Let's speak about Sondheim again. Yesterday, I made you discover (for a lot of you) "Passion" and the best text about unconditional love ever. Today, a completely different side of Sondheim. "Folies".
An old Folies theatre is about to be destroyed. Old performers come and say goodbye to the place, with great stories/songs. One of the most famous ones, "I'm still here", that was sung by Shirley McLaine in "Postcard from the edge" with stlightly different lyrics, is the symbol of many performers like me, as in, not spring chickens, with great ups and a lot of nasty downs...
I am giving you the "best of" those lyrics, some are a bit out of date now. But the core of it is just... so spot on.....
"Good times and bum times, I've seen them all
And, my dear, I'm still here
Plush velvet sometimes
Sometimes just pretzels and beer, but I'm here
I've stuffed the dailies in my shoes
Strummed ukuleles, sung the blues
Seen all my dreams disappear but I'm here.
I've slept in shanties, guest of the W.P.A., but I'm here
Danced in my scanties
Three bucks a night was the pay, but I'm here
I've stood on bread lines with the best
Watched while the headlines did the rest
In the depression was I depressed?
Nowhere near, I met a big financier and I'm here
[.....]
I've gotten through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover
Gee, that was fun and a half
When you've been through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover
Anything else is a laugh
I've been through Reno, I've been through Beverly Hills, and I'm here.
Reefers and vino, rest cures, religion and pills, and I'm here
Been called a 'Pinko', commie tool, got through it stinko by my pool
I should've gone to an acting school, that seems clear
Still someone said, "She's sincere", so I'm here
Black sable one day, next day it goes into hock, but I'm here
Top billing Monday, Tuesday, you're touring in stock, but I'm here
First you're another sloe-eyed vamp
Then someone's mother, then you're camp
Then you career from career to career
I'm almost through my memoirs, and I'm here
I've gotten through, "Hey, lady, aren't you whoozis?
Wow, what a looker you were"
Or better yet, "Sorry, I thought you were whoozis
Whatever happened to her?"
Good times and bum times, I've seen 'em all
And, my dear, I'm still here
Flush velvet sometimes
Sometimes just pretzels and beer, but I'm here
I've run the gamut, A to Z
Three cheers and dammit, C'est la vie
I got through all of last year, and I'm here
Lord knows, at least I was there,
And I'm here
Look who's here,
I'm still here"
Now, the Master of Sondheim in my opinion, Julie Wilson, that I had the immense chance to meet in London. Her "I'm still here" is the best ever for me... (PS. She was over 75 for that recording...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd3UtltqLgA
An old Folies theatre is about to be destroyed. Old performers come and say goodbye to the place, with great stories/songs. One of the most famous ones, "I'm still here", that was sung by Shirley McLaine in "Postcard from the edge" with stlightly different lyrics, is the symbol of many performers like me, as in, not spring chickens, with great ups and a lot of nasty downs...
I am giving you the "best of" those lyrics, some are a bit out of date now. But the core of it is just... so spot on.....
"Good times and bum times, I've seen them all
And, my dear, I'm still here
Plush velvet sometimes
Sometimes just pretzels and beer, but I'm here
I've stuffed the dailies in my shoes
Strummed ukuleles, sung the blues
Seen all my dreams disappear but I'm here.
I've slept in shanties, guest of the W.P.A., but I'm here
Danced in my scanties
Three bucks a night was the pay, but I'm here
I've stood on bread lines with the best
Watched while the headlines did the rest
In the depression was I depressed?
Nowhere near, I met a big financier and I'm here
[.....]
I've gotten through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover
Gee, that was fun and a half
When you've been through Herbert and J. Edgar Hoover
Anything else is a laugh
I've been through Reno, I've been through Beverly Hills, and I'm here.
Reefers and vino, rest cures, religion and pills, and I'm here
Been called a 'Pinko', commie tool, got through it stinko by my pool
I should've gone to an acting school, that seems clear
Still someone said, "She's sincere", so I'm here
Black sable one day, next day it goes into hock, but I'm here
Top billing Monday, Tuesday, you're touring in stock, but I'm here
First you're another sloe-eyed vamp
Then someone's mother, then you're camp
Then you career from career to career
I'm almost through my memoirs, and I'm here
I've gotten through, "Hey, lady, aren't you whoozis?
Wow, what a looker you were"
Or better yet, "Sorry, I thought you were whoozis
Whatever happened to her?"
Good times and bum times, I've seen 'em all
And, my dear, I'm still here
Flush velvet sometimes
Sometimes just pretzels and beer, but I'm here
I've run the gamut, A to Z
Three cheers and dammit, C'est la vie
I got through all of last year, and I'm here
Lord knows, at least I was there,
And I'm here
Look who's here,
I'm still here"
Now, the Master of Sondheim in my opinion, Julie Wilson, that I had the immense chance to meet in London. Her "I'm still here" is the best ever for me... (PS. She was over 75 for that recording...)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd3UtltqLgA
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