The taking-it-down-an-octive thing reminds me of my ambivalence toward the Salonga version of "Love Look Away" in the PC/revised FLOWER DRUM SONG. I could never decide if I liked it. I felt very biased against it -- and Salonga is a real singer -- because the lilting, haunting soprano version was so powerful because it had an almost Puccini-styled motif. (Not exactly, I know, I know, I'm just looking for an operatic parallel here.) Salong's take -- wasn't even her character's song in the original -- was very dark but prosaic. I can listen to it, but it's not the same song.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling