and it just pours out of her.

My first exposure to the song was on Sarah Brightman's "Songs That Got Away" cassette - yes cassette. I immediately fell for the song because of its tune, wonderful imagery and the great orchestrations supporting this track. However, vocally, I have to say this is among the least attractive recordings out there.