Singing "Santa Fe" from Newsies

I performed this solo during a Phoenix College Music Department recital last night. I've been working on this song with my singing teacher, Dan Hooper, who accompanied me on piano. Here are the lyrics:

So that's what they call a family
Mother, daughter, father, son
Guess everything you heard about is true.
So you ain't got any family
Well, who said you needed one?
Ain'tcha glad nobody's waiting up for you?
When I dream on my own
I'm alone, but I ain't lonely
For a dreamer, night's the only time of day
When the city's finally sleeping
When my thoughts begin to stray
And I'm on the train that bound for
Santa Fe
And I'm free
Like the wind
Like I'm gonna live forever.
It's a feeling time can never take away
All I needs a few more dollars
And I'm outta here to stay
Dreams come true
Yes they do
In Santa Fe
Where does it say you gotta live and die here?
Where does it say a guy can't catch a break?
Why should you only take what you're given?
Why should you spend your whole life livin'
Trapped where there ain't no future
Even at seventeen
Breaking your back for someone else's sake
If the life don't seem to suit ya
How 'bout a change of scene--
Far from the lousy headlines
And the deadlines in between?
Santa Fe
Are you there?
Do you swear you won't forget me?
If I found you would you let me come and stay?
I ain't getting any younger
And before my dying day
I want space
Not just air
Let 'em laugh in my face, I don't care
Save a place
I'll be there
So that's what they call a family?
Ain'tcha glad you ain't that way?
Ain'tcha glad you got a dream called
Santa Fe?

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Feldman and Menken
• Newsies
• Santa Fe
• singing
• singer
• music
• movie

[bakeland1]

Lol the university of phoenix isn't a real college

[azsingersigner]

@bakeland1 This was at Phoenix College, not University of Phoenix.

[maestrohughes]

Lovely job. Seeing Dan in this video choked me up. I really miss him. Rest in peace, Daniel Lee Hooper.

[azsingersigner]

@maestrohughes Oh my God! I had no idea he had died. Im sad to hear it. Id been thinking about him quite a bit lately and thought about going back to him for more lessons. He was a good singing teacher and a nice man.

[OperaLover84]

Beautiful voice! But I agree, there needs to be more tension and angst in the performance. It's almost too pretty.

[azsingersigner]

Again, I do appreciate constructive critique, and it's not every day someone tells me anything I do is "almost too pretty." =)

[seanbow]

Ah very nice, you sound great. I like this better than the original.

[switchfoot110]

Great job man. This just shows that newsies would make a great live broadway show. I'd pay any price to see that.

[namk19]

@azsingersigner do u take requests?

[Gumgirl4466]

That was amazing. So many people cant sing this right, they sing through their noses and slide. But this man was great, he had an amazing voice.

[kittydreamz86]

I kind of love this a lot. Absolutely perfect and I'm a huge fan of the musical.

[belugawhalesjc10]

really nice vibrato. im singing this for an audition and am really nervous!!!! :p

[darkb4lightt]

Beautiful voice, but I have to agree. It was a bit operatic, I felt. When you got to "Where does it say you've gotta live and die here? etc..." There should have indeed been more angst and tension because the song is about how a 17 year old feels lonely and beaten down by his own world. Otherwise, great stuff!

[maestrohughes]

If you want to reach me directly, my email is tactus60 (at) gmail (dot) com.

[maestrohughes]

I am planning a memorial celebration for Dan Hooper in Phoenix on May 15th. I will let you know more details.