Great Performances - A trip through some amazing musical memories #1 - Jennifer Holiday

Dreamgirls originally hit the Broadway stage in 1981, and whilst musicals weren't my favourite form of music, or even theatre, one song from this show caught my attention when it was released as a single in the UK in 1982 performed by it's original Broadway artist, Jennifer Holliday.

Now to make my list of great musical performances, there needs to be a perfect storm of performance, lyric, melody and an undescribable X-factor, that secret key that has the power to twist my guts inside out and wring out every last drop of emotion in my soul and this is the performance that does it.

Before we get to the video, I know many of the youngsters amongst us may only have experience of the Jennifer Hudson verison which was released along with the film in 2006. Jennifer Hudson, technically gifted as a singer as she is simply does not cut the mustard for me. Don't get me wrong, she is an almost perfect vocalist but her performance of this leaves me cold, I just don't feel anything, which is should from such a great song. Im going to add this version at the end so you can listen and compare the two and see if you share the same thoughts as I.

But back to Jennifer Holliday. Jennifer was cast as Effie Melody White in the original Dreamgirls cast as a 21 year old back in 1981 and went on to win a Tony for her performance, and it is this Performance from the 1982 Tony's which I've posted here.

As a 15 year old, it was definitely not the thing I'd normally have listened to, but listening to the top40 at 6pm one sunday night on Radio 1 as religion dictated we must as teenagers in the UK at that time, I heard this track and time stood still. The following Saturday morning in my local record shop, my usual random browsing was forsaken for a direct route to the singles rack and the exchange of my £1 for the single.

I sat that night in the dark and listened, over and over. I always listen to music loudly in the dark, it emphasises the hearing and you pick up normally unheard nuances and phrasing. I sat in awe of the emotions eminating from the speakers. The breath control, the range of her voice and the un-ending multi note vibratos. She sang the song, but it was I that could hardly breathe.

Fast forward 35 years and this track and this particular recording still has the same effect. I can't pick favourite songs anymore, only a rough top 20 or 30 perhaps, but if I could be more decisive, this could quite easily be number 1.

I sadly never got to see her perform this live. I've listened to much of her work since but I'm spoiled by this and this track is like an infinite yardstick which can never be improved upon.

So here it is, turn up the volume, listen, close your eyes and give your soul 5 minutes to mush up your emotional well being and leave yourself in an exhausted heap on the floor....

Jennifer Holiday - And I'm Telling You

Enjoy ?

Now have a listen to Jennifer Hudson and tell me what you think.

I know music is very personal, but I just wanted to share things that 'do it' for me, and some of which you might never have heard or seen before, so thank-you for indulging me, and please, share some of your own in comments!

Thanks for dropping by. Your Upvotes and Resteems are gratefully received but your comments and engagement are truly appreciated. Let's keep up the debate. Thank you

@nathen007 #greatperformances

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