Don't know what morning show this was on, but it's Ellen Greene singing "Somewhere that's Green" from Little Shop of Horrors. What more do you need to know?
There are several versions here on YT of Greene singing this song. This is the best. The pianist is hanging on her every note, which gives her the freedom to tell the story as naturally as if she were speaking rather than singing. Also she is constantly navigating between the nasal "character" voice and the full throated belt - virtuoso craft, put to brilliant dramatic use.
Her rendition is unmatched and this song never fails to break my heart. It makes me think of how some peoples’ dreams are so simple, unambitious, normal and everyday, yet remain unattainable, no matter how meager and sincere they may be. My soul weeps.
Reminds me of Gigi's lyrics in The Movie in My Mind in Miss Saigon. She dreams of a simple, safe life in America where "Our children laugh all day And eat too much ice cream And life is like a dream".
That was so so brilliant! I’ve watched a lot of renditions of this song but no one ever seems to be able to come close to giving the sincere emotional tone Ellen Greene is able to give when she performed this piece. She’s able to bring so much emotion out of it
Oh wow, I just never tire of hearing Ellen Greene singing this number. Still brings a little tear to my eye watching her perform it all this time later. What a magic moment for that morning show :)
Actually, as great as Ellen was (and is), she actually wasn't their first choice. They originally wanted Faith Prince to play the role, but she couldn't get out of another project, so they went with Ellen. Faith was, however, Ellen's first replacement in both the New York and L.A. companies, so she's not bitter...really.
She has always embodied this character, but this stripped down version is really wow. When she says the line "I dream about it all the time" her facial expression is devastating. People often forget this song is not supposed to be just sweet and cute, it's supposed to rip your heart out because this will never happen for this character. This version captures that to perfection. I have watched it 20x and cried every time.
@@omarcogle1965 no. Ellen was in the orignal Off Broadway production. (And an Encores “revival” with Jake Gyllenhaal…who is kinda responsible for the recent onslaught of “six pack Seymours come to think of it). Joy Woods is currently Audrey (but that changes fairly regularly)
She's the only one that has ever made me feel "smitten". Just as much today as she did in the 80's. Us mere mortals should be thankful that she graced us with her presence.
Ellen still slips into Audrey as seamlessly as stepping into your favorite pair of slippers. There is absolutely noone on earth who can even touch her shadow in this role... She lives each & every word, every line she sings.
Ellen Greene just kills this role. Like I love Lee Wilkof and Ron White from the original production but I can at least watch other Seymours and Twoeys and not immediately want to go back and watch/ listen to the original production. Bah, she's just so good!
Cette chanson et cette interprétation me fait toujours sourire et briser mon coeur en petits éclats. Ellen Greene est si talentueuse. Merci aussi à Ashman et Menken pour cette pépite.
Consumate singer and actress. In a studio with no costumes lighting etc surrounded by hosts, audience, pianist and still she takes us on a tour of what is in her minds eye transferring it to ours. Brava!
The universe was at work as always. They offered it to Faith Prince, but she had a prior engagement with an industrial and couldn't do it. Can u imagine? She wasn't their first choice. She is infinitely more talented than FP. Never seen anything with FP that moved me to this degree.
Some advice for the tough guys out there. Go ahead and let the tear drop right away, because if you try to hold it in you will be snivelling trembling bitch by the end. Go with it because your machismo attempts will be futile. I've been trying since the 80s and it doesn't work.
