|
Post by utility_singer on Feb 20, 2015 22:53:02 GMT
It's easy. You put up with us. :-)
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2015 10:31:10 GMT
just speaking as one who wallows in the ordinary on a regular basis, i have to keep an eye on my perspective of these things. Reviving this thread as it was mentioned in another... But freakin' A! I'm such a whine bag. How do you people put up with me?! We love you lemacd, that simple!
|
|
semla
Junior Member
Posts: 91
|
Post by semla on Feb 21, 2015 13:04:36 GMT
Sorry! I can take the blame for this when I mentioned it in the other thread! I am a fan of Something Good myself, and the song has grown on me more and more. Has Jules ever done Ordinary Couple? I don't suppose she would but if she did would love to hear it
|
|
|
Post by augiesannie on Feb 24, 2015 0:37:20 GMT
we're very loose, semla, about what goes where. don't worry about it. I've gone back and forth on this question a number of times. OC has much to recommend it: the poignant irony that they won't get to lead an ordinary life, for example. And SG has that suggestion that Maria had a horrible childhood seems to have permanently imprinted itself on all fanfics, plus there is something weird about her saying that he fell in love with her because she did something good at some point. But I love the melody of SG AND, let's face it, it's in the movie so ... I love it.
|
|
|
Post by sagaofjenny on Feb 24, 2015 3:09:07 GMT
I agree about the poignancy of Ordinary Couple's lyrics trumping the odd karma thing going on in Something Good, but I don't like the music as much. SG's orchestration is simple but something about it really appeals to me, especially the upper strings' 1 and...and motif. If you know what I mean by that.
|
|
|
Post by utility_singer on Feb 24, 2015 3:28:49 GMT
I ran across this verse in doing my bible study this week, it gives some perspective to SG I think:
A wicked person earns deceptive wages, but the one who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward. Proverbs 11:18
Now one could argue that this is speaking of the sure reward we (Christians) would receive in heaven, but it would also seem to indicate that a reward on earth wouldn't be unheard of.
Maria could also be coming from the nontheological view of "OMG, he is so amazing and I can't understand why he thinks he loves me I'm such a loser so I must have done something good somewhere along the line"
|
|
|
Post by lemacd on Feb 24, 2015 3:33:12 GMT
I'm sure we are supposed to simply take the sentiments of SG as "I don't know what I did to deserve you." Which is probably something everyone thinks at some point in their romantic life.
|
|
|
Post by sagaofjenny on Feb 24, 2015 3:38:52 GMT
Maria could also be coming from the nontheological view of "OMG, he is so amazing and I can't understand why he thinks he loves me I'm such a loser so I must have done something good somewhere along the line" That would certainly be my point of view
|
|
|
Post by augiesannie on Feb 24, 2015 20:59:17 GMT
I agree about the poignancy of Ordinary Couple's lyrics trumping the odd karma thing going on in Something Good, but I don't like the music as much. SG's orchestration is simple but something about it really appeals to me, especially the upper strings' 1 and...and motif. If you know what I mean by that. I don't but that's what I like about this group! Always something new to learn!
|
|
|
Post by gothicbutterfly95 on Dec 19, 2015 6:05:45 GMT
Dredging up this board because I just listened to An Ordinary Couple for the first time today. I like Something Good more. Probably because I'm more familiar with it, but just from listening to An Ordinary Couple a couple of times, I think Maria sounds a little too bold for what I imagine she would be in the situation. Then again I'm working off a solely movie based version of her, and I don't know how different she is in the stage version (I guess I'll find out when I go tomorrow).
I always wanted to contribute to this board but couldn't because I hadn't heard the song. Now that I have I felt like adding my opinion.
|
|
|
Post by utility_singer on Dec 19, 2015 12:11:57 GMT
Dredging up this board because I just listened to An Ordinary Couple for the first time today. I like Something Good more. Probably because I'm more familiar with it, but just from listening to An Ordinary Couple a couple of times, I think Maria sounds a little too bold for what I imagine she would be in the situation. Then again I'm working off a solely movie based version of her, and I don't know how different she is in the stage version (I guess I'll find out when I go tomorrow). I always wanted to contribute to this board but couldn't because I hadn't heard the song. Now that I have I felt like adding my opinion. You may not find out; the stage version has evolved in many productions to more closely mirror the movie in many ways. Also, I think a lot of the 'bold' came from Mary Martin herself because it was written as a vehicle for her. I've been thinking about this thread in recent days, so I'm glad you brought it back up. My kids are very interested in the karma thing; and while that certainly isn't biblical, the concept of reaping what you sow is, and quite heavily. Looked at in that light, Something Good makes perfect sense. If you are familiar with "Godspell", the beginning lines of "All Good Gifts" explains it ---- "we plow the fields and scatter the good seed on the land, but it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand". This link has lots of the verses listed if you are interested. Thus, Maria wondering what "good" she had done is perfectly in keeping with her humble nature, such as when she deflects Georg's compliment after the puppet show--"they're your children, Captain". As if she hadn't done a thing. Anyway, some random ramblings from an exhausted, non-caffeinated me.
|
|
|
Post by gothicbutterfly95 on Dec 20, 2015 1:43:10 GMT
Agree. Thinking about it a little more (to me, at least) An Ordinary Couple seems a little generic. It could be about any two people in love. With Something Good it seems more specifically M&G's love story
|
|
|
Post by clarinetjamie on Dec 20, 2015 6:01:03 GMT
I much prefer Something Good to Ordinary Couple. I like the tune as lot better and the song just fits better for me.
|
|
laurynvi
Full Member
I ask you to stay.
Posts: 212
|
Post by laurynvi on Dec 20, 2015 12:41:18 GMT
So I've been writing a piece that is indeed inspired by Something Good, so needless to say I've been thinking about this quite a bit - and then bam, this thread comes up! I agree, I infinitely prefer the melody of Something Good, but I like the lyrics to both songs. In theory, I don't believe they have to be mutually exclusive (though of course there's only space for one song!) because one speaks to their past/who they are, and one their future. I'm not sure if Ordinary Couple was intended to foreshadow the story in any way, but I like to think that both M/G did achieve something of an "ordinary life" after their whole upheaval and move to the States - I know they lost a lot, and it's nice to think that they (particularly G) could see this drastically different life as a blessing. Re: SG - Agreed again that it doesn't make sense for Maria to be thinking about karma. The way I see it, given her rough start contrasting sharply with her happy nature, Maria has evidently conditioned herself to make the best of any scenario - she's always been the one MAKING good things happen, and I think that something in her childhood (I like to think it was some memory with her parents, but maybe something else) was the initial "something good" that triggered this mindset ("somewhere in my wicked/miserable past, there must have been a moment of truth"). So ultimately, I think "something good" refers to a way of thinking/Maria's nature (what many of you already said), as opposed to a concrete "I did something good". Okay - that sounded like a long-winded, jumble-y thought... but it's early in the morning, and somehow, the little one has fallen asleep again and I'm unable to sleep - so here I am.
|
|
|
Post by augiesannie on Dec 21, 2015 23:41:55 GMT
that's a really beautiful and fresh interpretation laurynvi! this also works for "nothing comes from nothing," I think. had she been a different sort of person, nothing would have come of her stint at the villa.
|
|
|
Post by acid.milque on Jan 3, 2016 0:09:03 GMT
While I prefer Something Good, I don't really care for either of them.
|
|
|
Post by indigoblue on Jan 9, 2016 23:11:25 GMT
'Something Good' for me - love the harmonies and the rhythm of it...Ordinary Couple seems ridiculous for such unordinary people!
|
|
|
Post by bluesatinsashes on Jan 11, 2016 3:40:34 GMT
I like Something Good over An Ordinary Couple...maybe it's the melody that gets to me? On another note, I just downloaded one of Seth MacFarlane's (yes, the voice of Peter, Stewie, and Brian from Family Guy) albums. One of his songs is Something Good, which I initially thought was a different song that was not related to TSOM. But when I played it, oh wow! Although he did his own take of it, he did an impressive version while maintaining respect for the song and R&H. I swear, he can melt butter with that voice I found a YouTube video of him singing it live:
|
|
|
Post by utility_singer on Jan 11, 2016 4:29:02 GMT
Seth MacFarlane is fabulous, a wonderful talent, and one of *us*. His intro for CP at the Oscars a few years ago was so fun.
|
|
|
Post by bluesatinsashes on Jan 11, 2016 5:54:28 GMT
Seth MacFarlane is fabulous, a wonderful talent, and one of *us*. His intro for CP at the Oscars a few years ago was so fun. Do you have a video of his intro?
|
|
|
Post by clarinetjamie on Jan 11, 2016 6:30:37 GMT
youtu.be/vkoOsbwIirsIt's on YouTube, here's the link. I'm on my phone so I can't imbed it right now, sorry about that.
|
|
|
Post by utility_singer on Jan 11, 2016 12:11:56 GMT
|
|
|
Post by clarinetjamie on Jan 12, 2016 2:03:28 GMT
Thanks utility_singer!
|
|
|
Post by indigoblue on Jan 18, 2016 0:19:11 GMT
|
|
|
Post by bluesatinsashes on Jan 18, 2016 3:13:03 GMT
That is awesome! Thanks for posting! I think I'm having a déjà vu moment here because I vaguely recall having seen that when it was broadcasted on TV. I love it when I see TSOM references/jokes on TV or in the movies.
|
|
sandra
Junior Member
Posts: 63
|
Post by sandra on Apr 20, 2016 4:09:39 GMT
Good day, everybody!
I'm new here, and I was looking for a simple way to introduce myself. This thread gave me the perfect opportunity to do so.
Being Spanish, I was raised with the Spanish soundtrack of the film. For years I searched for the OS, unfortunately in vain. I'm talking about the mid-late eighties, when there was no internet and you could only look for movie soundtracks in stores. All I found was the Spanish soundtrack.
Thank heavens, when CD players started to get popular, one day I miraculously found a CD with the soundtrack in English. It wasn't the original soundtrack, mind you, but a recording made by opera singers Frederica von Stade and Håkan Hågegard. I love opera, so I quickly bought it, just to get to hear the original lyrics of the songs. That's when I found out that originally, the musical had two songs that were dropped, "No Way to Stop It" and "How Can Love Survive", and how "An Ordinary Couple" was replaced with "Something Good." The recording included all songs, so I avidly listened to them. I have to say that I immediately fell in love with "An Ordinary Couple." The simple sentiment the lyrics conveyed, touched my heart more than "Something Good", and the melody (at least the way it was orchestrated in the recording) was exquisitely simple and lovely. Still, I also loved the way the singers sang "Something Good." All songs sounded fuller, more nuanced, I don't know. Must be my love for opera seeping through.
Also, OC started with a stanza sung by Georg. I'm guessing you'll be familiar with it, this being a SOM forum <G>, but in case someone doesn't know it, here it goes:
If ever we are married I'll never pretend to any dream or any greater glory than just to be your husband, your lover, your friend, and live with you - an old and simple story
So here it goes my introduction! Anyway, I'm very happy to be here. I'm having the greatest time reading all the threads and everybody's thoughts!
|
|
|
Post by cass on Apr 20, 2016 5:45:05 GMT
I like Something Good over An Ordinary Couple...maybe it's the melody that gets to me? On another note, I just downloaded one of Seth MacFarlane's (yes, the voice of Peter, Stewie, and Brian from Family Guy) albums. One of his songs is Something Good, which I initially thought was a different song that was not related to TSOM. But when I played it, oh wow! Although he did his own take of it, he did an impressive version while maintaining respect for the song and R&H. I swear, he can melt butter with that voice You and me, both, sister. I have the entire album and highly recommend it to anyone. My co-worker/supervisor from my days of drudgery in government came to me in my office one day with a USB stick that had Something Good on it and he handed it to me and said, "You need to listen to this." I did, and then I went home and bought the entire thing immediately. I currently have an outline for a slightly crackfic scenario sitting next to me as I type that's inspired by his version of "You're the Cream in My Coffee" (and a brand new one on the other side scratched up last night, but that's another story for another facet of my insanity...) and he's really something else. I love how he loves the things I love in a very similar way. If you get a chance, read the info booklet that comes with it where he explains his artistic process. It's breathtaking. As for the song discussion going on here, I haven't actually listened to An Ordinary Couple in years, and to be honest I'm not all that interested in it because even though I think Something Good is the weakest of the TSOM score in terms of lyrical content, as someone else said, its value is in showing us a deeper, sadder element of Maria's nature as a person. If it weren't for SG, it would be way too easy to get away with believing that she's truly happy-go-lucky all the time. One could argue that her anguish when speaking with the Rev. Mother accomplishes the same (actually, anything she says while speaking with the Rev. Mother), but it's really hard to get away from the element of faith, there, and for good reason, as it's equally important. In SG, she goes beyond that and actually lets you in a bit beyond that wall. In a very vulnerable moment, she gets completely honest (though clearly not transparent, or we all wouldn't still be writing stories meant to decipher the song!) with the one who she sees as meant to guard her secrets. She takes a chance, and that's worth more than any words of visions for the future in that moment. Welcome, sandra! Glad you're here!
|
|
|
Post by indigoblue on Apr 20, 2016 23:16:53 GMT
Hi Sandra!
|
|
|
Post by clarinetjamie on Apr 22, 2016 5:41:23 GMT
Hi Sandra! I also like the song myself, except that instead of starting to sing, she should have let him kiss her more.
|
|
|
Post by cass on Apr 22, 2016 6:42:14 GMT
|
|