Susan, though, despite her current fame, is no legend, and the BGT judges raved. Of course. After more than one million hits on YouTube (as everyone is so fond of saying, but what does that even mean?) for Susan and considering the still-in-progress press sensation she has created, it would have appeared positively villainous for any of them to rob the viewing public of its media pet by dissing anything but an utter train wreck. So the judges drooled. Piers Morgan spouted some feel-good jive talking about how Susan's debut performance of "I Dreamed A Dream" weeks ago gave "hope and inspiration" to a world in crisis. Oh, brother! And Simon Cowell apologized for initially dismissing Susan, sight seen but voice unheard. Please! If I remember correctly, the only ones who mistreated her were the BGT editors who, pre-performance, presented her like a punchline waiting to happen.
How does Susan's rendition stand up to Barbra Streisand, who recorded the tune for her 1980 Memories compilation, and Elaine Paige, who sang it in the original West End production of Cats in 1981? I say it doesn't (Barbra is such a tough act to follow), but you be the judge.
"Memory": Susan Boyle
"Memory": Barbra Streisand
"Memory": Elaine Paige
1 comment:
Thanks for posting those three memorable performances of "Memory." (And fyi, I always thought the song was called "Memories", so thanks, too, for setting me straight!)
There is no doubt that Ellen Paige and Babs sing it more emotion, but I have to say that Susan Boyle has come a long way since her first BGT performance. Sure, she's a long way off from being the next Ellen or Barbra, but Susan's smile and small gestures showed a woman who's come out of a shell that held her inside for a lifetime. As the Brits would say, "Bless her cotton socks."
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