What I did for Love *
07/16/2004 03:45 p.m.
This year I’ve been enjoying (for the most part) catching The Canadian Idol tv shows whenever I can, and also voting if I get through on the lines, before giving up. I’m tremendously proud of and impressed with many of our talents across the country. We’re now down to having selected the last group of l0 finalists, and it’ll be a real showdown starting next Wednesday with the total of 32 left I believe. I didn’t watch last year, as I kept missing it for some reason, (I think my own real life activities and artistic pursuits)but am making up for it this year. Since receiving a DVD player for Christmas, our VHS machine is disconnected as we needed the electrical outlet or cords or something, for the other, so I don't tape right now. The part I hate, just as I did with American Idol, is that the judges are so cruel often. Even with a sense of the experience of the harshness of criticism being part of the artistic life, ever since I was a young high school actress, and now as a writer, I still don’t think there is a need to ridicule and publicly crush these young peoples’ spirits by hitting below the belt (sorry for the cliche) with non-constructive and often irrelevant assaults. I never forgot the blows my acting peers and I received at one provincial finalist festival, when we were performing for our high school there. I also auditioned by invitation for the National Theatre School in Montreal, (they were fair and not crushing, though, in their comments, when I didn’t quite get in.) So I know it’s a hard life, but really....
So that’s the part I don’t like to support when watching, but I love seeing the camaraderie, resilience, and talent of the entrants so I watch and vote. I think both in the U.S. and Canada, and likely Australia and wherever these are also held, the entrants are bonding and building from the experience, and hopefully no-one lets the criticisms thwart their love of what they are trying to do or their self-esteem.

This week when Elena Juatco (l9 years old, from Vancouver, B.C) performed one of my all-time favorite ballads, she did not disappoint me, and got my vote. It was “What I did for Love” from the musical A Chorus Line. (thanks JP for the correction on that slip.)

Elena’s interpretation was quite different, but reflected her vast and intriguing vocal range and ability to turn from hard to soft suddenly in tone.

I’ve always wanted to put the lyrics down somewhere so I have them as they speak to me so much, and I notice there are slightly different versions out there. But til I get the soundtrack basically what I’ve found is this: (I’m dying to get the soundtrack, may ask my sis-in-law Diane if she has (she’s got so much in music) and if not I’ll buy it this weekend probably.

“Kiss today goodbye,
The sweetness and the sorrow,
Wish me luck, the same to you,
But I can't regret, what I did for love,
What I did for love.

Took me by surprise,
The gift was ours to borrow,
It's as if we always knew,
What I did for love,
What I did for love.
(?) love is never gone,
As we travel on,
That's what we remember.

Kiss today goodbye,
And point me t'ward tomorrow,
Thinking, what we had to do, “
Won't forget, can't regret, what I did for love,
What I did for love,
What I did for love,

(?) love is never gone,
As we travel on,
That's what we remember.

Kiss today goodbye,
And point me t'ward tomorrow,
Thinking, what we had to do,

Won't forget, can't regret, what I did for love,
What I did for love,
What I did for love,
What I did for love,



Some versions have

look my eyes are dry...

it’s as if I always knew...


*What I Did For Love
Lyric credits to
marvin hamlisch/ed kleban

I think the point of the song is very positive in attitude, with an upbeat message, though it may seem like a sad song (which gets us into Jason Greely, the other wild card comeback star last night, who excelled with his upbeat Sad Songs now that he got an extra chance, and admitted ballads are not his forte or usual fare in his Newfoundland performing life).
I am currently Calm