Stephanie had a cr@p song last week and Lauren this week (so cr@p I didn't even recognise it!). It just goes to show how important song choice is in shows like this

The fact that you didn't recognise "Being Alive" says more about you than it does about the song, its an absolute classic of musical theatre.

No it doesn't, I've seen loads of musical theatre.

Must be only ALW and a few movie adaptations.

I know the song but it's not a popular classic. I only know it because John Barrowman recorded it.

I was just about to say the same thing. 'Being Alive' is a musical theatre standard.

I also think that by giving her 'Send in the Clowns' Jenny was a sure fire goner tonight. Wrong choice for a young girl. Shame. I liked Jenny.

Same here. It's not as instantly recognisable as "On My Own" or "Somewhere" for instance.

Er no, lots of things although not Company apparently. But even if I had recognised it, my thoughts are the same - not a very inspiring song for TV.

Your ignorance is no excuse for your condemnation of one of the best known tracks from the genius of MT. That would be Sondheim btw

It isn't ignorance and just because it was Sondheim doesn't make it a good song. Sondheim wrote some less captivating songs just as not all of ALW's songs are as captivating. Living in London I have the opportunity to go to the theatre regularly and I have seen a lot of musical theatre as a result. There are some brilliant songs out there....Being Alive isn't one of them, which probably explains why, having just checked my music collection, it isn't on any of the musical theatre compliations I have.

Really, because you don't know a song doesn't make it crap. I agree it's not one of the musical theatre songs to have become a huge hit on it's own (or through compilations) but it is a truly magnificent song.

The fact that I didn't recognise it wasn't what made it crap. I didn't like it irrespective of recognition. There are plenty of songs that I would have recognised about which I would have felt the same. However, it is the case that a TV audience will quite often vote for things they know and like which is why doing something not that recognisable is a big disadvantage in song choice, just as it is in X Factor auditions and so on.

Maybe, the difference being that the non MT audience which are the vast majority of the voters will love songs like 'On My Own'and 'Supercali'... etc

That song not so much.

I think this is the point the OP is probably making. Theatre buffs here may well appreciate it, but the voting public may not. I know the song, but I don't expect it's as well-known as many of the others performed tonight.

i'm with you ian - i go to the theatre loads (3 times this week!) and I didn't recognise it either

Sometimes the song choice can work against the performer when its a popular song. I love 'On My Own' and Lea Salonga's version is my favourite. I didn't think Danielle sang it that well until the softer bit at the end and she made me cringe when she shouted halfway through. So it put me off her, I'd have like to hear Jenny or Lauren sing it, I think they'd have done a better job.

Thank you, glad it's not just me

Being Alive may not be familiar to non-MT fans (or even MT fans, come to that) but the same could be said of other choices this evening. How many people know the musical The Flower Drum Song from which Sophie's song came? Even in the Danielle appreciation thread, where On My Own had been leaked as Danielle's song this week, quite a few people didn't know it.

Frankly, if we're going to judge the suitability of a song on the public's knowledge of it, we'd have to acknowledge the blatant favouritism implicit in giving Jessica Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious*.






*Erm, I'm being sarcastic, by the way.

There's broadly two different types of people who will watch this show. Firstly, musical theatre buffs most of whom luuuurve Sondheim. And then civilians, who like Les Mis, Wicked and Rent but wouldn't know their Sondheim from their Trondheim.

Sondheim songs are not suitable for these shows. They do not conform to the usual style of melody. If there had been no singoff tonight I would have chucked £100 on Lauren going home as soon as the song was announced.

It's not just that Sondheim is not well known by "civilians", it's that Sondheim songs are verging on a different genre.

Having said that, the arrangement and Lauren's performance would have had me a little worried had that hundred quid gone down.

I agree - it's no coincidence that the bottom 2 were Sondheim songs.

I also think 'Being Alive' is a wonderful song, one of my absolute favourites in musical theatre, and although it was great to hear it on a mainstream TV show I can see why it was not a good choice as a votewinner.
Even though Lauren put in a brilliant vocal as always half of the audience probably missed it wondering 'what's this from?' (ditto Sophie's song).

My dad (watching it separately from me) said Lauren was 'ok' but he didn't think much of the song, which he'd never heard of. Sadly I think some people will inevitably vote for what they know, which may have saved Danielle this week (even though personally I think On My Own is bloody awful and would rather have Being Alive a million times over! )

I agree, and I agree with the OP totally. I've already said it on another thread but I don't think it was a fair show tonight song choice wise ....

Danielle, Steph and Jess get big popular songs from very popular musicals...

Lauren and Sophie get virtually unknown songs to Joe public ( and I'm a MT lover in a ameteur way and I'd never heard either of those songs that i'd remember and I didn't think either was particularly catchy ) and Jenny gets a very complex difficult number that is also not so well liked by Joe public ...

It's not a level playing field .... the girls should be given equally popular songs so the public can judge fairly ...

The bottom two in tonight's show didn't surprise me in the least, soley because of song choice.

Christ almighty, Being Alive and Send in the Clowns are two of Sondheim's 'Greatest Hits'.

That said, I'm surprised that either of them were included in a show where the role is that of a young girl. I mean really...a male role and an older woman?

Where was My Fair Lady?
No ALW songs?

And how many voters are aware of all the classics of musical theatre and where would you have to go to listen to it ? Is there any Sondheim in the WestEnd at present - even ALNM closed early because it couldn't fill enough seats.
It was the least recognisable song for probably the vast majority of viewers and thats what matters.

I absolutely loathe Defying Gravty! No tune - it's a nightmare. I thought the girls really struggled with it.