The Color Purple (reprise)

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 9:37pm

In The Color Purple (reprise), I always wondered why LaChanze sang the line, Your heartbeat make (no "s" my heartbeat on the OBC.  I figured that it was a mistake. When I saw the present revival, I noticed that Cynthia Erivo is singing the line the same way, make instead of makes.  It's like that on the new recording as well.  When I looked at the libretto, it says Your heartbeat makes my heartbeat.  Any guesses as to why they sing it without the "s"? I'm not sure if there is someone in the show who participates on the Board, but it would be nice to hear their feedback.

 

 

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 9:46pm

I believe it's just meant to be a dialect - they're in poor, rural Georgia in 1910-1940. There are several instances where the book & lyrics are written in that style (like, in the same song, "I don't think us feel old at all." )

Updated On: 6/9/16 at 09:46 PM

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 10:14pm

^ That would have been my exact answer as well. 

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 6/9/16 at 11:59pm

On a similar note, in "Too Beautiful For Words," the lyric is, "But when I see what's in your heart all the rest is blurred." Both both when I saw the show last week and in the b-roll, Heather Headley sings, "But when I see what's in your heart all the past is blurred."

Jennifer Hudson sang it as written when I saw her live and on the new cast recording. Curious.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTxlJDqN74Q

Updated On: 6/10/16 at 11:59 PM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 6/10/16 at 12:00am

Yeah, It's rural speak- Observe 'Hell No!", It's filled with them.

[Alexander Lamar]

Posted: 6/10/16 at 8:17am

I've also noticed that in the original production, during "I'm Here" I thought the lyric was "With all the love inside of me; I'll stand as tall as the tallest tree," but the way Cynthia sings it, it sounds like "AND all the love inside of me'll stand as tall as the tallest tree."

I could be just hearing things, but I'm so used to the OBCR and it throws me off every time.

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 6/10/16 at 8:39am

I appreciate the responses.  The other regionalisms or dialects never threw me, but the make instead of makes always stood out.