Calling all Cynics

[voluptuary_manque]

She was the one who mentioned Elaine Paige so I'm love to hear her sing 'Memory' from Cats.

Elaine Paige Singing 'Memory'

Or possibly Eva Peron.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Yesterday I showed the clip to each of my music classes.

A couple of kids tittered before she began but most were awed into silence.

And these are 12-14 year olds.

A good lesson, indeed.

Not only am I a cynic, but I love death metal. I am listening to The Haunted right now (they aren't death metal, but their vocalist isn't very good, I am still enjoying it though).

Her singing in that clip brought a tear to even my eye. very beautiful.

 

[driphoney]

Of course she's trained, and she might have a learning disability, but she didn't seem very slow to me. So what? But if she is, I hope she does have an advocate looking out for her. And, of course, someone on the show knew she could sing well, they also put a few poor singers on stage too, it is entertainment. As for her clothing and hair, well, at least on the American version that is also part of the shtick, they come on in the beginning fresh off the street, tacky or boring clothing and all, then they are encouraged to develop a stage look and get critiqued on it.

We can all be cynical or not, I choose to be cynical about the show, but not about her, and even after several re-plays she still brings tears to my eyes. And I wish I could sing half that well!

 

[Liar]

You know you're right. That look and little smile she gave the audience right before she started to sign said "Fuck yeah... now you all are gonna be kissing my ass cuz I KNOW I'm good!"

Heh, actually from the moment she stepped out on stage. Her whole demeanor screams "Yeah, I'm an frumpy old lady. Wotcha gonna do about it? Love me for who I am or suck on my big brass balls."

Fing is, she's not even old! 47? That's frickin' nothing for the kind of tune singing star she could be. She just looks over the hill due to her waredrobe and styling or lack thereof. (Simon Cowell is older.)

 

[voluptuary_manque]

But anyone 47 could never even get on American Idol. That's how fucked up the U.S. recording industry is.

 

[Guest]

Heh, actually from the moment she stepped out on stage. Her whole demeanor screams "Yeah, I'm an frumpy old lady. Wotcha gonna do about it? Love me for who I am or suck on my big brass balls."

Sweet.

 

[sr71plt]

But anyone 47 could never even get on American Idol. That's how fucked up the U.S. recording industry is.

Isn't the American equivalent of Britain Has Talent not American Idol, but America Has Talent, which has no age restrictions either? (And an old Sinatra crooner made it into the top ten of that show last season.)

 

[voluptuary_manque]

That shows how much TV I watch! I didn't even know there was an America Has Talent.

 

[_Lynn_]

Isn't the American equivalent of Britain Has Talent not American Idol, but America Has Talent, which has no age restrictions either? (And an old Sinatra crooner made it into the top ten of that show last season.)

Yes, you're correct.

 

[shereads]

That shows how much TV I watch! I didn't even know there was an America Has Talent.

We copied Office from the Brits, too. And next year we're getting our own Queen.

 

[TE999]

We copied Office from the Brits, too. And next year we're getting our own Queen.

No kiddin'? Who's gonna be the lead vocalist and the guitar frontman? They're gonna have to go some to equal Freddie Mercury and Brian May.

 

[Liar]

We copied Office from the Brits, too. And next year we're getting our own Queen.

Well, afaik the Brits have yet to produce a singing impressionist ventroquilist, so there may be hope for America yet.

 

[DeeZire]

I'd like to hear her sing "Don't Know Why I Didn't Come", (Norah Jones - written by Jesse Harris) which would be all the more poignant considering her assumed virgin status.

 

[PurpleTiara]

Or possibly Eva Peron.

I would listen to Ms. Boyle sing names out of a phone book to the tune "Mary had a little lamb."

 

[ishtat]

No kiddin'? Who's gonna be the lead vocalist and the guitar frontman? They're gonna have to go some to equal Freddie Mercury and Brian May.

These days Dr Brian May CBE. Phd. is also well known as an Astro Physicist. he completed his Phd. in March 2008. "An Investigation of the motion of Zodiacal Dust Particles"

 

[NoJo]

Ok, enough gushing, per-LEASE.

I'm not a cynic but let's face it, if she wasn't an ugly thing nobody would give a fuck. And I have to tell you, speaking as a 50 year old who has a thing for 47 year-old women, she could do with a makeover! 47 year old women these days generally look a lot younger and more vital than she does -- she dresses and look ten years older than she is.

The divine Ella Fitzgerald was a plain-looking woman too, but she had the voice of an angel, incomparably sweeter and more soulful than this nice lady.

I always ask myself, in these singing competitions -- "What would Stevie Wonder think of this person?"

 

[3113]

she might have a learning disability

I'm just jumping off what you repeated here--not commenting to you in particular on it...but this point really bugs me. I know it's supposed to be inspirational, as if singing like this was overcoming that, but I really don't get where a lot of these things matter. I have a severely autistic nephew. He plays piano by ear. Perfectly.

One thing does not equal another. If she gets a Ph.D. in a field where she has that learning disability, I'll find her remarkable for over coming it. But there are millions without learning disabilities that can't sing a note. And millions with learning disabilities who are amazing musicians. A learning disability has nothing at all to do with whether someone has that musical magic or not.

I understand the idea of inspiration, and I understand piling up things on the "underdog" status in order to make her achievement seem the more remarkable...but isn't it remarkable enough that a woman past what's considered the prime for a singing career and who is no sexy teen has done what she's done? Why make such a weird connection? Because that seems, at least to me, to be the implication. In spite of her learning disability, she can sing

 

[_Lynn_]

I just listened to the clip of "Cry Me a River" she did in 1999 for a charity album.
Wow again.

 

[amicus]

Better than Julie London in the original?

I would venture to guess she will record, "The Impossible Dream" from Man of LaMancha?

\

amicus...

 

[shereads]

Well, afaik the Brits have yet to produce a singing impressionist ventroquilist, so there may be hope for America yet.

We also perfected the water-skiing squirrel.

 

[shereads]

I always ask myself, in these singing competitions -- "What would Stevie Wonder think of this person?"

You ask yourself that even after Ebony and Ivory?!

 

[amicus]

Don't forget McCartney, please!

 

[shereads]

Personally I'm voting for Flawless, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GrOMLylvhQ&feature=related

They're good, too. And the voice-over announcer who introduced them has the cutest accent.

How many votes do I get? I used to live in Florida.

 

[shereads]

"What would Stevie Wonder think of this person?"

Thats not very fair to mimes.

 

[Leto Degeneres]

My trusted sources (some guy's blog) say otherwise: ...Some guy's blog: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/abraham/detail?entry_id=38580

Thanks for posting that, SheReads. I mentioned this thread to my sister when she told me she'd like to write Ms. Boyle. I figured with as many posters as there were in this thread someone would come up with something.

That was a well written Blog post I think.