Play It Again: Grease's "There Are Worse Things I Could Do"

 Play It Again:

Grease's "There Are Worse Things I Could Do"

For this new series, Jeff has invited me to choose some classic Broadway show tunes and compare versions of these songs from several different cast recordings. Wherever possible, I’ll link to the songs on YouTube, where I listen to most of them myself.

This week I review four recordings of “There Are Worse Things I Could Do” from Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey’s counterculture classic Grease. This intense, Dusty Springfield-like dramatic ballad is one of the show’s most earnest and heartfelt songs. Facing a pregnancy scare, tough-girl Rizzo recognizes her vulnerability and insists on her own kind of integrity. The four recorded versions considered here, spanning more than three decades, embody very different vocal styles and musical textures, making this week’s comparative review a particularly satisfying exercise.

My overall favorite version is marked with two stars (**); one star (*) is used to indicate that a particular version stands out in terms of singing, orchestra, sound, or other miscellaneous qualities. 

ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST (1972) - YouTube

Rizzo: Adrienne Barbeau

SINGING: Barbeau’s singing is vocally assured and certainly dramatic, but in a way that doesn’t quite seem ideal for this enigmatic character. With her full-throated held notes and dramatic pauses - both enhanced by the very slow tempo - this version leans into pathos at the expense of authentic feeling.

ORCHESTRA: The orchestration is the very picture of simplicity, with an initially diffident keyboard gradually joined by a typical 1950s bluesy ensemble of drums, bass, and saxophone, reflecting Rizzo’s own growing resolve as she sings the song.

SOUND: A little flat and muddy; some of the lyrics are hard to hear, especially in the higher vocal lines near the end. 

MISCELLANEOUS: The tempo is noticeably slower here than in subsequent versions.

**MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK (1978) - YouTube

Rizzo: Stockard Channing

*SINGING: Channing is not the most accomplished vocalist of the four, but her take on this song reflects a deeper understanding of the character and her motivations. Her delivery is more relaxed, with little vibrato, and sometimes deliberately off the beat; but her interpretation is quite dynamic in other ways, as she works her way from a seductive introduction to deeply felt desperation later in the song.

*ORCHESTRA: The orchestration doesn’t stray too far from the original, but this version features a much more active piano part that gives it a fuller sound, and also helps to create little dramatic transitions between sections of the song (where the original just had pauses).

SOUND: The sound is fine, and the vocals in particular have a very pleasant disco-era warmth to them, but the two modern recordings are a little more balanced and detailed.

MISCELLANEOUS: The tempo is quite moderate.

BROADWAY REVIVAL CAST (1994) - YouTube

Rizzo: Rosie O’Donnell

SINGING: O’Donnell’s vocals embrace the simplicity of Channing’s version, but lack most of her predecessor’s colorful dramatic touches. I don’t know why she chose (or was directed) to sing such extended notes at the ends of phrases, but they don’t sound great. I did enjoy her breathless take on the lyrics “a fact I bet you’ll never know.”

ORCHESTRA: Except for the ending (noted below), the orchestration sounds quite similar to the movie soundtrack. (Irrelevant digression: it would be fun to hear a version of this song backed by a large string section, à la some of its torchy 1950s models. Of course I didn’t do an exhaustive search, so there may be such recordings; I certainly understand why stage versions of Grease wouldn’t want to go that route.)

SOUND: Quite clear, with a good balance between voice and musicians.

*MISCELLANEOUS: This version features the quickest tempo. It also ends starkly on the song’s chilling final line, a subtle but striking variation on the title, sung without accompaniment. 

BROADWAY REVIVAL CAST (2007) - YouTube

Rizzo: Jenny Powers

SINGING: Powers sings the song well, but it’s a very straightforward, standard Broadway performance for a character that calls for something more off-beat. Her belting throughout honestly sounds pretty good, but the powerful vocal style is at odds with a song that’s about an outwardly tough character recognizing her carefully concealed virtues.

ORCHESTRA: It’s the same basic arrangement as the other versions, but the flickering keyboard part sounds a little exaggerated, while the piano part at times sounds more contemporary.

*SOUND: The sound is warm, clear, and perfectly balanced, a great example of a well-recorded 21st-century cast album.

MISCELLANEOUS: A rather brisk tempo once again.

Broadway From A to Z: B

Today, we continue our new series that is strictly to the letter. Broadway From A to Z, will look at the people, shows and history of The Great Bright Way! Obviously, with each entry, we'll only be able to scratch the surface of all there is out there. If we don't include your favorites this time, we'll get back to it in the next round! Check out A here.

Broadway From A to Z: B

8 People

John Lee Beatty (scenic designer) - 115+ Broadway shows; 2 Tony Awards, 15 nominations; Talley's Folly, The Nance, Proof, Doubt, The Color Purple

Michael Bennett (actor/dancer/director/choreographer/producer) - 1943 - 1987; Pulitzer Prize, 7 Tony Awards, 15 nominations; A Chorus Line, Dreamgirls, Follies, Company, Seesaw, Ballroom, Promises, Promises, Bajour, Subways Are For Sleeping

Laura Benanti (actor) - 1 Tony Award, 5 nominations; Gypsy, She Loves Me, My Fair Lady, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, In the Next Room (The Vibrator Play), The Wedding Singer, Into the Woods, Swing!, The Sound of Music

Christian Borle (actor) - 2 Tony Awards, 4 nominations; Something Rotten!, Peter and the Star Catcher, Legally Blonde, Falsettos, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Mary Poppins, Spamalot

Beatty, Bennett, Benanti

Borle, Brooks

Brown, Buckley, Burstein

Mel Brooks (writer/composer/lyricist/producer) - 3 Tony Awards; The Producers, Young Frankenstein, All-American, Shinbone Alley

Jason Robert Brown (composer/lyricist/orchestrator/conductor) - 3 Tony Awards, 4 nominations; The Bridges of Madison County, Parade, Urban Cowboy, Honeymoon in Vegas, The Last 5 Years, Mr. Saturday Night

Betty Buckley (actor/goddess) - 1 Tony Award, 2 nominations; Cats, Triumph of Love, Sunset Boulevard, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Song and Dance, Carrie, Pippin, 1776

Danny Burstein (actor) - 1 Tony Award, 7 nominations; Moulin Rouge!, Follies, Golden Boy, South Pacific, The Drowsy Chaperone, Fiddler on the Roof, Cabaret, My Fair Lady, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Titanic

5 Shows

Terrence Mann and Susan Egan

Beauty and the Beast - Palace Theatre, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre: Opened April 18, 1994; 5,462 performances; Book by Linda Woolverton, Music by Alan Menken, Lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice; Original Cast included Susan Egan, Terrence Mann, Burke Moses, Gary Beach, Beth Fowler and Tom Bosley

Judy Holliday, Sydney Chaplin and Company

Bells Are Ringing - Shubert Theatre, Alvin Theatre: Opened November 29, 1956; 924 performances; Book and Lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, Music by Jule Styne; Original Cast included Judy Holliday, Sydney Chaplin

Con O'Neill and Mark Michael Hutchinson

Blood Brothers - The Music Box Theatre: Opened April 25, 1993; 840 performances; Book, Music and Lyrics by Willy Russell; Original Cast included Stephanie Lawrence, Con O'Neill, Mark Michael Hutchinson, Warwick Evans, Jan Graveson, Barbara Walsh

Matthew Broderick and Company

Brighton Beach Memoirs - Alvin/Neil Simon Theatre, 46th Street Theatre: Opened March 27, 1983; 1,299 performances; By Neil Simon; Original Cast included Matthew Broderick, Elizabeth Franz, Zeljko Ivanek

Judy Holliday and Paul Douglas

Born Yesterday - Lyceum Theatre, Henry Miller's Theatre: Opened February 4, 1946; 1,642 performances; By Garson Kanin; Original Cast included Judy Holliday, Paul Douglas, Gary Merrill

6 Songs

1994 Revival Cast - Billy Porter and Jessica Stone

"Beauty School Dropout" - Grease

Sung by Teen Angel (Alan Paul), Frenchy (Marya Small); Music and Lyrics by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey

Larry Kert

"Being Alive" - Company

Sung by Bobby (Dean Jones); Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Original Broadway Cast

"Big D" - The Most Happy Fella

Sung by Herman (Shorty Long), Cleo (Susan Johnson) and Ensemble; Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser

Original Broadway Cast

"Big Spender" - Sweet Charity

Sung by Nickie (Helen Gallagher), Helene (Thelma Oliver) and the Fan-Dango Girls; Music by Cy Coleman, Lyrics by Dorothy Fields

Phillipa Soo

"Burn" - Hamilton

Sung by Eliza Hamilton (Phillipa Soo); Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Faith Prince

1992 Revival Cast

"Bushel and a Peck, A" - Guys and Dolls

Sung by Miss Adelaide (Vivian Blaine) and the Hot Box Girls; 

Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser

Favorite Designs: Onstage Cars

Over the years, I've had the opportunity to a lot of really awe-inspiring set pieces. The 80s alone were a treasure trove - flying chandeliers, helicopters and a giant levitating tire, to name but three. But it always delights me when a car or truck appears onstage. I mean, my first thought is always, "How did they get that up there?" Of course, usually it is more a facsimile of a vehicle than the real thing, but pretty cool nonetheless. 

Favorite Broadway Designs:

Onstage Cars

One of my favorite cars to appear onstage makes a very dramatic entrance. The music swells, and out it rolls carrying three of the show's main characters. The car itself is dramatic - an old relic and emblem of wealth long past. I'm talking, of course, about Norma Desmond's limousine, carrying her to Paramount Studios and her glorious (and tragic) "return."

Sunset Boulevard

(Production Design by John Napier)

More well known for its other major form of onstage transport, this show does have a car in it that makes quite an impression. It is a vintage Cadillac, symbolizing the materialistic wealth associated with The American Dream. As it moves downstage toward the audience, carrying a faux Miss America, The "Engineer" begins to hump the hood, letting everyone in the room know just how he feels about America.

Miss Saigon

(1991: Scenic Design by John Napier)

Miss Saigon

(2017: Scenic Design by Totie Driver and Matt Kinley)

This next vehicle plays so much a part in this musical, that it is in the title, and is definitely a character in the show. The other characters just can't keep their hands off of it!

Hands on a Hardbody

(Scenic Design by Christine Jones)

Finally, this may be the most famous Broadway car of them all. It starts out as a hunk of junk, but over the course of the school year, the guys fix it up real nice and name it "Greased Lightning." Go, Greased Lightning!

Grease

(1972: Scenic Design by Douglas W. Schmidt)

Grease

(1994: Scenic Design by John Arnone)

Grease

(2007: Scenic Design by Derek McLane)

#2574

Musical of the Month: Grease: The Best Songs

      

I should preface this article by saying two things. First, I find the score of Grease wholly entertaining, in a sing-along, fun kind of way. (Let's face it, you don't listen to Grease the same way as you do Passion.) Second, for me the movie soundtrack is a completely different consideration, no matter how many of the songs make it into subsequent productions. Unless otherwise noted below, I'm talking about these songs in terms of the various Broadway stagings.

Musical of the Month:

Grease

The Best Songs

"There Are Worse Things I Could Do"

Easily the best song in the entire score, it sticks out (in a good way) for being a great character song, with emotional depth largely missing from the rest. Makes one wonder what the show would have been like with more of this going on. It is interesting to note that this is one of only two numbers that appear in all versions in virtually the same place in the story. I guess you don't mess with a great thing.

"Summer Nights"

The other song that appears in all versions in the same place in the story is this catchy ditty that tells us a lot about our two protagonists, Danny and Sandy, while also revealing quite a bit about the dynamics between rest of the characters. Plus, it's fun to sing along to, while playing each character!

"We Go Together"

Over the years, this song has appeared in different places in the story. In both the original and 2007 revival, it was the finale of both acts, while the 1994 revival it was part of the opening of the show, and a reprise at the end of the act. Another song that is fun to sing along with, the tongue-twisting rama-lama-ding-dongs and shoo-bop-shoo-waddys requiring some skill and a sense of humor.

"Those Magic Changes"

Relegated to background music in the film, this number is one of the terrific homage sings to the music styling of the nifty 50's. It was particularly great - a full-on production number - in the 1994 revival, with the amazing Sam Harris providing lead vocals.

"Born to Hand Jive"

This toe-tapper is as fun to sing as it is to dance to. And it's great to watch in any of the versions of the show.

"It's Raining On Prom Night"

If it weren't for other songs being added to each of the revivals, this would be Sandy's only solo number. It's a testament to the song that it appears in each production, with or without added songs. It's a charmer - especially the "talking to the music" section.

"Greased Lightning"

This song always seems to be a crowd-pleaser, and I include it on this list for that reason alone. It isn't one of my favorites, but I do get a kick out of the lyric changes between versions. I guess it depends on what you think of the word "pussy." I would love to get my hands on the lyrics to the original original.

The Finales

I think it is telling that no version of Grease ends exactly the same way, musically. The original ends with the unimpressive "All Choked Up." The 1994 revival ends the story (and the show) with the song "Grease" from the film, while the 2007 version ends the story with "You're the One That I Want Want" from the film. The latter makes sense, too, since the leads were cast from a reality show called Grease: You're the One That I Want.

All of the above said, I think the film version of Grease is vastly superior to the stage version. That is something I rarely think is true.

PS: The only good version of "Beauty School Dropout" is the definitive Billy Porter take from the 1994 revival. A golden veneer on a leaden song.

#2419

Mr. Broadway September 2020: Dear Evan Hansen's Jordan Fisher

One of my post-COVID goals is to see Jordan Fisher perform live. I've been a fan of this multi-talented guy since his Disney Channel days, and more recently during is championship-winning run on Dancing With The Stars. Heck, even his Domino's pizza ad is charming. But there's no doubting his stage clout after acclaimed turns in the live TV musicals Grease and Rent, not to mention on Broadway in Hamilton and Dear Evan Hansen. Though it will be some time before we'll have a chance to see him on the boards live, right in front of us, we are sure that whatever he's doing will be wonderful. Congratulations, Jordan. You are Mr. Broadway September 2020!

Mr. Broadway September 2020

Dear Evan Hansen's

Jordan Fisher

   

GETTING TO KNOW JORDAN FISHER

Birth Date: April 24

Birthplace: Birmingham, AL

Family: Engaged to Ellie Woods (above)

Select Acting Credits: Broadway: Dear Evan Hansen, Hamilton; Other Stage: MJ: The Musical (workshop as Michael Jackson); Television: Rent: Live, Grease: Live, Dancing With The Stars, Teen Beach Movie I & II, Liv and Maddie

     

     

     

     

      

     

#2415