Comments on: JAZZHOLE / “Superstar” http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/11/jazzhole-superstar/ a conversation about black music Tue, 06 Jan 2009 15:14:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5 by: Marian http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/11/jazzhole-superstar/#comment-377 Tue, 13 Dec 2005 16:53:44 -0600 http://www.kalamu.com/bol/2005/12/11/jazzhole-superstar/#comment-377 It’s odd. Luther’s version is more interesting vocally. He plays with the audience; there is a conversation there. He elongates sections when he sees that they are enjoying themselves. It’s fun to sing with. He’s obviously playing with the audience. But until I heard Midler’s version, I didn’t realize that the song is a song about unrequited love and that the target is not even present to hear the singer. It sounds like a song from a musical. It is being sung for a particular purpose and to a particular person and the voice is jagged at times and definitely not “pretty”. Go figure. Given that, I am going to go with Jazzhole’s version. The singer is beautiful vocally without giving me the feeling that I am being manipulated. It’s odd. Luther’s version is more interesting vocally. He plays with the audience; there is a conversation there. He elongates sections when he sees that they are enjoying themselves. It’s fun to sing with. He’s obviously playing with the audience.

But until I heard Midler’s version, I didn’t realize that the song is a song about unrequited love and that the target is not even present to hear the singer. It sounds like a song from a musical. It is being sung for a particular purpose and to a particular person and the voice is jagged at times and definitely not “pretty”.

Go figure. Given that, I am going to go with Jazzhole’s version. The singer is beautiful vocally without giving me the feeling that I am being manipulated.

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