Ladies Who Lunch - Elaine Stritch 

Every gesture, every choice in phrasing adds purpose, nuance and meaning to an already deep and cynical lyric. Sondheim is quoted as saying he always chose a great actor over a great singer when casting. Stritch is perfect because her voice is a graveled path rather than paved highway. She does not sing, she creates a character and breathes life.

There are countless women with better voices and perhaps prettier too, but none could come within a mile of this incredible performance from Elaine Stritch. Thank god it's on film and thank you for posting it here.

Loved this version of it... her clearest and sharpest that I've seen on here. (gets like a hobby watching them all)

It's amazing how much I adore this wonderful broad.

She so reminds me of my beloved GMa....her voice...her actions...love it.....view this many times and love it.....................

Elaine, break a leg on your opening night on Broadway Legends' in Heaven. Looking forward to the OCA. Thank you for all the amazing performances!

I interviewed her, she's so amazing. I seriously love her, she really embraces age.

I saw her in the original Broadway show "Company" and again, in her one-woman show on Broadway about 25 years later, and she didn't miss a beat. Hats off to Broadway's First Lady!

You are the reason why I loved the theatre...relax and enjoy your eternal lunch with the ladies. R.I.P

I love LuPonne, like Wash, but there's no one like this lady. As great as they can be, no other singer can get even close to Elaine Stitch at this.

anyone ever see the Elaine Stritch show Two's Company. OLD school British comedy show from the 70s. absolutely priceless. will have you rolling

I LOVE her! she so brilliant on 30 Rock, too :)

A toast and thank you to one great lady and a hell of a broad

I was fortunate enough to see her do "At Liberty At the Carlyle" and "Elaine Stritch: Singing Sondheim...One Song At a Time", and both were beyond great! I was able to get to speak with her, after both performances, and she was such a pleasure--she let me get pictures with her both times, and signed my "At Liberty" DVD. When she asked me the date, being awestruck, I stammered the wrong date, then corrected myself, and she replied, "Aw--you're full of (expletive deleted)! I took that as a badge of honor. She was truly one of a kind, and I love her for it! I miss that she is no longer with us.

Every musical theatre performer is sad today but the bar she set with the first performance of this song will remain with all of us... there will be a snappy cocktail raised to you tonight Elaine!!! Thank you!

what a stunning personality, this woman is a magnet

Here's to the Lady with PUNCH. I'll drink to that. Rest in Peace you amazing, ballsy, awesome powerhouse. Thank you for having brought me joy. I will miss you.

Ahhh... So sorry to hear of Elaine's passing! A one-of-kind, talented lady! May she rest in peace...

She's also almost eighty in this video. She owned this song in the 70s, and the audience gets that. Sometimes our abilities decrease when we get older. You'll discover that, once you make it out of high school.

No ONE ever did it better!

I bow my head in the dust for the songwriter AND this performer. This is an extraordinary performance with so much soul that I'm able to feel it even through a dull computer screen. Thank you so much for this posting!

You will live forever in the hearts of millions. I'll miss seeing you.

This is the kind of performance you hope you give even once in your life.

That woman is AMAZING! if only todays women had a third of her class and spunk, i'd go straight.

RIP you bytch! You are loved, missed and forever respected.

R.I.P. She's giving someone hell wherever she is.

Elaine Stritch 'drank to that' a lot in her career, but there's no one like her.

I LOVE how she has velociraptor hands.

Strich owns this!

She was fabulous. I saw her in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC, and was blown away by her stage presence and her ability to make everybody in the audience sit up and take notice. Amazing!!! RIP dear lady, you will not be forgotten.

an icon! r.i.p. Ms. Stritch.

HAPPY 90TH ELAINE!!

oh my god , oh my god, oh my god I love this women.

I love Lupone; she's magnificent in the NPH production of Company. That said, no one can ever be better in this role--written for Stritch--than Elaine. People can be different in fine ways and excellent in their own interpretation, but no one can snarl like Elaine, no one else can deliver innuendo and sarcasm coupled with irony in quite the same way. Her cast recording of "Ladies Who Lunch" is definitive for the original show. Stritch is the queen of Company (and other shows). But I also loved Lupone's performance. Great artists give you greatness from their guts. Both women qualify.

3:30 AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!! God I love that!

MASTERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRCLAAAAAASSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

She's the best!!!

All my love to you, Elaine! You were, are and forever will be beautiful!

Mahler and Soundheim. No other words needed

Here's to the lady who lunched.

Brilliant. Thanks for posting this.

R.I.P., lady! Everybody RIIIIIIISE!!

I would love to have lunch with Ms Stritch ANYTIME!!! What a great performer.

I've got this recording. The music (lyrics and harmony) evokes the superficial sophistication one of these "ladies who lunch" might feel while dining with their snotty, or at least stupid and clueless, but certainly wealthy friends. The song ends with a sort of regal fanfare as the soloist bids everyone to rise in tribute to these queens of domestic comfort and eventual boredom.

Thanks very much for sharing this.

The BEST!

love ya elaine!

I loved her!

an American treasure!!!!

God!! She was just AMAZING!!! .. Hard to type with tears flowing. .. R.I.P. EVERYBODY RISE!!!!!!

Just. Stunning.

Rest in peace, Elaine -- and Everybody Rise!

A Living Legend...

The best singer of this song by far - and I think this performance of it is my favorite of hers.

GOOSE BUMPS! LOVE HER, THE SHOW AND SONDHEIM! YE S!

absolutely wonderful!

I heard her do the same song from the 70's. She had the same voice.

Absolutely adore this woman. Such a pisser.

RIP Elaine Stritch...one of Broadway's best...

When I think of Broadway always Elaine comes to mind she is a no. 1 performer, and I will drink to that!

and WHAT A SONG.....

Here's to the lady who lunched. Her spirit has passed but her music is still here.

R.I.P., Ms. Stritch.

One of my all time favorite songs!

Amazing. This takes me back to 1972 when (some of) the Broadway cast came to London for the West End production. Up until that point, with a few exceptions, I'd only seen 'nice' English musicals. Company was a revelation. And Stritch blew me away. I still get goosebumps when I hear her sing this.

simply the best

anna kendrick in camp is my favorite performance of this song

This is a great song! Elaine Stritch did a fantastic job!!

Stritch is so great, she is actually better here than she was thirty years ago when she introduced the song.

R.I.P. Great Lady!! The world has lost a true talent.

Stritch commands the stage,her timing is impeccable ,her movements and inflections understated and mesmerizing. What a talent. mclaire12

The first Broadway show I ever saw was "Company." From that day so many years ago, I have been the greatest Stephen Sondheim fan on earth (and this song is an example of why) and Elaine Stritch. I have never seen her be anything but wonderful, funny and honest.

So huge. So New York.

She may not have the best voice, but she nearly always in tune which quite a lot of young live performers cant do and she was 76 then, All the best to you honey xx

Incredible voice. What an inspiration!!! And she's still got great gams too!!!

I'd like to propose a toast to days gone by when we could congregate in person.

I met her and she made fun of me, it was so fantastic. I was very shy about asking to meet her and she called me out saying at her age she didn't have the time for this nonsense. Such a great lady, very funny.

She was one of a kind...she will be missed!

I will drink to that! Amazing

Take a good look! THIS is how its done!

@manny2many Don't know if you ever saw it but I have to say that Jane Russell did a damn good job when she took over for Elaine when she went on tour in 1971.

a tremendous inspiration to all of us in the theater.

She owns this song!

RIP, Elaine. I drink to you.

"NOBODY DOES IT BETTER!" I can' think of anything else that needs to be said!

What a trouper you were, lady!

i never tire of watching this performance

The DEFINITIVE PERFORMANCE!

EVERYBODY RISE!!!

tremendous gravitas

Don't know if it's possible to fix a description, but this performance is from My Favorite Broadway: the Leading Ladies. (There was another show called My Favorite Broadway: the Love Songs that was done a year or two later, but this isn't on it. Nor should it be since it isn't a love song!) Elaine's performance of this song is iconic. Just terrific.

You were BAD-ASS! Rest in peace.

God love her, she got better with age. I'll drink to that. May we all be so lucky...

This so oozes New York City.

RIP Elaine ~ tell Ben hi

RIP

I'll drink to that. This song makes me want to cha cha - if I knew how to cha cha.

goodnight sweet Elaine!!! R.I.P. i'll drink to YOU!!!

Love her - imagine hearing her at her height.

OMG I saw this on a PBS ladies special 10 years ago in VaBch. THIS LADY does it way better thanBarbara Walsh.HMMM. She had to be wild to meet. MS Stritch makes me want to pour a martini...and look at the city lights...her laid back dry humor rocks.