Cadriel
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The Apocryphal ChessThis initial post is something of a place-holder. I'm going to be putting up here a collection of lyrics & explanations of some of the "lost songs" that have gone into Chess over the decades. Enjoy!
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Cadriel
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The first, and probably the most noteworthy, "lost" song is a Florence number titled "When the Waves Roll Out to Sea." It started life as an ABBA song, a beautiful instrumental number, and had a demo recording done by Elaine Paige. It didn't make the cut in the concept album or the London stage show, but there is a recording of Paige singing it that exists. The melody should be well known to the serious fan; it was reused in "Glöm mig om du kan" in the Swedish version of the show.
| Quote: | When the Waves Roll Out to Sea
(Demo version of unused song for "CHESS")
Until that day my life had been a river
In a safe, predestinated course.
Suddenly detouring unexpectedly,
With uncompromising force.
My strongholds broke down all too easily.
I remember well how it did embarrass me.
I hung on to his every smile, marveled at his style.
And WHEN THE WAVES ROLL OUT TO SEA,
I know that he won't return for yet another year.
I'll be waiting for him on this windy pier
'Til the mist is breaking, then I'll see what becomes of me.
And once again the river's flowing slowly,
In its own and uneventful course.
And my love affair's become a memory.
I recall without remorse.
But all the time I wonder where he is
And I will admit he had something that I miss.
I guess he was a rolling stone, the only one I've known.
And WHEN THE WAVES ROLL OUT TO SEA,
I know that he won't return for many days to come.
I'll be waiting for him on this windy pier yet another year.
And WHEN THE WAVES ROLL OUT TO SEA,
(Memories growing every time, that touch)
I'm a woman with a wound that always burns.
I'm forever waiting. Will I see what becomes of me? |
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Cadriel
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The curious thing about "When the Waves Roll Out to Sea" is that it's not only not the only version of that song ever written for Chess, it's not even the only version Tim Rice wrote for the concept album. Here are the lyrics of an alternate version that was given to Anatoly, "If the Stars are in the Sky."
| Quote: | If The Stars Are In The Sky
(Demo version of unused song for "CHESS")
Until that day my life had been a river
In a safe, predestinated course.
Suddenly detouring unexpectedly,
With uncompromising force.
My strongholds breaking down too easily.
And it made me sad and it did embarrass me.
I hung on to her every smile, marveled at her style.
CHORUS
But IF THE STARS ARE IN THE SKY,
We'll say goodbye, longing for the moment we'll return.
I'm a mortal man with wounds that always burn.
Something keeps me waiting; will I see what becomes of me?
And once again the river's flowing slowly,
In its safe and uneventful course.
Now that years have passed it's like a pleasant break
I recall without remorse.
But now and then I wonder where she is
And I will admit she had something that I miss.
I guess she was a rolling stone, the only one I've known. |
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Cadriel
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Now, the next song we get to, "East / West," was written for Broadway but got cut long before it made it to opening night. The copy I found was in my files with Sylvia Stoddard's original commentary from the old Squareone.org Chess site, and I've decided to let that stand. Fans familiar with the Broadway show will see where this song fit into the show, and be glad it wasn't used. I've italicized Sylvia's comments so they stand out.
| Quote: | EAST/WEST
This song was written, according to Tim Rice, under "protest and
duress" at the insistence of Trevor Nunn, for the airport scene to
be sung by the CIA agents to Anatoly and Florence. Staged only once
during previews, no one can remember the melody, but it seems to be a
"bookend" for "US vs USSR" with the agents taking two sides - that of
the east and west coasts of America. As the show was running nearly
four hours during previews, the inclusion of this song obviously
lengthened an already over-long show.
JOE
Mr. Anderson said you were hungry.
FLORENCE
Thank you.
(short pause)
HAROLD
Been to America before?
ANATOLY
(without looking at him, shakes his head) No.
HAROLD
I think you'll like it. Most people do.
JOE
Though if it were up to me, I'd say go east not west.
(Anatoly looks at him)
East coast, I mean. I'm from New York myself.
HAROLD
Don't listen to him.
I come from a place that is called California.
For my money, the West is best.
EAST/WEST
EAST COAST
Now if you take my tip
You're gonna move your ass
To where the illuminati shine
To where our history's located
That means East
Where even bums have class
Where ever since Washington
The men who really count have operated
WEST COAST
I never met a man
Who didn't fall in love
With what's the nearest thing to paradise
This side of the Equator
That means West
Where you'll be hand in glove
With glamor and sunshine
And with room to move
The sea your alma mater
BOTH
You're gonna be free!
That's a situation which is
Almost unknown
In the world today
You're gonna find we've
An embarrassment of riches
In the East, West, middle
Of the USA
EAST COAST
Now I don't wanna knock
My fellow countryman
But out in the California sun
You live and die out on the freeway
Don't go West!
You'll never walk again.
WEST COAST
But everything's young and new and healthy
It's the how-it's-gonna-be way
BOTH
You're gonna be free!
That's a situation which is
Almost unknown
In the world today
You're gonna find we've
An embarrassment of riches
In the East, West, middle
Of the USA
So you see
You got
A very difficult decision
To be
Or not to be a Broadway baby or a beach bum
EAST COAST
Or you can lie back in the sunshine, never thinking at all!
BOTH
Lucky you - what
Tantalizing options from a come-and-get-it nation
How can you go wrong when it's an all-win situation?
You're gonna be free!
That's a situation which is
Almost unknown
In the world today.
You're gonna find we've
An embarrassment of riches
In the East, West, middle
Of the USA
WEST COAST
Now all my Eastern friends'
Atlantic overtures
Are all very well if what you want is
Claustrophobic competition
Don't go East
They got such dull brochures
EAST COAST
But everything's old and sane and proven
It's a haven of tradition
BOTH
You're gonna be free!
That's a situation which is
Almost unknown
In the world today
You're gonna find we've
An embarrassment of riches
In the East, West, middle
Of the USA
(As they finish:)
JOE
(To Florence:) We have this argument all the time.
(A Man appears at the door.)
THIRD MAN (Kip)
Harold. Joe. (They start to go)
HAROLD
Good luck.
(they go)
FLORENCE
I hope you find America all it's cracked up to be.
ANATOLY
In the Soviet Union, it is not cracked up to be all that much. |
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Jekkienumber24601
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was there a melody that we would recognize from any version to that terrible song?
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operafantomet
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The refrain of the unrecorded "Free as a Bumble Bee" eventually turned into the refrain of "I know him so well". A studio snip of it was included in the 4 box set released in 1994:
http://www.abba-world.net/songs/titles/au.htm
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Cadriel
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| Jekkienumber24601 wrote: | | was there a melody that we would recognize from any version to that terrible song? |
I suspect you'd have to pretty much find a member of the OBC with a really good memory or dig up the original score from somewhere to find the tune. I certainly can't figure out another song that these lyrics would fit over, and it was only ever performed once before being mercifully dropped from the show. As far as I know, only the lyrics have survived; there is no recording of the first preview. Opening night is the earliest I've ever found to exist, but there were about 30-45 minutes worth of cuts in the previews.
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Cadriel
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Here's one of those oddities that you come across. I'm hesitant to post lyrics for this songlet, because I can't decipher them; the only copy I've run across is a low-quality audio. As long as the YouTube of it is still up there, you can hear it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCL2HngC1eU
I tried slowing it down and listening, but the diction and recording are so poor that significant parts of the lyrics remain incomprehensible. Still an interesting bit of history, and a lyric that was much improved on in the London "Deal."
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Jekkienumber24601
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| Cadriel wrote: | Here's one of those oddities that you come across. I'm hesitant to post lyrics for this songlet, because I can't decipher them; the only copy I've run across is a low-quality audio. As long as the YouTube of it is still up there, you can hear it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCL2HngC1eU
I tried slowing it down and listening, but the diction and recording are so poor that significant parts of the lyrics remain incomprehensible. Still an interesting bit of history, and a lyric that was much improved on in the London "Deal." |
I have the demos. It's nice hearing that melody, but the lyrics are too muddled to hear.
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alan
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I was lucky enought to get to see Chess in London not long after it opened - certainly Korberg and Paige were still playing the lead roles. There was a libretto in the souvenir brochure, which had a significantly different ending from that which was sung on-stage.
I don't have access to it just now - I'll type in the words when I get a chance - but I do remember that it had a stanza that went something like:
| Code: | No-one makes us live our lives as East or West,
As black or white, but we're obsessed
With the Fight (?), the Test,
We can change it. |
I also had convnced myself that when I saw the show, Paige changed the final line to "My love's only borders lie around my heart", which seemed extremely fitting. But that may just have been my imagination
regards,
/alan
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