When I watched
Moulin Rouge Live with Patti LaBelle, Ms. LaBelle's grand entrance notwithstanding, I was not particularly taking by...uh, the screaming. Her voice was
loud, but that was not the same as
beautiful. (Whitney singing that national anthem? Now
that was loud and beautiful.)
I know it's supposed to be Patti LaBelle's song since she sang the original. She is also a veritable legend singing in her sixities. But the whole mystique doesn't work on me anymore unless I want it to, so while I understand why people are cheering so loudly for her, I cannot concur.
Incidentally, this morning I was listening to a 2009 X-Japan concert version of
Kurenai, and I have to say, Toshi's voice was even raspier than, oh, 13 years ago on that
Last Live. It was still Toshi's voice. It just sounded broken in parts.
But to me, it's still Toshi's song. If some young Japanese musician like—oh I dunno, Yamashita Tomohisa or Moriyama Naotarō, because I really don't know anybody else—were to sing that song alongside Toshi, I'd think Toshi's version is better 10 times out of 10.
Then this particular passage from Terry Pratchett's
Night Watch came to me (hence the entry title).
"That's a nice song," said young Sam, and Vimes remembered that he was hearing it for the first time.
"It's an old soldiers' song," he said.
"Really, sarge? But it's about angels."
Yes, thought Vimes, and it's amazing what bits those angels cause to rise up as the song progresses. It's a real soldiers' song: sentimental, with dirty bits.
"As I recall, they used to sing it after battles," he said. "I've seen old men cry when they sing it," he added.
"Why? It sounds cheerful."
They were remembering who they were not singing it with, thought Vimes. You'll learn. I know you will.
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