While she's best known for cover versions of her songs I prefer her own performances - and her coolest stuff wasn't covered, since it was too long for am format, and very personal. Always love Laura!
I 1st heard this song on the movie "A Home At The End of the World", and fell in love instantly. Thank God I discovered this beautiful woman's music. Rest in peace, Ms. Nyro.
I loved her from the first moment I heard that voice and all these years later I still get the SAME feeling-she's just-well-wonderful.I saw her last UK concert-superb
I only heard the Royalettes and Deniece Williams versions. But Slowly I'm finding more and more things by Laura and I like that...she was an awesome vocalist...as well as writer. (although I don't think she wrote this) ...did she?
@MsTexas73, no, she didn't write this one, but the album it came from was all covers of songs that she loved and that had influenced her own writing. It obviously means a lot to her - she's putting her heart into it.
What a Lady, what a voice! Laura Nyro tears my heart out and rips it into a million pieces, but then she puts it back together for me, a million times better than it was before. I love her.
I just got this album, and I'm enjoying the heck out of it, oh man, Laura and Labelle together - I'm on cloud 10!
Of course the Royalettes version is nice. It's classic. It would be great in a movie soundtrack to help place the time. It would ultimately become background music for me, though. It doesn't have the texture, the fascination, or the pathos of Nyro's. It takes you somewhere. The Royalettes version is like hanging out at home: comfy, familiar, same ol' same ol'. Nyro's is like walking in the woods: you can take the same path, but you discover something new every time.
Opinions opinions - all so worthwhile except too those that can't deal with it spoiling their bigoted views. I love many genres of music but the original soul artists were so much better than those that copied them a few years later.
Nice effort - anyone referencing a song from the 60's golden era shows their intelligence and craft. Prefer The Royalettes though so please check it out to educate your mind to the real pioneers working within the ruling corporations. Black people singing beautiful soul music - can't beat that!
I agree. During the 70s there was an FM station in L.A. that played mostly music in the singer / songwriter tradition similar to Laura Nyro including: Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Carole King, Jennifer Warrens, Judee Sill, to name a few. I wish NPR would do a fund raiser playing all the folks who wrote deep meaningful lyrics. I miss music that allowed me to understand myself, and not feel so alone. You have good taste!
And when they did Dancin' in the Streets and got to the line "can't forget the Motor City", repeating it over and over... well it brought the house to it's feet, cheering and rockin' Motown to bone. God cradle our angel in your arms. We will always love her.
This album, Gonna Take a Miracle, is easily one of the top ten albums ever recorded. Laura, Patti Labelle and Co went into the studio and knocked out nearly every cut on the first take. The depth of emotion, the incredible arrangements and incomparable voice of Laura Nyro combined with the powerful soul of Patti Labelle came together for one magical moment in time. I saw Laura many times. But when I saw her in Detroit with LaBelle performing the material on this album, it was just the best.
Sometime after this was released (1971-1972) we saw her at the Berkeley Community Theater. Standard Laura Nyro set, with black gown, single red rose on the piano. She finished her set, walked off the stage, came back leading Labelle by the hand, Patti, Nona, Sara. They sang a few songs from this album and brought the house down! Damn, but I can't remember for certain if they did this number. In my heart, I think they did. But oh, what a night!
@Thunesite lol, yes, I do think she could have taken it a step lower or so. I'm a soprano, too, and sometimes with the higher notes, well, just because you can hit it doesn't mean you should (ahem, Mariah Carey and most of the singers today). Still, there's something so raw and personal and vulnerable and true in Nyro's version - something so emotional - that I still prefer it. To me, Deniece sound a little too Alvin and the Chipmunks. Timbre in voice, and what different people like and don't!
Wow, such a Honie. I keep on discovering the music of fabulous musicians AFTER they've passed away. Somewhat sad about this. Beautiful songs from an incredible talent.
Laura will be the only female inducted in the Rock and Roll hall and fame and Museum in April 2012. a well deserved honor!
liza7320 2 weeks ago
@liza7320 I am SO happy to hear that! She is well deserving of this honor. It's a shame she isn't here to accept in person. I love her music.
txtootsie 1 week ago
@liza7320 Well deserved. Love Laura, wish she was still among us on earth!
jejones211 1 week ago
While she's best known for cover versions of her songs I prefer her own performances - and her coolest stuff wasn't covered, since it was too long for am format, and very personal. Always love Laura!
sprucetree49 4 weeks ago
I 1st heard this song on the movie "A Home At The End of the World", and fell in love instantly. Thank God I discovered this beautiful woman's music. Rest in peace, Ms. Nyro.
M3devac 1 month ago
I can hear the miracles and Todd Rundgren she was something ! thanks for the post!
MrSluggo666 1 month ago
"God cradle our angel in your arms."
Amen.
MsCrazytoo 1 month ago
Patti LaBelle background vocals on this classic are incredible along with Laura's lead.
bayareabossalina 1 month ago 2
Wow! Outstanding!
aimeemannfan2010 1 month ago
I have loved Laura since the late 60's in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, sitting in the dorms late at night. It was Laura and Hedge & Donna all night long...
1949pegasus 1 month ago
It's been 14 years since Laura Nyro died. This is one of my favorite sounds of one of her favorite songs. It's great hearing it again.
realjeanne 1 month ago
NO other version can touch this.
phlashba 2 months ago
Laura Nyro rips my heart out. Oh, the memories.
billweber1972 2 months ago
Wonderful voice...i've always loved Laura's singing!
Eddieguitarloebs 2 months ago
Stunning!! This is one of the great singer/songwriters of the 60s & 70s!! Have always loved her work. Nice Tribute, Thanks!
robbie69612 3 months ago
I loved her from the first moment I heard that voice and all these years later I still get the SAME feeling-she's just-well-wonderful.I saw her last UK concert-superb
perkyporkpie 3 months ago
Heard this Hollins University 1972. Love you Laura and LaBelle.
inkychinkychinaman 4 months ago
Happy Birthday Laura. We miss you!
hbailen 4 months ago
I only heard the Royalettes and Deniece Williams versions. But Slowly I'm finding more and more things by Laura and I like that...she was an awesome vocalist...as well as writer. (although I don't think she wrote this) ...did she?
LOVE Labelle on backgorund here.
MsTexas73 4 months ago
@MsTexas73, no, she didn't write this one, but the album it came from was all covers of songs that she loved and that had influenced her own writing. It obviously means a lot to her - she's putting her heart into it.
jolcom 2 months ago
@jolcom Thank you for responding. Yes she certainly is putter her all into it. Very nice cover.
MsTexas73 2 months ago
@MsTexas73 Written by Bob Weinstein, Lou Stallman and Teddy Randazzo
vaccavo 3 weeks ago
What a Lady, what a voice! Laura Nyro tears my heart out and rips it into a million pieces, but then she puts it back together for me, a million times better than it was before. I love her.
I just got this album, and I'm enjoying the heck out of it, oh man, Laura and Labelle together - I'm on cloud 10!
Lovemylovething 4 months ago 4
Of course the Royalettes version is nice. It's classic. It would be great in a movie soundtrack to help place the time. It would ultimately become background music for me, though. It doesn't have the texture, the fascination, or the pathos of Nyro's. It takes you somewhere. The Royalettes version is like hanging out at home: comfy, familiar, same ol' same ol'. Nyro's is like walking in the woods: you can take the same path, but you discover something new every time.
bookbabe001 4 months ago 2
Opinions opinions - all so worthwhile except too those that can't deal with it spoiling their bigoted views. I love many genres of music but the original soul artists were so much better than those that copied them a few years later.
SOULNUFC 4 months ago
grande Laura Nyro!!!! espectacular cancion....un saludo al cielo para ti desde Lima, Perú
TUTUMEY30 5 months ago
quality from a lovely lady xx
sheffnyrofan 5 months ago
soulnufc, when you open the dictionary and look up the word stupid, it's a pix of you big boy!!!!!
Peace but FU anyway!!!!
Mr1drumlover 5 months ago
Nice effort - anyone referencing a song from the 60's golden era shows their intelligence and craft. Prefer The Royalettes though so please check it out to educate your mind to the real pioneers working within the ruling corporations. Black people singing beautiful soul music - can't beat that!
SOULNUFC 5 months ago
@SOULNUFC Ignorance.
kayjay111111 4 months ago
I agree. During the 70s there was an FM station in L.A. that played mostly music in the singer / songwriter tradition similar to Laura Nyro including: Joni Mitchell, Joan Baez, Carole King, Jennifer Warrens, Judee Sill, to name a few. I wish NPR would do a fund raiser playing all the folks who wrote deep meaningful lyrics. I miss music that allowed me to understand myself, and not feel so alone. You have good taste!
elouie 6 months ago
è un pezzo che ti entra dritto al cuore...
MrSergiocol 6 months ago
ﾛｰﾗ･ﾆｰﾛ､ﾗﾍﾞﾙ様たち､当時､私はほんと女神たちが降臨したと!!～"GONNA･TAKE･A･MIRACLE"～感涙の歌声(´；ω；｀)
blackandtanful 6 months ago
And when they did Dancin' in the Streets and got to the line "can't forget the Motor City", repeating it over and over... well it brought the house to it's feet, cheering and rockin' Motown to bone. God cradle our angel in your arms. We will always love her.
tcampbell1111 6 months ago 10
This album, Gonna Take a Miracle, is easily one of the top ten albums ever recorded. Laura, Patti Labelle and Co went into the studio and knocked out nearly every cut on the first take. The depth of emotion, the incredible arrangements and incomparable voice of Laura Nyro combined with the powerful soul of Patti Labelle came together for one magical moment in time. I saw Laura many times. But when I saw her in Detroit with LaBelle performing the material on this album, it was just the best.
tcampbell1111 6 months ago 5
the definitive version of this song by far...the soulful Laura Nyro, what a loss
kdwyer52 7 months ago
Sometime after this was released (1971-1972) we saw her at the Berkeley Community Theater. Standard Laura Nyro set, with black gown, single red rose on the piano. She finished her set, walked off the stage, came back leading Labelle by the hand, Patti, Nona, Sara. They sang a few songs from this album and brought the house down! Damn, but I can't remember for certain if they did this number. In my heart, I think they did. But oh, what a night!
Kevierae 7 months ago
@Kevierae Must have been very special, and very touching as the girls desperately needed the
exposure they would not receive until they cut Lady Marmelade a few years later.
mrjoshjones1 5 months ago
saw her c lose up in 68 fell in love
rudyxrudy 7 months ago
Nope... not for me. I prefer the Deneice Williams version!! A matter of emotions and taste. I think she makes me deaf really.
Thunesite 8 months ago
@Thunesite Who the heck is Deneice Williams? And where did she learn how to spell (not)?
TreeLeg 5 months ago 2
@TreeLeg... Umm, confusing response. But to each his own!!
Thunesite 5 months ago
@Thunesite lol, yes, I do think she could have taken it a step lower or so. I'm a soprano, too, and sometimes with the higher notes, well, just because you can hit it doesn't mean you should (ahem, Mariah Carey and most of the singers today). Still, there's something so raw and personal and vulnerable and true in Nyro's version - something so emotional - that I still prefer it. To me, Deniece sound a little too Alvin and the Chipmunks. Timbre in voice, and what different people like and don't!
bookbabe001 4 months ago
@bookbabe001 You said it: "raw"-- that's really the word. Raw, but genius at the same time. Laura was way ahead of her time.
phlashba 2 months ago 2
Wow, such a Honie. I keep on discovering the music of fabulous musicians AFTER they've passed away. Somewhat sad about this. Beautiful songs from an incredible talent.
RIP Laura Nyro.
DancingSpiderman 10 months ago 11
@DancingSpiderman me too, drummer tim andrew, connecticut
timandrew1 5 months ago