Losing My Mind - Barbara Cook - Follies

[bleachbred]

Great performer

[MsBurnout2]

Congradulations on your Kennedy Center Honor tonight.

[agramsci]

Wow.



[mylesag2]

I know Barbara sang that for me!!

[BigglesWatch]

This is, for me, the finest interpretation of all of a Sondheim song.

[paulwien65]

such a brillant performance...touches my soul

[AndyG13GLA]

I discovered this version after the Pet Shop Boys & Liza did a great version, but this trounces everything. Its DEFINITIVE!

[grandmamoosie]

It's so great to see there are so many people who still appreciate a beautiful song, done beautifully. Thank you suessful for you comments to me on my e mail

[anongoingseries13]

For me it doesn`t get better. Barbara is simply superb. The orchestra is wonderful as well. Quality at its best. Bravo Bravo Bravo!

[catstaffo]

What the what. This is so beautiful just what. I had the worst case of shivers from the final "kind" belt to the end. Her performance really has true duende.

[grandmamoosie]

I've been a fan of Barbara Cook since I first saw her,when I was a teenager, back in the 1950's in a play called Plain and Fancy. I have her records and cd's and although this concert was in 1985, she still can interpret a song like no one else. I loved follies and I love this song especially, brava to Ms Cook and you tube

[suessful]

@grandmamoosie - me too

[Richiesutherland]

It is not to denigrate the wonderful Barbara Cook that I find that she takes third place in my personal Losing My Mind sweepstakes (1st-Dorothy Collins; 2-Kathryn Evans, whom I heard in London and who almost equalled Collins). First, the key is too high for the SONG. It makes it impossible for her to get into chest for "just being KIND" at the end, where Collins breaks your heart. Second, she falls into the usual trap of over-emoting. It's a very fine performance, but not definitive, to me.

[chiedu72]

This extraordinary performance was my first introduction to Sondheim as a tween. It still breaks my heart.

[witchman1]

You mean, there is a singer left who does not need auto-tune? : }

[cloud9wannabe]

beautiful. Im singing this, and this performance of this song has inspired me

[ivelosthewilltolive]

Well, as far as I'm concerned, she killed this song dead for all time. Which maybe isn't necessarily a good thing?

[daniel3231995]

Oh my god.

[primohomme]

Beautiful voice! WOW

[lapilana]

everyone said it for me :)

[wholzman2]

Barbara Cook: When she performs, well, you are seeing Broadway at it's best.

[vardavas]

Love her. She is brilliant.

[rogharm]

great song great voice great orchestration!!!!!!!!!!!******­**fabulous post great song love this song barbara really "cooks" and food is great!!!!!!!********ROGHARM

[sinjin405]

@rogharm - Not as good as Dorothy Collins.

[rogharm]

@sinjin405 FROM ROGHARM i enjoyed barbara cook's singing. i will not disagree with you as i never heard dorthy collins sing the song. collins on youtube sang on hit parade GREAT!!!!! UNCHAINED MELODY. please realized i never negatively have written about dorothy collins. collins is great. she died young from cigarette lung cancer. i admit i do negatively criticize singers. i do not like lanza as he screams most songs. he had the voice but poor use.

[sinjin405]

@rogharm Sorry, I never met to criticize you. Barbara Cook is a fantastic singer. It's just when I saw the musical in 1971 (my first), I could not believe the production or any of the players. They were all first class. It's coming back to broadway in September and I am going to make sure I see it. I don't think it's a stage presentation with props and costumes, but the music will have to be enough. I have been playing follies for the last 3 days.

[rogharm]

@sinjin405 FROM ROGHARM the dorothy collins is the best!!!!! you are correct!!!!! the singing and orchestration surpass cook. i just never heard collins until you told me about the post. collins record very much better!!!!! i also live nyc in queens sunnyside. when you are correct and suggest a better performance i went to investigate and you are correct. i just did know collins recorded the song. thank you for the e-mail. i am never afraid to admit that you are correct. when i heardccollcorrec

[boynamedalexxx]

@sinjin405 Where did you hear it wasn't a stage production? It's actually a full-blown revival (cost $7.5 mill to produce in DC; will cost less coming to B'way, since the production is completed), with Sondheim's original orchestrations (a *28 Piece* Orchestra!), and his premier interpreter (Bernadette Peters).

The costumes and the set are gorgeous. Should be the best "Follies" since the OBC.

[me254065]

@boynamedalexxx though of course the masterful job of orchestration is Jonathan Tunick's, including that infamously haunting ascending scale from "I dim the lights"...perfect.

[rogharm]

@sinjin405 FROM ROGHARM the orchestration and the solid great voice of dorothy collins is 1000% better than barbara cook's version. i loved collins performance. the orchestration was in the minor operatic key. cook has too high a voice. collins' performance was great. you must have read my other comments on youtube to know i appreciate quality and your suggestion that i hear collins sing the song with great orchestration is TRUE. i am never afraid to be directed to higher quality thanksucorrect

[marcel13ny]

omg she said spend sleepless night to think about you ...and is spend sleepless nights to dream about you :O lol

[jjaus]

Hmm, I think she is a great soprano, but this was not her song. Voice not strong enough for belting and the last note definitely wobbled.

[gvt2u]

@jjaus The performance is perfect.

[jjaus]

@gvt2u You said you loved it! Or were you just being kind? ;)

[gvt2u]

@jjaus That "wobbling" you hear at the end of the last note is not a failure of singing technique. It is a subtle expression of emotion. I could never get enough of that performance. I've listened to it for years.

[violettamimi1]

WOW! BRAVISSIMA!

[rogharm]

@violettamimi1 AGREE !0,000% ROGHARM she is G R E A T

[youngdirector2000]

The original Marian the librarian in The Music Man and Cunegonde in Bernstein's Candide.

[GameShowGuy]

Really hits those high notes! And the low ones. Awesome.

[Pywacket2]

Glorious. Magnificent. And going strong at 82 in "Sondheim on Sondheim." What a star!

[cr1t1calshots01]

she sings it beyond beautifully. so believable..a joy to listen to and learn from

[Luchino]

Saw her yesterday in "Sondheim On Sondheim" on Broadway. While you can, see this National Treasure!

[forthton]

her version always leaves me devastated.. I find it emotionally draining....she's so amazing

[rowlrich]

Barbara Cook has a vocal instrument that is not surpassed by many. What a thrill to see this.. especially this particular selection... what a great job this Broadway Legend does with wonderful Sondheim writing.

[dudewheresmydignity]

i don't get what you're all talking about. this rendition is dripping with emotion and character.

[NYSteamerMan]

quite enjoyable in my view..

[tet43]

It's comforting to see others who aren't that crazy for Barbara. I could never figure out why, just never liked the sound of her voice,and she was the" darling 'of Broadway.Maybe it's all the weight gain, because I did see a video of her when she was thin in the 60's,and her voice sounded different and and more enjoyable to listen to.

[larespo1]

Always felt she was singing her voice and not the song. Seems like it's all about ME here. I love her Marian Librarian, though.  Go figure.

[brassplyer]

larespo - "Always felt she was singing her voice and not the song."

Whatever that means. Sounds like a badly written theater review.

[shivastotravali]

Like her not, she's still singing her guts out at 82, so she must be doing something right. If this was 1985, hell, she was only 58 at the time. :-)

[shivastotravali]

"Like her or not...."

[phlashba]

and she's only gotten better! She changed my life --- but that's another story.

[Brennboy]

Sorry - but I've never got the whole Barbara Cook thing. Her high voice singing sounds so old-fashioned and twee - almost cold. Just my opinion.

[marcel13ny]

@Brennboy of course is old -fashioned because it wasin 1985 ? lol

now is different but yeah she sings the same way like she did before.

[bodder777]

Ditto Elaine Stritch. The real deal. Cook has never been one of my great favorites - don't favor it so high, so sung. But she's one of the big ones.

[letmeinthen]

Beautiful voice - I only found her by searching for the singer of 'Soon' from Thumbelina...I thought Angela Lansbury sung it as she voiced the part of Thumbelina's mother (think that might have been an insult to Barbara!).

[thtreguy05]

terrible. my friend in our college production did this WAY better.

[doctor52893]

Barbara has me losing my mind

[andytaine]

classic

[magic2uk]

awesome : :-)))))0

[bowmister]

the last "note" (on "mind") lasts 13 seconds. I like that. go miss cooK!

[pannicatack]

I noticed that this version is transposed up from the original. By a fourth.

[Phoebeje]

I had the privilege to be at this performance. It was one of the best evenings of my life. Barbara Cook was only one of the fabulous performers. Lee Remick, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Burnett, etc. were all terrific.

[nicktelecast]

And Elaine Stritch!!! Oh I'd sell my liver to see her live.

[musoph21]

OOOh its just that tone...Emotive, rich, control. Damn I love this lady!

[astoria25]

J'adore ca chanson.

[Somepeople]

brilliant. not a false note, not a wasted gesture, and that gorgeous, pure, deeply expressive voice - amazing

[malibu64]

omg amazing!!

[boe102587]

this is just wonderful

[jbb147]

Oh! Babara, definately the best performance ever of this Sondheim song.You can hold a note for a fortnight-----Brilliant.

[firewall2514]

wow!!! ive been looking for this for a long time. thanks for posting this!!

[ImperfectlyPerfect2]

I just got this DVD (in the Stephen Sondheim Collection, of course), and it is just phenomenal. Barbara Cook is just lovely in this.