Added: 3 years ago
From: dougster2810
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  • Now THIS is how it is done.

    She comes from an era where the stage was not miked. A performer stood square on the stage, and gave it to you full throttle filling the whole theatre with the power of their voice and personality. She was in her mid 70s here and she still had it. Wow!

  • Wow ... This was WONDERFUL!!

  • When you heard her voice there was no confusion about who was singing.....she was one of a kind...and I miss her.

  • Mark of a great artist: she gets a standing ovation just for appearing.

  • For Livesteam45...You said: "Dedicated to President Obama.....Loser!" Does this valued clip on the great Ethel Merman have anything to do with politics? None that I can see, fool. Yet, you just had to open that empty head of yours and spew garbage (which I am sure you thought was witty). Get a life, open a book (even Cat in the Hat), expand your putrid mind and hopefully in the future; you will have something intelligent to say. That is not too difficult, is it? Though I am reserving doubt.Peace

  • @BearyHairy Dear HairyBeaver, Don't be so stupid. . With the right book LiveStream45,will know that everything is, in fact, connected to everything else. . May be you ought to be reading more books; when was the last time you went to your local municipal library? Probably years ago. . And another thing this isn't Ethel Merman it is Barbra Streisand. . Cheers. from, del-boy.
  • Everything's comin' up Milhouse!!!

  • Ladies & gentlemen, this is divine talent from the start to the end of her long life. Bing Crosby called her, "The Mighty Merman," which I would say is an understatement of her talent. She, as this clip will attest, gave 110 percent plus to each & every performance. A pure, true chanteuse of energetic fire roared on by magnificent voice, music & song. Maestro Irving Berlin knew what he was doing when he handed scripts to this incredibly talented woman. Genius knew genius, as it were.Peace. Bear

  • How the hell can she not start crying listening to her own voice? So beautiful!

  • What year was this?

  • One thing that I heard about Ethel Merman is that she insisted on being treated like a star. But when the curtain went up she was one.

  • A standing ovation and she hadn't even started singing (:

  • Wow....She was just phenominal in everything she did. What an amazing human being.. RIP Ms. Murman, we love you.

  • Diva! Sorely missed.

  • Its hard to define whats makes Ethel so unique to modern audiences. Musical theater was the premier expression of American performance for decades and New York was its hub. Merman had the greatest talent begging to write and compose for her. She never failed to deliver, never flopped and was the surest gauge of what folks would pay to see. Operatic voices were a dime a dozen,,great actors worked as waiters, but she brought down the house in show after show for 40 years. Now define talent!

  • Watch and learn, bitchez.

  • Let'er rip, baby

  • What a horrific orchestral arrangement.... OMG... does absolutely no justice to the song nor the artist....! Should have used the original orchestrations from GYPSY. There's nothing better than the original. This is like trying to reformulate the recipe for Hershey's chocolate or Heinz catsup!!!

  • This is absolutely WONDERFUL! Bless her heart! She was a true legend and a true talent! Thanks so much for sharing this.

  • I didn't say anything about working hard. Many of today's female singers appear to be wannabe porn stars. They work hard... at being trashy.

  • @Livesteam45 I think you are on the wrong board.

  • She was good in mad mad mad mad world

  • Do you know what I find really rather irritating? When I come to listen to a piece of music, and I see people trashing artists like Madonna and Lady Gaga. Because you know what? I love it all. And I think that ANYONE who calls themselves a lover of music should at least RESPECT, all musicians. Past, present, and future, even if you don't like their music, or their fashion, or their voice (Although I would say that people who preach hate in their music do not deserve respect.) Thank you.

  • @Egsggum Thank you so much for saying this. I'd tried to express the same point to @Johndobbs1130, but it seems my view wasn't given clearly enough. To regard Madonna and Lady Gaga as somehow inferior, for seemingly no other reason that they came after Ethel Merman, is ridiculous. All three are musical powerhouses, worthy of our respect in their own right. Indeed, why someone would compare a musical legend like Merman with commercial artists like LG and Madonna is beyond me. It doesn't compute.

  • @Egsggum Except I don't believe its music if you're singing auto tuned over a computerized bass beat. Musicians are people who have actual musical talent playing actual music instruments, thus disqualifying most of today's pop artists.

  • @Egsggum What a Great and Dignified comment - i think this sums up everything i always wanted to say to all these people who come here to listen to Music and comment on Politics instead and mix the two together!!! Very well said indeed my friend!!!

    Leo Statten Astor

  • how old was she here, cause that's one big forehead

  • She's a pillar. I personally don't like her very much, I have to admit that, but I absolutely can't deny she's incredible :)

  • SCTV brought me here.  Andrea Martin!

  • She was quoted as saying " I just holler & hope my voice holds out!" " AMEN to that.

  • I've never been a huge fan of Ethel - I just don't care for her performance and singing style.  HOWEVER. I have great respect for the pavement she created for actors/actresses today. She is classic.

  • I want her dress! 

  • This doesn't even sound like she had a mic.

  • @pinoyidol2006 Ethel never needed a mike. I am so blessed that I finally got to see her perform (albeit in Hello Dolly.)

  • In all honesty - I never liked her voice, personality or stage persona. As, to me, she was always...'too much'.

    BUT...she was a unique talent with lots of emotive power & commands the stage. Indeed: how many of today's 'stars' could still perform at this level in their old age?

    I tip my hat to this lady of the theater.

  • @19lfm12 ...and she was 74 when this was filmed!

  • There could never be any mistaking that voice! I don't know how old she was in this clip,but I gotta say,I defy any of the so-called 'stars' of today to be still doing what they do well into their 'old-age'. They sure could learn a helluva lot from true stars such as Merman.

  • She is the prototype of every Drag Queen - amazing voice -

  • Broadway lore has it that, after seeing her performance in "Girl Crazy," George Gershwin advised Merman to never take a singing lesson! He was concerned that lessons would destroy her unique talent.

  • Some of these comments crack me up. LOL For her day she had a VERY BIG VOICE! She had pipes, baby! She was one of the first ladies in entertainment to have serious PIPES.

  • Thanks Airplane for introducing this fine woman to me.

  • What a fabulous talent! And nobody had trouble hearing her up in the cheap seats!

  • The greatest ever! I had the great luck to see her live in Gypsy! It was advertized as the "Best Damn Musical on Broadway." And it was!!

  • The greatest ever! I had the great luck to see her live in Gypsy!!!

  • wow i got chills. and thatts wierd because i dont really like her voice, but shes so old and lightyears better than me.

  • I understand what she has accomplished but I just dont get it. Her voice always seems off pitch.

  • @blue2765 you kind of have it wrong, Ethel merman was never trained was never accomplished she was a belter old school its about he emotion, and sheer noise level with merman and don't forget by this point she was really getting on a bit

  • My daughter just sang this song at a local talent showcase...it's still current and always classic!!!

  • I love her brassy voice and I don't think we will see her like again!

  • The old broad is a diamond real class I love her

  • God smiled......Merman Sang

    The best of the history of this world

  • 20 to 30 years later shes still got it wow what a women

  • Ethel Merman, Kate Smith, Judy Garland, and their ilk made it on raw talent and hard work. They were troupers of the first order. Also, they appreciated and respected their fans.

  • what year is this?

  • @Ignorance96 Wikipedia writes, her last performance was in 1982 in Carnegie Hall NYC (she died in 1984 by an Brain Tumor) maybe it is this performance. Well, you can think about her what you want, but shes the best lesbian Musical actress (who is dead) the best (not lesbian) actress is Patty LuPone (thats what i think *smile*) Being a succesfull actress for 52 years is really impresent to me! She was the Broadway Star all over this years! I Im Sorry for my bad english!

  • @michaelastreee I guess those 4 marriages and 2 kids were just a con to fool the public. What does lesbian have to do with anything. You are a sick puppy.

  • @michaelastreee I guess those 4 marriages and 2 kids were just a con to fool the public. What does lesbian have to do with anything. You are a sick puppy.

  • Oh, thats Lieutenant Hurwitz.. He has severe shell shock... He thinks he's Ethel Merman...

  • 6 people dont know how to appreciate class

  • @hunkhk thats exactly what im thinking! Times change, and the way of singing too, in her age it was not usual to scream as much as the actresses (is this right???) do today (but i like this too)

  • @shaneopimpdog...based on your username I can see why you would think Lady Gaga is not trash. She may be talented, but she is promoting herself/himself as trash because that is what a degenerate public is asking for. She/he and Madonna like to sell their bodies as part of their act. I also think it is possible that the studio makes them sound better than they actually are. Trash-Lady?-Gaga vs. Class - Ethel Mermon

  • When was this from

  • SHE GAVE TOTAL TRUST TO HER AUDIENCE AND GAVE US EVERYTHING SHE HAD - EVERY TIME --- AND WE LOVED HER BACK TEN-FOLD IN RETURN!

    I CAN HEAR THAT VOICE FROM HEAVEN - GOD IS LUCKY :) Thanks Ethel xxoo

  • @ssnoc caps lock is stuck.........oh wait........you were trying to make a point and do it just to get thumbs up, sorry

  • @ssnoc awesome comment!

  • still the best, true broadway noone else like her. I loved learning the songs she sang

  • All there is folks!! Here we have America's finest Musical Theatre STAR!! It takes your breath away!

    WE LOVE YOU MISS MERMAN!! The **GREAT AMERICAN REVUE** will tell your story!!

  • Comment removed

  • How do you get a Standing O before you even start to sing? Only Ethel!

  • amazing - that voice! it's still there!

  • microphone...who needs a mic when you're ETHEL MERMAN

  • there will never be another Ethel Merman... the woman could belt it to the balcony without even trying..

  • A voice like a sonic boom. The one and only Ethel Merman.

  • 1:43 for my homies

  • Such a powerful voice!

  • GO GREEN...

  • @JerryBerryLover that is a tally different song, "roses turn"

  • Wow she sounds amazing! What happened to the second part of the song? Wasn't there a when is it my turn don't I get a dream for myself part?

  • She was in a class by herself!

  • The only reason I can even think of for the five people who disliked this video is that they accidentaly hit 'dislike' when they went to his 'like.' Ethel Merman is a goddess.

  • My buddy Beni is in the first row...called me at like 2AM after this whole show; it was originally for Lorimar employees...I still have the whole thing somewhere.

  • such a strong scenic presence.. she was one of a kind!!!!

  • Which of today's performers can better the Queen?? None that I can think of...

  • People can say what they will about her style and technique, but she sounds great for 74!

  • Lt. Hurwitz?

  • What a voice she had. And I can understand her! :)

  • i liked her in the movie called Airplane!

  • She was a lovely person. five stars*****

  • She really still is the best at singing these types of stirring, emotional songs! No one can compare to her, even after all these decades since her demise! She was my Grama's favorite singer and is still the Broadway Gold Standard.

  • Wonderful. Enjoyed listening to her voice again!

  • Madonna, lady gaga, myley, and the other trashy singers should take a look to see what class is all about.

  • @johndobbs1130 AMEN TO THAT!!!!!

  • @johndobbs1130 who are you to say that Lady Gaga is trashy. What planet do you live on. She is a classy, smart, talented woman owns the world. You need to get you're facts striaght before you speak. Now dont get me wrong Ethel is amazing and I love her. But Dont dis others that you dont even know. You're a rat.

  • @johndobbs1130 Lady gaga's actually legitimately talented, Miley.

  • @johndobbs1130 ...why the heck would you put lady gaga or miley in the same sentence as classy? did they say they want to be classy? no need to be so judgmental and authoritative about how women should act, mister classy. 

  • @johndobbs1130 Hah, Ethel Merman comes from a generation of people who performed for the love of art and culture, not just to show the world that they are the best and sell tons of record albums while being cheap and trashy.

  • @johndobbs1130 It's not always the artists' fault you know. Record companies are not interested in hiring modest people, young women especially are pressured to be provocative because sadly that's what sells.

  • @PurrfectPeach Everybody has choices.

  • @johndobbs1130

    I second that emotion! The late great Ms Merman had her faults (as we all do) but she had more talent in her little finger than many so called "stars" of today. A truly one of a kind talent....the most memorable voice Broadway has ever known. She was BORN to play Mama Rose.

  • @johndobbs1130 This is such historical-cultural elitism. You clearly equate more modern artists with the 'trashy' epithet, so more fool you. Madonna and Lady Gaga are, quite rightly, regarded as musical powerhouses for their musical creativity. Ethel Merman may be a better *singer*, but your labelling of the others as 'trashy' is woefully unsupported by fact. I love Ethel, Madonna *and* Gaga. The three aren't mutually exclusive. Broaden your mind.

  • @oxfordruse musical creativity? Really? Looks like porn to me. Naked writhing on the stage while you lip sync is not "powerhouse" musical creativity. Sorry.

  • @johndobbs1130 - I'm quite sure they're a lot more aware of the different female singers out there than you are. How about instead of trashing other people, just liking who you like?

  • @BayviewFinch who is "they"? Doesn't matter how many other female singers there are in the world... those who use sex instead of talent to sell their music qualify as "trashy".

  • @johndobbs1130 - Um... The singers you noted? Again, maybe it's better to focus on who you like as opposed to who you don't like. Anyway, I'm sure if Ethel Merman was around today, she'd have good things to say about the musical geniuses, Madonna and Lady Gaga. Isn't it nice to be both talented, and sexual?

  • @johndobbs1130 Axle Rose certainly has! His singing is obviously inspired by this classy lady.

  • @johndobbs1130 You don''t have to diss people who work hard to get where they are to prove your point?

  • What a voice! What a talent! No one could sing this song like the late great Ethel! The perfect "Mama Rose". A veritable force of nature! THANK YOU for sharing this delightful clip with us! :)

  • She was so fantastic.

  • She kept her power and magic to the end. Thank you.

  • Fantastic!

  • Oh how fantastic!! She was completely awesome.

  • this lady can sing. thanks Airplane for directing me here.

  • A true great lady, she is awesome.

  • God...how we all loved her! I think I'd give my right arm to have seen her in "Gypsy"!

  • Oh... back in the days when musicals weren't second rate rock concerts... I miss the days of showtune like this... when musicals were still musicals!

  • Hahahaha I keep thinking about that scene in Airplane when the woman is sedated after being delusional and singing this lol

  • marvelous!! one of the very few people who will get a standing ovation BEFORE a performance!

  • I like the arrangement here better than Lansbury's, with the slow consideration of every line at the end.

  • her amazing voice is still just as clear and powerful as it was 50 years before this performance. A true original!

  • amazing and great voice.

  • Does anyone know what year this was? She still could belt it out!!!

  • Beautiful!!Made me cry....

  • Ethel Merman must have been quite disciplined to retain such a powerful voice

    throughout her brilliant career. I compare her voice to the sun while I regard Mary Martin's voice as the moon.

  • This song/performance should be the national anthem.

  • Shame they don't make em like this anymore (and they havn't for a long time!)-- great post --thanks

  • what year was this?

  • @ellicullab 1982

  • She didn't have a beautiful voice, but she was memorable, to say the least. Singing isn't always about making lovely sounds. The singer's job is to make people experience an emotion or feeling and Merman did that well.

  • @zolluuu Individuality is the earmark of success in show biz. Like Katherine Hepburn or James Cagney...when you hear Mermans voice..there is no mistaking who it is.

  • Old school class. ;)

  • No matter how old Ethel was, she could only sing one way.....GREAT!!!

  • Simply the greatest

  • incredible! what a set of lungs on Ethel brava!

  • omigod shes amazing!! legand!! :) ethal merman is amazing...i love her

  • Wow!!  Amazing projection!

    To the naysayers - Ethel's voice has already passed the test of time, and does not need your endorsement.

  • I hereby ENDORSE Ethel Merman's voice.

  • You realize that she figured out she had cancer a couple of days later then died like a couple of months later, she was one of the most famous broadway singers when she was young.

  • you should feel bad to insult an old woman like that, just goes to show you how mean you are.

  • Wow. How old is she here?

  • B R A V O !!!!!!

    The Grande Dame of Broadway ,This legend really knew how to project to the audience ,the greatest voice . Ethel Merman ...forever

  • The greatest musical star ever. This has always been and always will be Ethel Merman's theme song.  No one can take it from her. Gypsy was written for Ethel and nobody else can play that role like she does.

  • LOL I like that characature of her

  • Happy Birthday Ethel! You will ALWAYS be the Queen of Musical Comedy!

  • That old battleax could belt them out couldn't she........Loved her in Mad, Mad, World.....

  • What a singer even at the end! Rest in peace dear lady.

  • Ethel was the queen of musical comedy and no one will ever fill her shoes!!!!!!

  • Comment removed

  • Ethel was a businesswonan with her voice -- other singers should follow her example.

  • Airplane

  • Oh, God . . . Her voice was perfectly preserved. I mean, I'm shocked. She never lost it.

    And did you see that standing ovation at the beginning? If nothing else, that made my holidays.

  • THAT put the biggest grin on my face!!!

    Bless her!!!

  • Ethel Merman..THE "Grande Dame Of Broadway!"

  • I love how her voice still has all that power, even so many years later.

  • It's on a vinyl album, not sure if i can upload it, I will endeavour to do so...

  • I love Ethel! Nobody compares to her!

  • I have her singing "if i knew you were coming i'd;ve baked a cake"...... it scared my cat

  • what is that from and can u post it

  • It's from the Broadway musical, "Gypsy" and Ethel was the star of it! If I remember correctly, she had a standing ovation every night -- deservedly!!!

  • @TheLuddgang My cat really did get scared when she sang. He was sleeping and when she came on TV he covered his ears and made a weird sound. I think it was the tone and loudness that scared him.

  • The last of the great belters!

  • and really the first - she was the beginning and the end of belting... the definition of belting.

  • I always felt she sang with all the finese of a female truck driver. LOL!

  • If you want to see female truck drivers, you need to see Rosie O'Donnell doing Grease!

  • LOL! I would, but going deaf is enough... I don't want to ALSO go blind! LOL!!!!!

  • Broadway royalty, will we ever see another like her again?

  • @Robert4770 It's called Angela Landsbury, Bernadette Peters, Patti Lupone. They are not the Merm yet... but they are well on their way.

  • Comment removed

  • @Robert4770 why of course my dear friend! non other then moi! ;D no no jk :)

  • @Robert4770 I think Mizz P