There You Are

Album: The Mystery Of Edwin Drood (1985)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • When Charles Dickens died in 1870, he left behind an unfinished novel The Mystery Of Edwin Drood, in which the character Edwin Drood disappears and is presumed murdered.

    In view of the author's stature, the book has not naturally been "finished" at various times, and also turned into a musical known as The Mystery Of Edwin Drood or simply Drood. The American producer and director Joseph Papp asked songwriter Rupert Holmes if he would write a full length musical based on the original book, which he did: book, music, lyrics and orchestration, the whole shebang, giving it his own unique interpretation. There was also a novel ending, because at the break, the audience would vote on who killed Edwin Drood.
  • "There You Are" is the opening number from the show which has a rather unusual beginning; it starts with a single voice, that of the Master of Ceremonies, introducing it but quickly deteriorates into a cacophony of voices. When the music starts, the cast welcome the audience, and in fact several of them actually go up into the stalls and perform to individual members as the rest of the company dance. This happy scenario is probably not quite what Dickens envisaged, but if Ashman and Menken could write a musical based on a bloodthirsty talking plant from outer space... >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Alexander Baron - London, England, for above 2

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)

Jason Newsted (ex-Metallica)Songwriter Interviews

The former Metallica bassist talks about his first time writing a song with James Hetfield, and how a hand-me-down iPad has changed his songwriting.

Divided Souls: Musical Alter Egos

Divided Souls: Musical Alter EgosSong Writing

Long before Eminem, Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj created alternate personas, David Bowie, Bono, Joni Mitchell and even Hank Williams took on characters.

Graham Nash

Graham NashSongwriter Interviews

Graham Nash tells the stories behind some of his famous songs and photos, and is asked about "yacht rock" for the first time.

Marvin Gaye

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Oliver Leiber

Oliver LeiberSongwriter Interviews

Oliver Leiber talks about writing and producing hits for Paula Abdul, and explains his complicated relationship with his father, the songwriter Jerry Leiber.

Protest Songs

Protest SongsMusic Quiz

How well do you know your protest songs (including the one that went to #1)?