Barbara Cook – Glitter and Be Gay

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  1. I grew up with this exquisite music. I was 11, in 1956, when my folks bought this ALBUM, & I still have the family's cast recording. If you want to add to your enjoyment of Barbara's ah-mazing singing of this song (if that is even possible???), LISTEN to the very musically knowledgeable & charming, Seth Rudetsky, as he 'deconstructs' "Glitter & Be Gay'! He is so enthusiastic, and deeply appreciative of Barbara's vocal gifts. I really love & enjoy listening to this song even more! He's as OBSESSED as I am about Barbara's singing!!!

  2. Ok, I love almost all the ladies who can sing this fiendishly difficult piece. They all bring something different to it. The opera singers—Roberta Peters, June Anderson, Natalie Dessay—are all vocal
    Olympians, and approach it from the singing angle. The singing actresses—Chenowith, Kahn, etc.—approach it from the acting angle.

    None, however can surpass Barbara Cook for getting EVERYTHING just right in it. This is still the definitive performance because of HER Olympian vocalism (which is as effortless as any of the trained opera singers, right up to a stunner of a high Eb) combined with her flawless delivery of the text. “my maiden hand was gained” is not in my score. My score has “my maidenhead was gained.”

    As we all now know, she proved herself to be one of the greatest of American singers throughout a 60+ year career! Quite an accomplishment, I’d say.

  3. I grew up on this LP from the age of 5, but it was seeing Barbara in "She Loves Me" when l was 12 that made me adore her and attend as many gigs of hers as l could for the next half century. RIP, adorable Barbara.

  4. The most obvious comparison is with Chenoweth who unarguably has a stunning instrument. But, as she often does, she takes this song so over the top as to turn it into broad slapstick. Big mistake. Barbara Cook was in the business of communicating real feeling, and did so via her own breathtaking instrument. We won't see her like again soon.

  5. I was just reading an appreciation of her. She had this amazing voice, but she hated vocal exercises and never had a vocal coach. She just opened her mouth and sang. How many people can sing this well with little or no training? How many people, with lots of training, can even come close to her? She was a great talent.

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