Blood Brothers

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 2:10am

Hi, I was on the site that shan't be named searching for Blood Brothers since I was in a masochistic/watch the final scene mood for some reason (I guess I needed something to bring me down from the high of meeting Nancy Botw...er...Ms. Parker tonight).

But I came across a tribute video with a rendition of Tell Me It's Not True. And it's the same one that I grew up on. Or, rather, after seeing a version of the musical at a Thespian Festival back when I was a Sophomore in high school, I had a friend give me that track off a recording they had. So this is the exact version of the song that I am used to. Only after about a half hour of exhausting searches I can't seem to find which Blood Brothers this is. And I'm also confused by how many recordings are out there of this show, since it's been playing in London for so long and had the Broadway production, yet Amazon seems to have four or five CDs, none of which help since the sample track for Tell Me It's Not True only has the none-helpful intro without Mrs. Johnston singing.

So basically I was hoping some theater-savvy individual could check give it a listen and at least tell me who it is singing. I'm just so curious, as it is the version of the song I know (and thus, love) the best. Please?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6gN70C9y8Y

I know we aren't allowed to link to bootlegs, but this is just a song, so I am hoping this is allowed. If not, could someone just search for Willy Russell's Blood Brothers on YT? It's the first one to pop up and made by a user named ieuz123.

Again, I would really appreciate it since this has been bothering me and seems to be the only thing up there with the actual song, as opposed to cheap (yet powerful) recordings of that final scene.

Thanks again! :)

[blaxx]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 2:18am

Tell me it's not a booteleeeeeeeeg....

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 2:30am

Wouldn't a bootleg be a video of a performance? This is just the song with no clips whatsoever. I even checked.

And I'm wondering because I know this is the song I used to listen to (it even has the "Mickey don't shoot Eddie, he's your brother!" intro) but I want to know which recording this is or at least who is singing. Updated On: 2/22/09 at 02:30 AM

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 2:43am

Not sure who that is, but get the one with Petula Clark.

[wizard2joe]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 2:55am

Yea idk think its a bootleg either since know one is taking a video at the theatre

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:04am

Yeah and like I said, if you listen to it it's obviously not a live recording, but from what I believe to be one of the released recordings. I'm just not sure which one or who sings it.

And thanks so far for the responses. I'm trying like crazy to find the answer to this since I really do love the song and wouldn't want to get the version of the CD (since some are madly expensive) if it doesn't have this song. And do you happen to know if this song with Clark begins with her singing or does it have the precursor to the shooting?

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:18am

It starts with her singing. There's no dialogue.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 3:21am

Ah thank you so much CATS! Okay, one down - so many to go. And that's not to say I won't eventually purchase/listen to that rendition, I am just hellbent on finding this particular recording. Stupid OCD.

[Chris T]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 4:39am

I think it's Kiki Dee

[Figaro2]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 5:13am

Its Kiki Dee as Mrs Johnstone
Con O'Neill as Mickey
and Warwick Evans as the Narrator
I am from Liverpool, UK so have spent my life loving Blood Brothers, for me the 1985 London Cast Recording with the late Stephanie Lawrence is the best.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 8:34am

I saw Stephanie Lawrence on Broadway and she was fantastic. So very moving.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 9:13am

This has to be in my top 10 of theatre experience.

Anyone remember how the critics received this when it opened in New York?

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 9:22am

i have to be one of the only people from the UK who is not crazy about this show lol.
The book is good and works well enough but i think the score is pretty repetitive, it becomes annoying after awhile.

The show is London is in such a shabby state as well, as is the touring production.

[Scripps2]

Posted: 2/22/09 at 11:26am

It's definitely the Kiki Dee/Con O'Neill 1988 London cast recording.

I saw that production: Con O'Neill gave one of the best peformances I've ever seen and rightly picked up the Olivier for it. I've followed his career ever since, as it was one of those performances the memory of which stays with you for a lifetime.

The first black-and-white photo of the twins arm-wrestling on that photo-montage is from that production - some of the other photo choices are awful and inappropriate.

[mormonophobic]

Posted: 2/23/09 at 1:31am

You people are amazing. So glad to know it's Kiki Dee. I thought it sounded a bit like her, but then got confused when I listened to the Barbara Dickson version, since they sound alike for that song (or at least did last night). Thank you all so much. You have no idea how much this makes me smile. Will definitely be purchasing this now.