What i loved about Barbara Cook is she sang with her OWN voice. She sang with head voice. It was a natural correct voice. She had a great voice teacher. I love her interviews.
Seth, I love this breakdown so much. I found this video of yours like a decade ago, and whenever I think about this song, I like to come back and watch this again to hear your thoughts on it. It is such a great piece, and your insights are wonderful! All the best.
Barbara is my favorite! Had priviledge of seeing her a few times here in San Francisco. She's amazing. And at 82 still going strong. Seth, thanks for your post. SHE is my angel and goddess!! Brava!!!
I couldn't agree more with every word you said, from my favorite love song to Barbara Cook's excellent placement to the "perfect lyric" that never ceases to move me every time I hear it. Thanks for reminding me how much I love this song sung by this singer.
You, sir, are a genius, and the best kind of genius, a nice genius. Your deconstruction of Cook here is so invaluable for anyone who sings or is interested in singers. There is so much more to the art than people realize until they come across a Seth Rudetsky (not that there any others). Having worked with (for 50 years) and traveled with a singer who defies deconstruction (since she herself can't analyze what she does) I appreciate your remarkable work all the more.
Hadn’t heard this in so many years! Such a treat! And I love your great taste & enthusiasm! Breaking it down as you did was just so beautiful! Thank you for being you! Wonderful!!! ❤️
Seth, I know I have said it before.... but thank you for this. This was always one of my favorite songs - from a favorite show - by a favorite singer. I nearly wore out my father's album of the original cast of Music Man. You are pointing out things I never realized, and you expressions and explanations are right on the mark. It is a BEAUTIFUL song. Thank you.
I love this song so much and I think it's very underrated (probably because it was mostly cut from the movie). I'm in this show this spring and I'm so looking forward to singing and listening to such a great score.
I agree w/ Seth on all points about Barbara Cook's singing this song- although I love her version recorded at Carnegie Hall, 1975 (with additional lyrics) even MORE. I thought Shirley Jones was a great Marian Paroo, until I heard Barbara. I rate The Music Man as my fav musical because of the intelligence of the lyrics written by Meredith Willson. I love his "phraseology"!!
Hi Seth..recently read your book Broadway Nights. I loved it! I love Barbara Cook. I am so grateful that I had the chance to see her on Broadway in the 80's! Thanks for the post.
Enjoy your deconstructions, and this is one I hadn't heard. This IS a brilliant song, giving insight into what makes Marian P. tick. I, too find the song very moving. Anybody who grew up in the middle of nowhere and aspired to something other than going to the county fair can relate. Re the the weirdness of the "cottage in Iowa" line, as you pointed out, Marian is imploring Venus here. Venus probably doesn't get too many requests from that part of the world, so Marian is spelling it out for her.
Just heard her sing a song from PLAIN & FANCY. I like the wait it is composed by Al Hague. Thus, it goes, "This is all very (LEAPS) new to me." Take a person with an operatic range of Barbara Cook to make that leap without strain. Seth, you are entertaining.
There is plenty of youtube out there of this woman singing these songs in her 50's 60's and yes her 70's. Literally no concession to age exists. Its incredible.
You, sir, are a genius, and the best kind of genius, a nice genius. Your deconstruction of Book here is so invaluable for anyone who sings or is interested in singers. There is so much more to the art than people realize until they come across a Seth Rudetsky (not that there any others). Having worked with (for 50 years) and traveled with a singer who defies deconstruction (since she herself can't analyze what she does) I appreciate your remarkable work all the more.
I agree.Willson composed this marveleus operatic song becuse he had the right singer to perform it.Cook ijtroduced many different and difficult songs that iperatic singers like to song like Glitter and be gay,Magic Moment,Will He like me,Vanilla icecream and more.She didnt go to the opera because she didnt want(Berstein wanted her for Le Nozze diu Figaro and wanted to record Pierrot Lunaire with her.My white knight is Willson favorite song and if you can also listen Cook singing the longer version in her 1975 Carnegie Hall concert,Jones and Chenoweth arent as Cook and Rebecca Luker sang this song unmiked when Cook was 88 years old,
Thanks for that! Very enjoyable! Not a fan of sopranos? Awe! Barbara Cook is indeed amazing. I saw Sondheim on Sondheim just because of her. I love My White Knight and agree with all of your points!
amazing! thanks! i love this song alot! I do love a good soprano. You should totally do a deconstruction of Secret Garden. there are some amazing singing in that musical.
In the movie with Kristin Chynoweth, the center section is in an entirely different key (related to the rest of the song) than was originally written, and I've seen other videos of productions where the same thing is done. It's an obscenity. Shirley Jones (in the original film) probably would have done the same thing if anyone had thought of it, but instead, because she couldn't handle the number, an entirely different (dumb) song was substituted. If any proof was needed that NO ONE can sing like Barbara Cook, that's it. Oh, and by the way, I really enjoyed this video - I wouldn't have expected I could gain more about Barbara Cook's performance of "My White Knight," but yes, I did!
How did you ever manage to get that far into that horrid MUSIC MAN on ABC? I love Kristin Chenoweth, but that was such bad casting, as was most of the casting in that. I mean, I love Victor Garber, but he managed to take the role of Mayor Shinn and remove all humor from it! I mean! And that busines s in the middle of the "Marian" number in the library, where they turned Kristin into a Disney princess or something~not just wrong for the song and scene, but CRIMINALLY WRONG! She's supposed to be, against her conscious will, getting a taste of her "jungle, animal instinct," and they stick that crap in there. Oy! Just disgusting. I will say, when I saw a production with Emily Skinner as Marian, she sang "My White Knight" beautifully, just as written, as we hear here.
LOL I agree it was a TERRIBLE movie. Right off the bat, Harold Hill is supposed to be charismatic as all hell, and Matthew Broderick hadn't enough charisma to fit into a thimble. I don't remember why I watched the whole thing. All I really remember is Kristin's rather weak singing, the butchering of "My White Knight," and the gross miscasting and ghastly incompetence of Broderick.
"My White Knight" is not in the film due to the fact they needed an ORIGINAL song (to the film) for OSCAR purposes. It made the score eligible. It had absolutely nothing to do with Shirley Jones abilities. She was quite capable of handling that song after dealing with TWO Rogers & Hammerstein film musicals. Learn your history.
Its sad that singers these days dont use that same level of vocal precision and quality. They bring a lot of legitimate classical technique into Broadway which is great!
The way I read what you you wrote, it almost seems like you're sort of contradicting yourself, but I think I know what you're saying... The problem with so many singers today is that they aren't singing "intelligently". They are devoid of concept of what to do and it's crazy because it is as simple as letting a song like this TELL THEM what to do and what it is. It's not a one-off pop tune. It's a dramatic character you inhabit for three hours in the course of telling a story. But most singers today literally aren't inhabiting the persona of who they are as a song's character, and it's like trying to sing a song from The Music Man without knowing what the freaking story is, and not knowing the personalities in the show that make up the story. So in the end for a voice lesson or a jury recital they know the words, they know the notes, and as you said, they're loaded with technique to get the job done. But they don't know what to do with it. They see trees but not the forest because they don't know what the forest is. They don't TRY to actually tell a story, or "think" in terms of what the lyric's words ARE (at that point IN the story). They aren't... acting. When I hear Barbara Cook sing this I don't hear Barbara Cook. I hear Marion Parroo. And that's the way it's supposed to be... It's about completely divorcing yourself from the ego of who you are as "X" singer or actress (whoever you are), in order to completely BE someone else altogether for three or four minutes...
Great analysis of a great singer performing an amazing, multi-leveled song. Whether written by Meredith Wilson or Frank Loesser (as a deleted number for Rosabella in MOST HAPPY FELLA) this is the kind of performing and composing totally absent from the Broadway of today - where it's lesbians singing about "keys" and "dungarees." PLEASE!
barbara cook is great, but i really hated sondheim on sondheim. she sounded great on "send in the clowns" but it had very little emotional impact for me, because there was no reason for her to sing the song. there were so many structural problems with the evening. "Send in the Clowns" "Being Alive" and "Epiphany" are songs that need to be earned by the actor, and didn't land at all with me. There are 100 other reasons why i was disappointed with it, but there's a few.
What i loved about Barbara Cook is she sang with her OWN voice. She sang with head voice. It was a natural correct voice. She had a great voice teacher. I love her interviews.
RIP Barbara Cook, you were the very best Broadway diva EVER!
Gotta agree with you kerryincolumbus about Barbara Cook - the absolute Best Broadway Diva ever! 1000 thumbs up!
Came to rewatch this and to extend my condolences to you, because I know you loved her.
Seth, I love this breakdown so much. I found this video of yours like a decade ago, and whenever I think about this song, I like to come back and watch this again to hear your thoughts on it. It is such a great piece, and your insights are wonderful! All the best.
Barbara is my favorite! Had priviledge of seeing her a few times here in San Francisco. She's amazing. And at 82 still going strong. Seth, thanks for your post.
SHE is my angel and goddess!! Brava!!!
I couldn't agree more with every word you said, from my favorite love song to Barbara Cook's excellent placement to the "perfect lyric" that never ceases to move me every time I hear it. Thanks for reminding me how much I love this song sung by this singer.
You, sir, are a genius, and the best kind of genius, a nice genius. Your deconstruction of Cook here is so invaluable for anyone who sings or is interested in singers. There is so much more to the art than people realize until they come across a Seth Rudetsky (not that there any others). Having worked with (for 50 years) and traveled with a singer who defies deconstruction (since she herself can't analyze what she does) I appreciate your remarkable work all the more.
Hadn’t heard this in so many years! Such a treat! And I love your great taste & enthusiasm! Breaking it down as you did was just so beautiful! Thank you for being you! Wonderful!!! ❤️
Seth, I know I have said it before.... but thank you for this.
This was always one of my favorite songs - from a favorite show - by a favorite singer. I nearly wore out my father's album of the original cast of Music Man.
You are pointing out things I never realized, and you expressions and explanations are right on the mark. It is a BEAUTIFUL song.
Thank you.
I love this song so much and I think it's very underrated (probably because it was mostly cut from the movie). I'm in this show this spring and I'm so looking forward to singing and listening to such a great score.
They composed Being in Love in the movie because Warner thiught that My white knight was very operatic and jJones couldnt sing it.
Thank you for sharing your wonderful vocal gifts with us for decades... will miss you lovely Barbara
Just so great! Thanks I'm going to ponder all the things you said!
I agree w/ Seth on all points about Barbara Cook's singing this song- although I love her version recorded at Carnegie Hall, 1975 (with additional lyrics) even MORE.
I thought Shirley Jones was a great Marian Paroo, until I heard Barbara. I rate The Music Man as my fav musical because of the intelligence of the lyrics written by Meredith Willson. I love his "phraseology"!!
Hi Seth..recently read your book Broadway Nights. I loved it! I love Barbara Cook. I am so grateful that I had the chance to see her on Broadway in the 80's! Thanks for the post.
You are fabulous and this was incredibly wonderful. Thank you.
You're brilliant, Seth. Man after my own heart.
Enjoy your deconstructions, and this is one I hadn't heard. This IS a brilliant song, giving insight into what makes Marian P. tick. I, too find the song very moving. Anybody who grew up in the middle of nowhere and aspired to something other than going to the county fair can relate. Re the the weirdness of the "cottage in Iowa" line, as you pointed out, Marian is imploring Venus here. Venus probably doesn't get too many requests from that part of the world, so Marian is spelling it out for her.
Just heard her sing a song from PLAIN & FANCY. I like the wait it is composed by Al Hague. Thus, it goes, "This is all very (LEAPS) new to me." Take a person with an operatic range of Barbara Cook to make that leap without strain. Seth, you are entertaining.
There is plenty of youtube out there of this woman singing these songs in her 50's 60's and yes her 70's. Literally no concession to age exists. Its incredible.
You, sir, are a genius, and the best kind of genius, a nice genius. Your deconstruction of Book here is so invaluable for anyone who sings or is interested in singers. There is so much more to the art than people realize until they come across a Seth Rudetsky (not that there any others). Having worked with (for 50 years) and traveled with a singer who defies deconstruction (since she herself can't analyze what she does) I appreciate your remarkable work all the more.
I loved her so much
this song is the most Puccini thing I ever heard in an American musical.
I agree.Willson composed this marveleus operatic song becuse he had the right singer to perform it.Cook ijtroduced many different and difficult songs that iperatic singers like to song like Glitter and be gay,Magic Moment,Will He like me,Vanilla icecream and more.She didnt go to the opera because she didnt want(Berstein wanted her for Le Nozze diu Figaro and wanted to record Pierrot Lunaire with her.My white knight is Willson favorite song and if you can also listen Cook singing the longer version in her 1975 Carnegie Hall concert,Jones and Chenoweth arent as Cook and Rebecca Luker sang this song unmiked when Cook was 88 years old,
I love Barbara Cook--thank you for your post! Good choice of song.
I love this song to much.
RIP Barbara Cook, the original Marian
What a marveleus tribute to thos great artist who died at 89.Now you can coment her She Loves me performances.
Thanks for that! Very enjoyable! Not a fan of sopranos? Awe!
Barbara Cook is indeed amazing. I saw Sondheim on Sondheim just because of her. I love My White Knight and agree with all of your points!
here's this vibrato added...i'm in angle... loooovveee itttt
Ms Cook is pronouncing Lancelot the English way. She spent quite a bit of time in London over the years. I
Brilliance... on everyone's party.
amazing! thanks! i love this song alot! I do love a good soprano. You should totally do a deconstruction of Secret Garden. there are some amazing singing in that musical.
In the movie with Kristin Chynoweth, the center section is in an entirely different key (related to the rest of the song) than was originally written, and I've seen other videos of productions where the same thing is done. It's an obscenity. Shirley Jones (in the original film) probably would have done the same thing if anyone had thought of it, but instead, because she couldn't handle the number, an entirely different (dumb) song was substituted. If any proof was needed that NO ONE can sing like Barbara Cook, that's it. Oh, and by the way, I really enjoyed this video - I wouldn't have expected I could gain more about Barbara Cook's performance of "My White Knight," but yes, I did!
How did you ever manage to get that far into that horrid MUSIC MAN on ABC? I love Kristin Chenoweth, but that was such bad casting, as was most of the casting in that. I mean, I love Victor Garber, but he managed to take the role of Mayor Shinn and remove all humor from it! I mean! And that busines s in the middle of the "Marian" number in the library, where they turned Kristin into a Disney princess or something~not just wrong for the song and scene, but CRIMINALLY WRONG! She's supposed to be, against her conscious will, getting a taste of her "jungle, animal instinct," and they stick that crap in there. Oy! Just disgusting. I will say, when I saw a production with Emily Skinner as Marian, she sang "My White Knight" beautifully, just as written, as we hear here.
LOL I agree it was a TERRIBLE movie. Right off the bat, Harold Hill is supposed to be charismatic as all hell, and Matthew Broderick hadn't enough charisma to fit into a thimble. I don't remember why I watched the whole thing. All I really remember is Kristin's rather weak singing, the butchering of "My White Knight," and the gross miscasting and ghastly incompetence of Broderick.
"entirely different"- erm.
Hi Marcia, if I could give you 1,000,000 thumbs up I would! you are exactly right in your assessment of that HORRIBLE re-make!!
"My White Knight" is not in the film due to the fact they needed an ORIGINAL song (to the film) for OSCAR purposes. It made the score eligible.
It had absolutely nothing to do with Shirley Jones abilities. She was quite capable of handling that song after dealing with TWO Rogers & Hammerstein film musicals. Learn your history.
It's definitely not a hum-able melody, but it's a really crazy vocal work out.
Rest In Peace to Barbara Cook 😢
Why you be hatin' the sopranos?
It's kind of an all-over-the-place melody, you're right. I still love Barbara and the song.
You’re serving with this legendary lip-sync.
Its sad that singers these days dont use that same level of vocal precision and quality. They bring a lot of legitimate classical technique into Broadway which is great!
I agree Shams
The way I read what you you wrote, it almost seems like you're sort of contradicting yourself, but I think I know what you're saying...
The problem with so many singers today is that they aren't singing "intelligently". They are devoid of concept of what to do and it's crazy because it is as simple as letting a song like this TELL THEM what to do and what it is. It's not a one-off pop tune. It's a dramatic character you inhabit for three hours in the course of telling a story. But most singers today literally aren't inhabiting the persona of who they are as a song's character, and it's like trying to sing a song from The Music Man without knowing what the freaking story is, and not knowing the personalities in the show that make up the story. So in the end for a voice lesson or a jury recital they know the words, they know the notes, and as you said, they're loaded with technique to get the job done. But they don't know what to do with it. They see trees but not the forest because they don't know what the forest is. They don't TRY to actually tell a story, or "think" in terms of what the lyric's words ARE (at that point IN the story). They aren't... acting. When I hear Barbara Cook sing this I don't hear Barbara Cook. I hear Marion Parroo. And that's the way it's supposed to be...
It's about completely divorcing yourself from the ego of who you are as "X" singer or actress (whoever you are), in order to completely BE someone else altogether for three or four minutes...
Great analysis of a great singer performing an amazing, multi-leveled
song. Whether written by Meredith Wilson or Frank Loesser (as a
deleted number for Rosabella in MOST HAPPY FELLA) this is the kind
of performing and composing totally absent from the Broadway of
today - where it's lesbians singing about "keys" and "dungarees."
PLEASE!
Isn't this the song that was rumored to have been written by Frank Loesser?
I'm so in love with you, dang it
Gotta give a head nod to Meredith Wilson, Seth, for "More interested in my than he is in himself and more interested in us than in me."
@jasminehare1 They did lower it for her
PS: Shirley Jones couldn't hit those notes so this song was dropped from the movie.
barbara cook is great, but i really hated sondheim on sondheim. she sounded great on "send in the clowns" but it had very little emotional impact for me, because there was no reason for her to sing the song. there were so many structural problems with the evening. "Send in the Clowns" "Being Alive" and "Epiphany" are songs that need to be earned by the actor, and didn't land at all with me. There are 100 other reasons why i was disappointed with it, but there's a few.
I wish I could slow down the tempo of my golf swing the way you slow down your own rapid fire tempo when you lip sync this beautiful song
don't like the melody of the song, it's awful!