Hugh Jackman is your nightmare - he can act, dance, sing, host, be comedic, dramatic or all of the above. He's also a really nice guy, which I know because having been friends with Debra Byrne, on whose album he does a guest vocal, we realised what a kind of perfect guy he is. Family man, friend and overall all round Oz-fest. I want to check his skull for a 666! Everyone brings their interpretation to this song and it's far from easy to sing, but he's not an opera singer, nor is the character.
Very few stage actors are actually great singers, and with musical theater, there's a lot more of them that just "okay." That said, Mr. Jackman fits in the latter.
But who cares!! I mean look at him---he's not exactly an eyesore!
People need to remember thatb Hugh Jackman wasn't world famous when he starred in this. He wasn't all that famous in Australia either. So it would be bad to judge this on the fact he is famous now.
I like this song, and i like the way he sings it. but truthfully I like John Barrowmans version better. His flows better.. Some of this version feels choppy.. but i still do like it :)
He's playing Valjean in the film of Les Miserables apparently. I think I prefer Michael Ball for this because Michael Ball is a god but this is actually much better than expected.
@MsMimi49 I think they're keeping the main songs in but taking out some of the smaller songs and replacing them with dialogue so it won't be the same as the stage show but hopefully it'll be good
I'm a 37 year-old English singer living in Galway, Ireland. I'm working hard on my singing and would very much appreciate any honest critical feedback on my version of Sunset Boulevard here on Youtube (or the other demos)to help me improve. (Just type my name.) It was recorded a while ago now, and every singer must think they can do better later on, but there it's all I have. Thank you very much for any feedback offered. Andrew Hawcroft. (A devout Artist Against Autotune)
I'm likin' this, but the way he says "boulevard" starts to annoy me. Not that any of how he's saying stuff is bad, but it doesn't fit with how he says the rest of the words it seems.
@chevychase that's not quite right... he had singing lessons before oklahoma.. otherwise he wouldn't have been able to pull that through.. BUT the thing is he was cast for curly even though they hadn't really heard him sing before
i'm trying not to be biased, being madly in love with Hugh Jackman and all, but after listening to all the versions of this song, this is till my favourite. his voice may not have the rich tone that the others have, but the life he puts into it, the expression, and the playfulness displayed, makes this one so enjoyable to watch. i Love it <3
Barrowman has a better voice and he sings it very well, but Jackman sings it in a character, he's not just sining, he's performing and I always appreciate it more.
@picturefan2009 I agree! If only there was a way to merge two people into one. God, that would be epic. I'd keep Hugh's bodymemory and just insert John's vocalchords and lungs. (or something? whut? this is getting kinda surreal). Just for this song. Because usually Hugh is so awesome. :tear:
I must say that I think that the guy who sings the swedish version in the opera here in gothembourg is a way better singer.. But I guess that's just me.
*Ahem* Here's the reason "why" Hugh's so good in this role/song.... He's LIVED it! (Never say "Experience counts for nothing" - for this role/show - experience is EVERYTHING - which is why Glenn Close is so much better as "Norma" than Barbara is - Babs is a great singer - but, she was never "forgotten" as Glenn almost was!)
The way i see the difference between John Barrowman, Hugh Jackman and Micheal Ball 's performances is as follows: For a all round west end performance choose Hugh then for west end performance with only the voice choose John but then for a pop performance choose micheal.
This is just what i think. I dont care if any disagrees with. Its how i would describe the different performances of a wonderful song
I've seen both Hugh's and John's and I love Hugh's the most. My reason is, you can sound as preaty as you want, but it's the combination of acting and singing that realy sells me, speaking as a preformer. So after comparing the two I would much rather see Hugh Jackman play this part then John.
i've heard the john's version,,and i think Jackman's is way much better,,,he put the acting element into his voice,,,i can feel the emotions from his eyes and his tone
I like 'em both to be honest. I've been a fan of both Jackman and Barrowman, and they both have their positive elements. I'm more of a fan of Barrowman's hand gestures, and showyness, but Jackman has some amazing accents of his own. Jackman seems to be more of a classical singer, while Barrowman tends to have a lot of fun with it. c: <3 I'd marry 'em both.
I got to disagree with some of you here, I think Hugh sings this song better than John. Trust me I love how Barrowman sings but this particular song sounds better to me when Hugh sings it. He's got a deeper voice, more dramatic.^^ Maybe it's just me, this was the ersion I new first so it will always be the one for me;)
i think Barrowman completely steals this one. Hugh is fantastic - fact. However Barrowman has an edge. "rancid smell" for example and he sings it with much more ease than Jackman. You can tell Jackman's an actor though... but I still love Barrowman's version. And i dont agree with DRDFOX's comment. Barrowman doesnt sing over "well i'm a writer" at all.
i think Barrowman completely steals this one. Hugh is fantastic - fact. However Barrowman has an edge. "rancid smell" for example and he sings it with much more ease than Jackman. You can tell Jackman's an actor though... but I still love Barrowman's version. And i dont agree with DRDFOX's comment. Barrowman doesnt sing over "well i'm a writer" at all.
u cant judge them at all they both singing in a unigue way barrowman has a soft silky voice while jackman has the abilty to put him self into the song, they also got into there movie and tv carrers by first singing
I like both of them and would like to see a "sing off" John Barrowman and Hugh Jackman. Both lads have done musicals such as Oklahoma! and wouldn't you want to go to a concert with both of these performers. I would. Throw in Danny Boys and you have a great trio!!
Okay, another John Barrowman/Hugh Jackman comparison here. Hugh acts differently here. I'm not sure if it's better. It's just a different (and equally legitimate) interpretation of the character. Personally I think he overuses pauses and his timing is a little less pleasing to listen to than John's. Also I can hear a lot of the Aussie here and personally think it sounds better with a naturalistic American accent like John's. That said, I really appreciate the piece as performed by both actors.
With all respect - he is not a singer. But I have heard him in an interview state that he does not claim to be! And that speaks in favour of him as a person and an artist, I think.
@bensisko3 - Oh.and where did you hear this? Have you checked out "Kate & Leopold - he does some Gilbert & Sullivan. He did musicals in England. Sorry to burst your non-singing bubble.
I'm not sure I could really compare their acting. The two of them play very different characters. John's Joe is someone who seems honestly oblivious to the fact that there's anything wrong with his actions (or is simply too doped up on success to care), while Hugh's character is completely aware of it - and relentlessly unapologetic. Barrowman's character is more hateable, and at the same time more interesting.
I definitely think Jackman has the better acting between him and Barrowman. That said, I think Barrowman has the better voice. I think the difference is, most of the time we only see Barrowman's performance on The Sound of Musicals where all of his performances were really just singing, whereas the speak-singing that we see in Jackman's performance is pretty typical in musicals because it's part acting as well. It's just like Paige's Memory versus Boyle's. One's an act and one's a song.
i dont understand, i listened to both of them and........ Hugh is the better man by far, i think his voice sound very intence, because of the acting choices he took compared to john who played it almost the opposite way, he went for a more easy going way, i dont understand the character Joe Gillis, but i read about him and the way hugh played him gave me goosebumps, because i could feel the struggle of living out there in LA......
Like so many others have said, I think Jackman is a better package overall, he not only sings the words, but he shows the emotions - he is Joe Gillis. His movements and facials really fit the tone of the song; I feel Barrowman is more overtly theatrical. That said, Barrowman has the better voice - sorry! I like Hugh Jackman too :-) - but Jackman has the better delivery. They are both great though, and Michael Ball's interpretation, while very different, is also well worth listening to.
It's really more like speak singing for him. I do prefer his acting in this song to John Barrowman's but I still... Can't get over his speak singing. . . I love me a JB though.
I watched both John Barrowman and Michael Ball after this clip. And I have to say that Jackman is my favorite. He puts much more emotion into than the others. They are both good, Barrowman to be me better than Ball. But Jackman is by far better. Rather than just singing the words he feels them and shows those emotions in his voice. It is spectacular.
Why is everyone saying that John Barrowman's vocals are better? Not at all! Especially in the style of Webber. I like Hugh's voice better for the song, and I LOVE Michael Ball's. Hugh has better breath support that John, and it holds the epic-ness that Webber conveys in his compositions.
I must admit I prefer Hugh's version over Barrowman's. Barrowman's movements are very indistinct, vague, and almost seems like watching mud. Jackman makes every single action, facial feature, and dynamic in his voice count and doesn't leave anything to waste, an economical performer. I played both versions at the same time and the voice and performance that caught my attention was Jackman's.
I know I'm going to get slammed, and I AM a Big Hugh Jackman fan. His Curly is sheer perfection. And though this is really good, it doesn't hold a candle to John Barrowman's performance. Sorry Hugh fans, it's just not even close.
I love both Hugh and John, but you just can't compare the versions. Hugh does the acting better and John the singing, if you could compare the two you would have the perfect version !
I think I prefer Hugh's version over Barrowmans, Hugh acts it better and even tho Barrowman may be better at singing, I like Hugh's singing better. I can't describe it, maybe it just has more charisma. May also be cause of the fact that he's Hugh Jackman :)
John Barrowman is a better singer but Hughes acting is leagues ahaead here. Not only does he use the right physical and facial gestures, he accenuates each part of the song more convincingly as the character. At 1:46 "well I'm a writer" is delivered as an off the cuff aside as intended. Barrowman simply sings over this. If you want have an audio treat, choose Barowman, but Hugh all the way for an all round stage performance.
My best friend and I totally agree. We love both Jackman and Barrowman and in comparing their performances we found indeed that John sings it better but Hugh acts it better. I prefer Hugh, she prefers John overall, but it shows what two great performers can do with the same song and part. Good observations.
i dont know that barrowman's performance is better, i think he is an excellent singer but i saw his rendition of this and i don't think it was one of his best. john doesn't have the right tone for this song, it needs the gritty, angry quality that hugh delivers. if you want to see john at his best look at i am what i am - it's fantastic
what i love about hugh is that he can also do light and fluffy, i think the training he had for oklahoma really enabled him to hone his talents (his oh what a beautiful morning is magic and he is incredible in the boy from oz)
@DRDFOX This is exactly what I thought, and I'm a huge Barrowman fan. Hugh Jackman's acting is definitely much better than John's. I have to admit that, and I'm impressed. But John is still the best singer and I will never get tired to listen to his voice.
@DRDFOX i toatally agree wiv u....barrowman is an amazin sngr but jackson is addin a bit of quirkyness in2 de song nd mkes it an all round good fellin performance
@DRDFOX OH he sounds just fine. He is still better than some guys who perform this. Plus, like you said, he can act. I mean, its not like he is trying to triumph an opera role.
@DRDFOX But if you think about it, that was the only reason for Barrowman's performance WAS audio. He was simply doing a singing performance at a concert rather than an actual show and I doubt he was given adequate time or a script to put his own spin on the character and actthe character as he actually is, so...
@supahsnuffy I have no reason to doubt what you say is correct and I wasn't putting down Barrowman's potential ability. I was simply saying that Jackman here gave a better acted performance than the brilliantly sung Barrowman version we have to view. If Barrowman ever matches or excels Jackman's acted performance, then all the better for us!
@DRDFOX I agree. Barrowman sings it better, Jackman PERFORMS it better. Especially at 1:58 - 2:04, "There dreams were yours, their dreams were *mine*, BUT in those dreams were hidden dragons!" That's one of my favourite parts.
What a strange thing to cringe about. Surely you cannot take one's accent so personally that we cringe. He is Australian and sings beautifully with an Australian accent. We all cannot speak in an American accent. Nor do we want to.
now see i like both of them very much....john's a lot better though...but i still like how hugh phrased his words and where he put the emphasis on each one......pretty well done i think...
I agree that JB generally has a better voice but it's not like HJ's voice was unpleasant to listen to and it's not like he's trying to hit notes that are out of his range or something. I enjoy both versions very much.
Its seems that everyone is over Critical over the Boulevard note each time no matter who seems to be singin, having been learning this for a show of musical numbers, it just happens to be how the Dots are written, everyone that sings it has the same problem, it just comes down to a pronounciation and their own accent that changes things
Couldn't disagree more myself, Jackman really uses diction and creates a sense of the 'rat race' more than Barrowman. his lyrics are crisp and clear, less rounded than Barrowman's, creating a rough and gruff texture. Jackman's character reminds me of Chandler Bing from friends - the familiar nice guy who's cracking the joke and just telling it honestly. Good performance here, though I've gotta say I don't like the elongation on 'Sunset'.
Hugh Jackman is your nightmare - he can act, dance, sing, host, be comedic, dramatic or all of the above. He's also a really nice guy, which I know because having been friends with Debra Byrne, on whose album he does a guest vocal, we realised what a kind of perfect guy he is. Family man, friend and overall all round Oz-fest. I want to check his skull for a 666! Everyone brings their interpretation to this song and it's far from easy to sing, but he's not an opera singer, nor is the character.
qsteve7k 2 weeks ago
He's really hot!
renataberczy 3 weeks ago
Maybe it's just me, but the guy sounds a lot like Brent Spiner.
Not that that's a bad thing.
Still can't believe, this dude's Wolverine and Van Helsing. I know he's an actor and that's his job, but still....
BrainComm487 2 months ago
SEX
CrystalClerBLUE45 2 months ago
GIVE US A BIG KISS HUGHIE!
alan joyce wants a dinner date with you honks.
figbat1 2 months ago
Very few stage actors are actually great singers, and with musical theater, there's a lot more of them that just "okay." That said, Mr. Jackman fits in the latter.
But who cares!! I mean look at him---he's not exactly an eyesore!
JimmBailey 2 months ago
michael ball destroys Hugh Jackman.
punkstoper 3 months ago
Psh. Sexy.
Now I don't know if this or John Barrowman's is my favourite.
maricimo 3 months ago
Hugh Jackman has many talents....but he is not a particularly good singer, sorry. A hundred Broadway guys could do much better.
flyboy712 3 months ago
This is brilliant! Can't wait to see his portrayal of Valjean in the upcoming film version of Les Miserables! :)
WithoutAnAnchor 3 months ago
He would Rock Jean Valjean!! Can't wait!
bluegal50 3 months ago
If he sings like this in Le Miz - he'll be the perfect choice for the role of Valjean in the upcoming movie =)
billycruise899 3 months ago
WOW!!
pixargod 4 months ago
People need to remember thatb Hugh Jackman wasn't world famous when he starred in this. He wasn't all that famous in Australia either. So it would be bad to judge this on the fact he is famous now.
fatheranthony4pope 4 months ago
Most masculine version of this song I have heard! Possibly ythe only masculine Joe I have seen...
fatheranthony4pope 4 months ago
I like this song, and i like the way he sings it. but truthfully I like John Barrowmans version better. His flows better.. Some of this version feels choppy.. but i still do like it :)
CanYouSayBubbles 4 months ago
lol
kgsolaman5000 4 months ago
He´s the perfect actor : acts, sings and dance........... I am his fan ! Greetings from Brazil.
paulo39667 4 months ago
He puts the acting in the song which makes it distinct for his delivery...
phanlemis92 5 months ago
Wolverine the musical.
mellymonka 5 months ago 3
@mellymonka lol!!!! 2 funny!!!
MsMimi49 5 months ago
He's playing Valjean in the film of Les Miserables apparently. I think I prefer Michael Ball for this because Michael Ball is a god but this is actually much better than expected.
ParanoidAndroidDA 6 months ago
@ParanoidAndroidDA i heard about that, but will it be a musical?? i hoping....
MsMimi49 5 months ago
@MsMimi49 I think they're keeping the main songs in but taking out some of the smaller songs and replacing them with dialogue so it won't be the same as the stage show but hopefully it'll be good
ParanoidAndroidDA 5 months ago
I think he CAN get hotter... *swoons more...*
akissy 6 months ago
Barrowman may sing it better, but Jackman PERFORMS it better.
AnimaTempli101 6 months ago 7
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bububububak 5 months ago
@AnimaTempli101 Well, he is a much better actor:)
bububububak 5 months ago
i think john barrowman sings better.
nilayyagci 6 months ago
He can sing?! He's so handsome and he can sing... life's unfair isn't it?
lovelyfairytale91 7 months ago
I'm a 37 year-old English singer living in Galway, Ireland. I'm working hard on my singing and would very much appreciate any honest critical feedback on my version of Sunset Boulevard here on Youtube (or the other demos)to help me improve. (Just type my name.) It was recorded a while ago now, and every singer must think they can do better later on, but there it's all I have. Thank you very much for any feedback offered. Andrew Hawcroft. (A devout Artist Against Autotune)
GodzookySnr 7 months ago
What a voice!!Anoter talent about that handsome man X3!!!
LadyOndyne 8 months ago in playlist Favorite Showtunes 4
his accent is so sexy
Faith821 8 months ago 4
hugh jackman for 007 !! :P
AsadZero2 8 months ago
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he's really good.
eyhika24 9 months ago
I'm likin' this, but the way he says "boulevard" starts to annoy me. Not that any of how he's saying stuff is bad, but it doesn't fit with how he says the rest of the words it seems.
RobotSmiley 9 months ago 2
The perfect man. He is amazing. I heard he never even had any singing lessons. That's just plain miraculous.
chevychase 9 months ago 2
@chevychase that's not quite right... he had singing lessons before oklahoma.. otherwise he wouldn't have been able to pull that through.. BUT the thing is he was cast for curly even though they hadn't really heard him sing before
epsbandy 8 months ago
One more reason to love Hugh Jackman. <3 God, that man can sing.
YamiMirai 9 months ago 2
Didn't know he could sing! He's awesome! :D
10thDoctorLove 9 months ago 2
i'm trying not to be biased, being madly in love with Hugh Jackman and all, but after listening to all the versions of this song, this is till my favourite. his voice may not have the rich tone that the others have, but the life he puts into it, the expression, and the playfulness displayed, makes this one so enjoyable to watch. i Love it <3
motherXxwarxX 9 months ago 2
The reason he doesn't sound the best is because he is doing a character voice for the character that sings this song
AMBO4509 9 months ago 2
Please check my version folks.. Thanks
edenambalaj 10 months ago
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edenambalaj 10 months ago
I can't decide if I like this one or the one with John Barrowman...Jackman's got better gestures, though.
SammiJbird 11 months ago
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fucking stupid
zeppelinguy38 11 months ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
fucking stupid
zeppelinguy38 11 months ago
This is a disgrace to the song. It's horrid
bookwormx221 11 months ago
I adore Hugh Jackman, and he sings very well!
But I surely prefer the version of John Barrowman singing Sunset Boulevard *---*
Moonshine3991 1 year ago
Australia has sum of the BEST actors eva
Beccie1011 1 year ago 2
Barrowman has a better voice and he sings it very well, but Jackman sings it in a character, he's not just sining, he's performing and I always appreciate it more.
picturefan2009 1 year ago
@picturefan2009 I agree! If only there was a way to merge two people into one. God, that would be epic. I'd keep Hugh's bodymemory and just insert John's vocalchords and lungs. (or something? whut? this is getting kinda surreal). Just for this song. Because usually Hugh is so awesome. :tear:
Dammit.
Takaouto 11 months ago
I must say that I think that the guy who sings the swedish version in the opera here in gothembourg is a way better singer.. But I guess that's just me.
Thelittlecutie 1 year ago 15
@Thelittlecutie I agree iwth you he was very good, I was there just this tuesday. My only wish is that he would have sang it in english.
DYKARKNIV 10 months ago
I think all who sing this song bring their own interpretations and all have their own merits.
TanaSilvers 1 year ago 39
very nice ,good performance:)
napat14 1 year ago
This was done really well by Jackman...1996...now 15 yrs ago....Wow...how time flies.............
mroneoftheguys 1 year ago
Kris Phillips sings better than him
benlovetweety 1 year ago
so bad!!! his voice is awful...
georgio19761 1 year ago
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awful singing, what is he thinking
86am 1 year ago
*Ahem* Here's the reason "why" Hugh's so good in this role/song.... He's LIVED it! (Never say "Experience counts for nothing" - for this role/show - experience is EVERYTHING - which is why Glenn Close is so much better as "Norma" than Barbara is - Babs is a great singer - but, she was never "forgotten" as Glenn almost was!)
paulakaye5 1 year ago
The way i see the difference between John Barrowman, Hugh Jackman and Micheal Ball 's performances is as follows: For a all round west end performance choose Hugh then for west end performance with only the voice choose John but then for a pop performance choose micheal.
This is just what i think. I dont care if any disagrees with. Its how i would describe the different performances of a wonderful song
friendofthejawas 1 year ago
such a good singer and actor :)
here, he kinda looks like George Hazard from North and South :P
RedKingCommandz 1 year ago 3
Jesus Christ, how man favours did Debra Byrne call in to get him cast in the show?!?!?!
emlodik 1 year ago
I've seen both Hugh's and John's and I love Hugh's the most. My reason is, you can sound as preaty as you want, but it's the combination of acting and singing that realy sells me, speaking as a preformer. So after comparing the two I would much rather see Hugh Jackman play this part then John.
asolanara 1 year ago
This performance is the epitome of being in the moment.
Every word is being done as if he's saying them for the first time. Brilliant.
jongzo 1 year ago
He's the perfect Joe.
amyvocalist 1 year ago
well jackman is very convincing... perhaps john has the better voice (or at least more experience) but jackman just gives me the chills
onepiecebestanime 1 year ago
i love the way hugh sing it, it feels as if you can feel it, and the way he sings and acts it
TheLittleStudio 1 year ago
i've heard the john's version,,and i think Jackman's is way much better,,,he put the acting element into his voice,,,i can feel the emotions from his eyes and his tone
sherrymaldo 1 year ago 2
Hugh's performance is operatic while John's was much musical.
hugh0221 1 year ago
Sunset BOUlevard, Ruthless BOUlevard, Lethal BOUlevard.
I like 'em both to be honest. I've been a fan of both Jackman and Barrowman, and they both have their positive elements. I'm more of a fan of Barrowman's hand gestures, and showyness, but Jackman has some amazing accents of his own. Jackman seems to be more of a classical singer, while Barrowman tends to have a lot of fun with it. c: <3 I'd marry 'em both.
Schwanheld 1 year ago
Fucking Wolverine :D
bannergreen17 1 year ago 3
I got to disagree with some of you here, I think Hugh sings this song better than John. Trust me I love how Barrowman sings but this particular song sounds better to me when Hugh sings it. He's got a deeper voice, more dramatic.^^ Maybe it's just me, this was the ersion I new first so it will always be the one for me;)
sparrowcrazy 1 year ago 2
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i think Barrowman completely steals this one. Hugh is fantastic - fact. However Barrowman has an edge. "rancid smell" for example and he sings it with much more ease than Jackman. You can tell Jackman's an actor though... but I still love Barrowman's version. And i dont agree with DRDFOX's comment. Barrowman doesnt sing over "well i'm a writer" at all.
marley01 1 year ago
i think Barrowman completely steals this one. Hugh is fantastic - fact. However Barrowman has an edge. "rancid smell" for example and he sings it with much more ease than Jackman. You can tell Jackman's an actor though... but I still love Barrowman's version. And i dont agree with DRDFOX's comment. Barrowman doesnt sing over "well i'm a writer" at all.
marley01 1 year ago
u cant judge them at all they both singing in a unigue way barrowman has a soft silky voice while jackman has the abilty to put him self into the song, they also got into there movie and tv carrers by first singing
MrBadasslycan 1 year ago
I like both of them and would like to see a "sing off" John Barrowman and Hugh Jackman. Both lads have done musicals such as Oklahoma! and wouldn't you want to go to a concert with both of these performers. I would. Throw in Danny Boys and you have a great trio!!
347Nitro 1 year ago
Allan Cambell was the best Joe! Final! :)
lumiere85 1 year ago
Okay, another John Barrowman/Hugh Jackman comparison here. Hugh acts differently here. I'm not sure if it's better. It's just a different (and equally legitimate) interpretation of the character. Personally I think he overuses pauses and his timing is a little less pleasing to listen to than John's. Also I can hear a lot of the Aussie here and personally think it sounds better with a naturalistic American accent like John's. That said, I really appreciate the piece as performed by both actors.
thechosennerf 1 year ago
I love Hugh Jackman. :)
FoxsMuse 1 year ago
With all respect - he is not a singer. But I have heard him in an interview state that he does not claim to be! And that speaks in favour of him as a person and an artist, I think.
bensisko3 1 year ago
@bensisko3 - Oh.and where did you hear this? Have you checked out "Kate & Leopold - he does some Gilbert & Sullivan. He did musicals in England. Sorry to burst your non-singing bubble.
347Nitro 1 year ago
Wolverine 4 ever! Hugh your are awsame! LOVE U!
Seastorm13 1 year ago
I'm not sure I could really compare their acting. The two of them play very different characters. John's Joe is someone who seems honestly oblivious to the fact that there's anything wrong with his actions (or is simply too doped up on success to care), while Hugh's character is completely aware of it - and relentlessly unapologetic. Barrowman's character is more hateable, and at the same time more interesting.
JanetteMorgan 1 year ago 2
I still think John Barroman and Michael Ball sang this song better by far, but Hugh Jackman does act better, I'll agree to that
Chaserpeach 1 year ago 2
what year did he sing Oh what a beautiful morning?
friendofthejawas 1 year ago
@friendofthejawas He did Oklahoma in 1998!
revjekyll 1 year ago
I definitely think Jackman has the better acting between him and Barrowman. That said, I think Barrowman has the better voice. I think the difference is, most of the time we only see Barrowman's performance on The Sound of Musicals where all of his performances were really just singing, whereas the speak-singing that we see in Jackman's performance is pretty typical in musicals because it's part acting as well. It's just like Paige's Memory versus Boyle's. One's an act and one's a song.
cyaftie 1 year ago
i dont understand, i listened to both of them and........ Hugh is the better man by far, i think his voice sound very intence, because of the acting choices he took compared to john who played it almost the opposite way, he went for a more easy going way, i dont understand the character Joe Gillis, but i read about him and the way hugh played him gave me goosebumps, because i could feel the struggle of living out there in LA......
juwans15is 1 year ago
Too bad he didn't get the Phantom role, at least he's a decent singer which Gerard Butler is not, just a vapid piece of eye candy.
audiesgirl 1 year ago
WOW^^ He is Mr.Perfect! Great
Freetimegirl 1 year ago
Does anyone know where i can this so i can put it on my phone??
friendofthejawas 1 year ago
Like so many others have said, I think Jackman is a better package overall, he not only sings the words, but he shows the emotions - he is Joe Gillis. His movements and facials really fit the tone of the song; I feel Barrowman is more overtly theatrical. That said, Barrowman has the better voice - sorry! I like Hugh Jackman too :-) - but Jackman has the better delivery. They are both great though, and Michael Ball's interpretation, while very different, is also well worth listening to.
callmebabs1 1 year ago
Great performance!
(one thing though: he uses viberato in like very sentence)
roeltje18 1 year ago
@roeltje18 well technically that's called good singing.
caroline8705 1 year ago
when was this filmed?? just curious lol
friendofthejawas 1 year ago
@friendofthejawas I think its 1996 - quite a way back, ay? :-)
callmebabs1 1 year ago
OMG he is amazing
I never thought that voice could come him lol
friendofthejawas 1 year ago
It's really more like speak singing for him. I do prefer his acting in this song to John Barrowman's but I still... Can't get over his speak singing. . . I love me a JB though.
ActThePart16 1 year ago
I have also watched both this one and John Barrowmans and i have to say that John wins hands down. He has the better voice and more passion.
joeygs223 1 year ago
I watched both John Barrowman and Michael Ball after this clip. And I have to say that Jackman is my favorite. He puts much more emotion into than the others. They are both good, Barrowman to be me better than Ball. But Jackman is by far better. Rather than just singing the words he feels them and shows those emotions in his voice. It is spectacular.
mmcharacter1 1 year ago 2
Flawless, except for an o-so-very hint of the Brit as American.
uKooKu 1 year ago
@uKooKu weird for an australian dude to sound british trying to be american o.0
omgu8mynewt 1 year ago
what kind of singing style would some1 say this is?
mikey463 1 year ago
@mikey463 musical.
or what do you mean?
Liiiiiiis 1 year ago
@mikey463 a musical?
omgu8mynewt 1 year ago
Why is everyone saying that John Barrowman's vocals are better? Not at all! Especially in the style of Webber. I like Hugh's voice better for the song, and I LOVE Michael Ball's. Hugh has better breath support that John, and it holds the epic-ness that Webber conveys in his compositions.
kassiehp0593 1 year ago
jee!!!! one of those multi-talented............
ellenol1014 1 year ago
I must admit I prefer Hugh's version over Barrowman's. Barrowman's movements are very indistinct, vague, and almost seems like watching mud. Jackman makes every single action, facial feature, and dynamic in his voice count and doesn't leave anything to waste, an economical performer. I played both versions at the same time and the voice and performance that caught my attention was Jackman's.
deathcomesx 1 year ago
Nagyon bejön :) is-is :)
Jencsozoli 2 years ago 3
ugh, I don't like it at all, but I do like Hugh Jackman's acting, he should stick to it.
arodoet126 2 years ago
Öhm....he was first musical singer and became after that an actor...^^ And he was that good, that could sing at the Tony awards^^
lumecia 2 years ago 3
I know I'm going to get slammed, and I AM a Big Hugh Jackman fan. His Curly is sheer perfection. And though this is really good, it doesn't hold a candle to John Barrowman's performance. Sorry Hugh fans, it's just not even close.
aprilliz 2 years ago
I love both Hugh and John, but you just can't compare the versions. Hugh does the acting better and John the singing, if you could compare the two you would have the perfect version !
leetje92 1 year ago 2
I hate to say this guy is perfection, but my goodness. Amazing talent!
misredkimmy 2 years ago 3
this is just fantastic
hugh is talented
31bear 2 years ago 3
What a pro...Great job....
mroneoftheguys 2 years ago 2
Love Hugh's intent in this song. Brilliant!
vaiseyangel 2 years ago 2
I think I prefer Hugh's version over Barrowmans, Hugh acts it better and even tho Barrowman may be better at singing, I like Hugh's singing better. I can't describe it, maybe it just has more charisma. May also be cause of the fact that he's Hugh Jackman :)
FebruarySoul 2 years ago
I wanna marry him....
DeceiverOfFools87 2 years ago 61
@DeceiverOfFools87
You r late... :)
kimigirl90 1 year ago
@DeceiverOfFools87 he's already married
marveldude12 11 months ago
that's awesome
UnaaMunaa 2 years ago 2
thats how you sing it mr Barrowman!!!! ask him for lessons?
Mrbenjaminbarker1 2 years ago
Yes, Tamás Pál was very good in the Megasztár, he performed it well in Hungarian, but Hugh is fantastic in English!
c56classic 2 years ago
Pál Tamás is a hungarian singer. I think his performance is the best "Sunset Boulvard".
TheGreschi 2 years ago
Anyone who wants a major taste of Hugh singing, take a look at the Media Reel of numbers from The Boy From OZ - particularly "Once Before I Go"
jessied44 2 years ago
@jessied44
Sniffs.. I never got aorund to seeing him in that when it was here in Australia *cries*
Never thought it would be on youtube tho lol XD Hope he decides to do it again! :)
Kewlausgirl 2 years ago
John Barrowman is a better singer but Hughes acting is leagues ahaead here. Not only does he use the right physical and facial gestures, he accenuates each part of the song more convincingly as the character. At 1:46 "well I'm a writer" is delivered as an off the cuff aside as intended. Barrowman simply sings over this. If you want have an audio treat, choose Barowman, but Hugh all the way for an all round stage performance.
DRDFOX 2 years ago 117
My best friend and I totally agree. We love both Jackman and Barrowman and in comparing their performances we found indeed that John sings it better but Hugh acts it better. I prefer Hugh, she prefers John overall, but it shows what two great performers can do with the same song and part. Good observations.
FairladyZ2005 2 years ago 4
i dont know that barrowman's performance is better, i think he is an excellent singer but i saw his rendition of this and i don't think it was one of his best. john doesn't have the right tone for this song, it needs the gritty, angry quality that hugh delivers. if you want to see john at his best look at i am what i am - it's fantastic
lane0065 2 years ago
@lane0065 I agree with your gritty and angry requirement, something also needed in a song like "what a circus" from Evita
DRDFOX 2 years ago
what i love about hugh is that he can also do light and fluffy, i think the training he had for oklahoma really enabled him to hone his talents (his oh what a beautiful morning is magic and he is incredible in the boy from oz)
lane0065 2 years ago
@DRDFOX except for the fact that he has that fake 30s mobsters accent, which doesnt appeal to current stage performance
webb101094 1 year ago
@DRDFOX This is exactly what I thought, and I'm a huge Barrowman fan. Hugh Jackman's acting is definitely much better than John's. I have to admit that, and I'm impressed. But John is still the best singer and I will never get tired to listen to his voice.
ShanaraShannon 1 year ago 2
@DRDFOX i toatally agree wiv u....barrowman is an amazin sngr but jackson is addin a bit of quirkyness in2 de song nd mkes it an all round good fellin performance
MrLegoMaster1000 1 year ago
@DRDFOX Couldn't agree more!
IlovePOTO3 1 year ago
@DRDFOX I agree, but I think Michael Ball is even better.
MrBigfoot91 1 year ago 3
@DRDFOX OH he sounds just fine. He is still better than some guys who perform this. Plus, like you said, he can act. I mean, its not like he is trying to triumph an opera role.
ykaiilah 1 year ago
@DRDFOX I completely agree. Hugh is an actor who sings. I would rather watch him on stage anytime. John can sing your heart away.
shetaz905 1 year ago
@DRDFOX But if you think about it, that was the only reason for Barrowman's performance WAS audio. He was simply doing a singing performance at a concert rather than an actual show and I doubt he was given adequate time or a script to put his own spin on the character and actthe character as he actually is, so...
supahsnuffy 1 year ago
@supahsnuffy I have no reason to doubt what you say is correct and I wasn't putting down Barrowman's potential ability. I was simply saying that Jackman here gave a better acted performance than the brilliantly sung Barrowman version we have to view. If Barrowman ever matches or excels Jackman's acted performance, then all the better for us!
DRDFOX 1 year ago
@DRDFOX I agree. Barrowman sings it better, Jackman PERFORMS it better. Especially at 1:58 - 2:04, "There dreams were yours, their dreams were *mine*, BUT in those dreams were hidden dragons!" That's one of my favourite parts.
MsStarsea 1 year ago 3
@supahsnuffy I believe John Barrowman was in SB for a while when he was younger, so he'd be relatively familiar with the part.
thechosennerf 1 year ago
Holy crap he can sing! I had no idea! <3 It's not as good as John Barrowman's version, but it's still not bad.
bbyriceball101 2 years ago 5
not all of us auzzies sing like that...
Deppdevotions 2 years ago
I LOVE Hugh Jackman. I don't think he sang this to his full potential. Still love it though. But I like John Barrowman's version better.
moviejew 2 years ago 2
Wolverine really can sing :P
BountyHunter762 2 years ago 5
Oh my god, I LOVE THIS!!!! I absolutely, utterly love this! I gotta see this again and again and again. Damn, he's great!
MidSummer83 2 years ago
Sigh, What a waste, he would have been perfect opposite Barbra Streisand in the movie version. What a waste!
Wwwism 2 years ago 2
This comment has received too many negative votes show
His accent makes me cringe. :|
ThroughGlass101 2 years ago
What a strange thing to cringe about. Surely you cannot take one's accent so personally that we cringe. He is Australian and sings beautifully with an Australian accent. We all cannot speak in an American accent. Nor do we want to.
AussieMum99 2 years ago 4
now see i like both of them very much....john's a lot better though...but i still like how hugh phrased his words and where he put the emphasis on each one......pretty well done i think...
nikkyfields 2 years ago
Agreed, John's version is sung better, and it seems to me that Jack acts "more" because he doesn't focus on singing as much as John does.
eda1102 2 years ago 2
Try it :P
EstelHoffnungsstern 2 years ago
the big diffrence between them is hugh jackman is an actor an djohn barrowman is a vocalist yes they both act and sing but still
tray2022 2 years ago 3
totally agree with you.. that's the main difference
onepiecebestanime 2 years ago
better acted than Barrowman
xXxskayaxXx 2 years ago
I agree that JB generally has a better voice but it's not like HJ's voice was unpleasant to listen to and it's not like he's trying to hit notes that are out of his range or something. I enjoy both versions very much.
dierckeatlas 2 years ago
I love this musikal <3 i have seen it two times
xDoornroosje 2 years ago
Barrowman's got the better voice, Jackman acts it better. John has better volume and timbre, Hugh brings grit and passion.
canengri 2 years ago 3
is this guy from the movie Wolverine???
sadseemom 2 years ago 2
Yep;)
sparrowcrazy 2 years ago
yes thats australians star hugh jackman better known as wolverine from x-men or van helsing
onepiecebestanime 2 years ago
I like John Barrowman's version, but Jackman's is good but Barrowman's my preference.
SinnedAngel08 2 years ago 2
Its seems that everyone is over Critical over the Boulevard note each time no matter who seems to be singin, having been learning this for a show of musical numbers, it just happens to be how the Dots are written, everyone that sings it has the same problem, it just comes down to a pronounciation and their own accent that changes things
zaphod8eeblebrox 2 years ago
Couldn't disagree more myself, Jackman really uses diction and creates a sense of the 'rat race' more than Barrowman. his lyrics are crisp and clear, less rounded than Barrowman's, creating a rough and gruff texture. Jackman's character reminds me of Chandler Bing from friends - the familiar nice guy who's cracking the joke and just telling it honestly. Good performance here, though I've gotta say I don't like the elongation on 'Sunset'.
jamesantonywho 2 years ago
Mm. Hugh's voice isn't matched well to this song, but he definitely pulls of the performative aspect of it very well!
On the other hand, John Barrowman simply sounds better (for this kind of song), but he doesn't act it out nearly as well.
chickenboo88 2 years ago 4
Better than Michael Ball but I still prefer Kris Phillips over this. Sorry. Still can't believe Hugh Jackman is a Broadway man