Riverdance on Broadway
Music from The Broadway Show
I received my CD from Amazon.com on May 8th, 2000
and immediately opened it and played it. Below our my thoughts on each
song. Read about what dissapointed/amazed me. Then when your done
tell me your thoughts about what you read or if you have the CD as well tell me
what you [dis]liked about the cd in the Riverdance
on Broadway -- Music from the Broadway Show Review Talkback.
The Booklet
I really love this booklet, the cover and back
are beautiful, there are new photos of Shivna,
The Riverdance Singers, Brian Kennedy,
Sara Clancy, Pat Roddy and Eileen
Martin with The Riverdance
Irish Dance Troupe, American Wake, Amanzi Singers, Tsidii
Le Loka, The Riverdance Orchestra, Maria
Pages, and Thunderstorm.
Lyrics are included for The Heart's Cry, Shivna,
At the Edge of the World, Riverdance, Lift the Wings, Amanzi, I Will Set You
Free, Let Freedom Ring, and Endless Journey. So now there is no excuse not
to know the words when you go to The Broadway Show. Who knows if a singer
gets sick they may ask for an audience member if they the words and could fill
in. (It could happen....couldn't it...oh well it be nice if it did...keep
dreaming).
Hear my cry, in my hungering search for you.
This is how the Reel Around The Sun starts out, and so I guess
The Broadway Show starts out as well. I've never heard Brian
Kennedy sing before this and I must say just from that first verse he has an
amazing voice.
Real Around the Sun has been updated as noted above with Brian
Kennedy starting to sing then moving into the normal Intro of the
Show. This track also contains the taps of Michael Flatley and The
Riverdance Irish Dance Troupe. Sadly this should have been updated as
well just because each new lead dancer has made this dance unique with their own
style.
The Heart's Cry has also been updated from previous
releases....instead of Bill Whelan just using Katie McMahon voice it was
re-recorded with Sara Clancy....very beautiful voice...but I will not say which
is the best singer of the two as not to start a riot.
The Countess Cathleen/Women of The Sidhe doesn't seem to be
any different from previously released tracks it still has the taps of Jean
Butter and The Riverdance
Irish Dance Troupe. Like I said before it probably should have been
re-recorded for the same reason as Real Around the Sun.
Caoineadh Cú Chulainn (Lament) is also not updated just
re-released same Awesome Davy Spillane playing the Uilleann Pipes
Shivna although not released on any Video this is an eerie but
still cool song, I don't much care for the ballet of the dance as I don't get
it, but I still love to sing it (A dhraighnéin, a dhelgnacháin, dil, dol doh,
roh day).
Firedance I have always thought should have been released with
the taps of Maria Pagés and The
Riverdance Irish Dance Troupe, but alas Bill Whelan still doesn't realize
what the fans would like to hear.
At the Edge of The World is sung again by Brian Kennedy and if
you buy the CD you'll also see a nice photo of him. The song is a little
slow for my taste but the lyrics are beautiful. "As we stand at the edge
of the world. Our hearts will journey......Fire may burn and the sky may
thunder. Heroes crumble and the sun will fall. As the river circles
on its endless journey. I will follow you."
Slip into The Spring (just now I realized it wasn't Slip into
Spring but The Spring....weird) is one of the tracks that hasn't changed from
previous releases.
Riverdance. The title track has also not been updated
from previous releases. It still has Katie McMahon singing along with the
choral group Anúna. I don't know why they just don't record Sara
Clancy....I would love to hear her voice more often then it appears on this
CD. But nevertheless if you've seen The Show in the past...this number is
The Show. Note: this track is not reprised at the end like the
Atlantic/Celtic Heartbeat Records version.
American Wake (The Nova Scotia Set) also one of the songs not
updated from previous releases, nor should it be...the dance hasn't
changed...just the fiddler (Eileen Ivers). Still another track I would
have like the taps on (hint hint Bill Whelan)
Lift the Wings is much different from the previously released
one. It no longer has Áine Uí Cheallaigh (you may remember her from the The
Original Dublin Production Video) singing but instead Brian
Kennedy. I was surprised that this number wasn't like the Live
from New York City video with the Sara Clancy singing as well. With
that in mind I don't know how they fit it in to The Broadway Show. Does
Brian just walk on like Freedom from the Live from NYC video?
Amanzi. What can I say about this number but
Weird. I don't know how it fits in its all spoken in a different
language. I don't know what one...most likely some African one. Good
thing the English translation is included under each verse in the booklet.
Looks like they removed freedom and added some of the versus into this song.
I Will Set You Free....from the title I was expecting
something a little upbeat but still this is a great song. Tsidii
Le Loka has an excellent voice. Great Casting Job Bill, John, and Moya.
Let Freedom Ring. I really don't get "into"
some songs but this one I really loved....I'm going to mark it as one of my
Riverdance Favorites. This is a real get up and move that body song.
Macedonian Morning. What can I say but I never really
liked this one without actually seeing live, there is just something that seems eerie
when you don't see the stage with this song.
Marta's Dance/The Russian Dervish also one that has not been
updated. This song I can get "into" if I'm seeing it live other
than that it just another track taking up space meant for tracks with TAPS (hint
hint).
Rí-Rà it's really different...I hear a some this songs
parent Oscal and Dorus, so for you Oscal an Dorus fans out there you should
listen to this one. Sadly no "words" are given in the booklet.
Endless Journey. Bill has done it again. He saved
the best for last. I absolutely love this song....I heard the snippet from
Riverdance Online and when I received the CD this was the track I listened to
FIRST. A huge smile was on my face. I grabbed the booklet and
started learning the lyrics (I was close on when I guessed them from the snippet
[you know what I'm talking about if your subscribed to the Riverdance
Mailing List]). Then I started singing along, and boy let me tell you
I felt like I was singing on stage next to Brian
Kennedy, Tsidii Le Loka, and The
Riverdance Singers. I got goose-bumps just singing this song...the
beauty, power and magic, I can't imagine what it would be like seeing it live
(its a shame I can't afford a trip out to New York). Another Riverdance
Favorite here!!!!! I give this song TWO THUMBS UP, FIVE STARS, an A++, AND
ANY OTHER PERFECT SCORE.
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