The Last 5 Years - If I Didn't Believe in You

[ImFancyPants]

</3 that's just heart breaking.

[AndrewSteinMusic]

I love that line where he says "I will not lose because you can't win." and then he has that "oh, shit, that was harsh." look on his face. Been there.

[MusicAsMission]

This has always been my favorite song from this show. So beautifully said.

[roytrobe]

Makes me go all goosebumpy <3

[DontGoQuietly]

What I love about this musical is that it's so realistic. It doesn't attempt to make one character more sympathetic than another (even though of course people watching it have their own opinions on who's to blame), it shows that there was wrong on both sides.

[AlanaDoesHollywood]

I watched JRB himself perform this last night. He is phenomenal. 

[PPPEEETTTIIIEEE]

chilllsss aw0fe9ijawefpjwiecno

[ghostlightheatre]

I agree with Neaner - the words and music do all the work. Amazing!

[uknowwho889]

Norbert asks for "two minutes" but really he takes 5... a bit rude I think!

[MissChris822]

The line "I will not fail so you can be comfortable, Cathy," literally gives me chills every time I hear it. Jason Robert Brown's ability to put the most complicated feelings into the smallest phrases is just extraordinary. It's so heartbreaking in that you both sympathize with Jamie refusing to sacrifice a part of himself and yet still completely feel how much that statement would hurt Cathy. It's really brilliance.

[cartmanclone515]

While the performance is excellent (as always), the lighting is wonderful! I love how wherever Norbert goes on the stage, Cathy appears as just this still silhouette, so it's like she's not there, just a statue in her place...

Sorry, I'm kind of a nerd like that. :)

[Greenfairy331]

One of the things I love most about this show is that is provokes discussion among those who see it about more than just the casting and how well they sing. This is one of the few shows that I've seen that people talk more about the story and the words of the songs and the emotional performance of the actors instead of just their singing ability or their looks. There are a million great "moments" in this show where you just GET what the characters feel.

[wickedObsessed22]

his please at the end killed me :(

[Mazie13]

Jesus..... this brings me goosebumps everytime i hear and watch this.... one of my all time favourite songs EVER !! <3

[douis1]

The vocals aren't incredible, but the interpretation is phanominal!

[carr0760]

@douis1 How are the vocals not incredible? He's fantastic and this performance is top notch.....He could sing me the phone book and I'd be happy....

[pyrobeast1994]

@douis1 Just being fair, this isn't an interpretation.... Norbert was the original cast member. Its HIS song.

[gatorkati]

I think it's both of them. Yes he cheated on her. But it's not like she's totally innocent. This song makes it clear that Cathy is jealous of Jamie's success. That sounds stupid but I've seen it happen before.

I first saw this show when someone I know performed it while going through a divorce - t hey played Cathy but in real life they were the Jamie role, though minus the cheating. I heard this song and SOBBED.

Well done Norbert. He's fabulous.

[RaptorPandaFerret]

She was so naive- I think that's what led to her downfall. That she was so convinced that everything was going to be fine that she refused to see that he didn't have that hope. I definitely think that it's on both of them, as a product of Cathy's Naivety and Jamie getting caught up in his success.

[TheatreFan101]

I always blammed Jamie until I listeded to this song. It is really him spilling out his love, and showing Cathy's unwillingness to support him.

[mmarie0789]

@TheatreFan101 I think it's meant so that everyone will have a different opinion. They are both to blame in their own parts. They are both sincere, yes, but contribute tragic flaws to the relationship that result in its sad deconstruction.

[RAC3504]

This song puts an exclaimation point on a brilliant show. NLB is awesome

[klonoaspawn]

NLB takes this song like a monologue. It is a great song, and I have always wanted to use it for an audition, but whenever people hear it, they always say its just like talking, but You definitely have to listen to the whole song to find it.

[misslaa]

surely the show begs the question is there or does there have to be blame?

[Qermaq]

My take on the show is that by the end they shared the fault. Cathy's inability to cope with her lack of success compared to Jaime is completely offset by what we learn about him. The times we thought he was a jerk are, like the above, actually where he was the kindest of all - and of course, Nobody Needs To Know tells the other side. I like a rather flat yet intense delivery on this number.

[CAPSLOCKLIZ]

I love how you completely change sides by the end of the show. In the beginning I'm convinced it's Jaime's fault that they broke up but by the end I'm sure it was Cathy's.

[browngreeneyedgirl]

I do not agree.... It's both, but I`m still more convinced it's his fault... He was cheating on her, while she was trying her best to chase her dreams (as he told her to..)

[mmarie0789]

@browngreeneyedgirl but she can't handle his success juxtaposed with her failure...

[05Sugarless]

I would say the whole point of the show is that they both had equal part of the blame for the failure of their marriage.

[JazzMan5000]

i never changed sides, throughout, in fact i became less sympathetic towards Jamie.

[erynn417]

NLB is amazing.

[TimonyErt03]

This is so real and true to life. Wow.

[Mithnoviel]

god these songs are so REAL. JRB has such a talent for totally nailing this kind of thing.

[kingkotze]

the singing is great... BUT to be honest, I think he is a bit weak on the acting right here.

[HerbieBaby123]

There's a lot more to the character than you think. And what he's done (and I can tell) is he treated this song like a monologue. You can see it with everything he does. He doesn't climax or anything with the intensity of the orchestra. He keeps it real to what he's really saying to her.

[juanjuliochalupa]

I completely disagree with you. I have seen actors try to do way too much with this song and they over-act the hell out of it. Norbert nails it. Sometimes less is more...and that's the case with this song.

[musicmarsnm]

Listened to this song so many times, but it still gives me the creeps.

[ThisIsAnInsideJoke]

Oh god.

I lost it completely at "I think you'll be fine." The whole song is beautiful, but that line just killed me.

[clearbu2]

That has to be one of the most heart-wrenching songs in musical theater. Chavaleh's Ballet is a close second.

[ObsessedwithBroadway]

So right. I was obsessed with this song for about a month. It was insane. It still makes me cry. :( "Trip us or trap us, but we refuse to fall." Oh my Karl.... "Little Chavaleh, I don't understand what's happening today..."

[irisindelight]

agreed. Chavelah's Ballet is something I often forget about, but it's... =( *sniff*

and this is fantastic.

[OMFGitsASIAN]

Thank you so much for uploading these! I'm absolutely in LOVE with this show.

[Neanerbeaner1988]

holy...made me CRY! Usually doesnt. But this time it just got to me, pulled at me. And the reason behind that is because the lyrics couldnt be more REAL. JRB doesnt compromise lyrics to fit them into the music. Its as if he has all the words he wants to say and then builds music around them. Truly heartbreaking and raw and truthful.

I've had this exact conversation with someone who was very special to me and that pain is bleeding out into the music and the audience. God, I love good art.

[browngreeneyedgirl]

I agree, it feels very genuine and you can feel the pain, and well, it's just beautiful..

[Gothmac1031]

I 'completely' understand :) "talk to me!"

[ObsessedwithBroadway]

Oh, my, you are so right! I feel the exact same way, but I could never figure out how to phrase it! But what you said couldn't be more true. The lyrics are just so human, and you CAN feel that pain between Cathy and Jamie seeping into the audience. WOW.

[cherri94]

his frustration is so poignantly shown... yes this really should have gone on broadway. brilliant performance on both parts. rooting for this show all the way!!!! ;D

[frandance345]

<3

truely amazing talent

[Narnialover4]

"Goodbye Until tomorrow/I will rescue you "is the very first song I heard from this show

[treblekleff]

"I will not fail so you can be comfortable, i will not lose because you can't win"

I think every song from this show is my favorite song from all of musical theatre haha.

[cockeyedoptimist11]

god he's so brillant

[hipoop21345]

i want this to go back on broadway

[abbikins]

It was never on broadway! It should have been

[jharufeo]

"this is the life i choose, this is the thing i cant bear to loose."

you are the life i chose, you are the thing that i still couldn't bear to loose...

i love you

[NJKidd5]

i can't believe these recordings are online, this is incredible!

[MoonsMusic]

why is he so f'ing brilliant

[forgetregret12]

Someone has to be.

[lurvelysooz]

A masterclass in......just about everything to do with musical theatre.

[upsidedownw]

NLB is so much win

[cherri94]

i love the way he keeps using her name. its somehow... you know that he's talking to her, but almost at the same time he's like reminiscing/trying to keep their relationship together. and its so hard to watch it all fail in the end ):

[Blossomstar747]

-sigh- So wonderful. One of the most emotional songs in the whole musical. And one of my most favorites overall. Next up- my NEXT favorite- Nobody Needs to Know (right after I Can Do Better Than That) Norby's gone shirtless... 8D

[checkmytechnique09]

"I will not fail so you can be comfortable, Cathy. I will not lose because you cannot win."

Some of the most powerful lines in theatre history, and perfectly delivered by Norbert. I love this play so much.

[Blossomstar747]

I know. JRB really outdid himself in writing the music. And Norbert? Geez, he's the reason why I came to love the play as much I do.

[lbjames2nd]

So damn talented