I think this is one of the most beautiful, passionate, and heart wrenching performances in musical theater history. It makes my soul ache every time I hear it.
He's not singing the song. Like all modern versions of it this is not the song. It's a pointless sanitization of the song robbed of meaning. It was written as a song about the wrongs of segregation and racism but now it's just words with a good tune.
Back in the 1990s, I was a rookie reporter for a mid-sized Midwestern city newspaper when William Warfield came to our city to perform. I was assigned to do the interview. I still remember just the two of us sitting on the stage talking about "Showboat" and his experiences making the movie and interacting with the actors, especially Howard Keel, with whom he formed a lasting friendship. He was in his 70's and suffering from a cold. But he pushed through the performance and received a standing ovation. I have always loved musicals, whether on Broadway or on the big screen and I just sat and listened as he reminisced about his career. He was especially proud of his starring role in the musical "The Green Pastures," which had an all-black cast, and which was very successful on Broadway and a 1959 television production of the show. I was particularly impressed with the dignified way he carried himself and the patience he showed to a young reporter who kept stumbling over his words. He can be summed up in one word: Gentleman. And on my living room wall is a picture of that gentleman with his arm around the shoulders of that young rookie reporter.
❤ thank you for your touching memory of this talented man. You have a gift for great writing & expressing your thoughts. Your story moved me to tears❤🤗
I was lucky enough to see the great William Warfield in the London revival production of Showboat around 40years ago .What a performer and a fantastic show!
When I hear this it makes me realize we are all slaves. We are slaves to ourselves and to the sorrow, the suffering, and the disappointments of this life. There is no doubt in my mind that when William Warfield sang this song he was singing it for everyone; blacks, whites, Jews, Christians regardless of race creed or color. This is the most profound expression of the human condition ever put on paper, and praise God for giving us William Warfield to sing it! May he rest in peace.
I'm going home from hospice tomorrow. You go home so your last days are comfortable. The last verse; I get's weary Yes I' am sick of trying I'm tired of living and I'm Feared of dying. Describes my situation to a T. Its been a great 68 years, so long.
This person was going home to die and only one person responded to this comment? @gess, I hope you are happy and free of pain and enjoying the fruits of a life well lived. RIP😇 Go in Peace Friend❤️
A poignant song yearning for understanding and acceptance of fate. No rendition of this song can compare to this performance,....and, I have listened to many. One of the greatest voices of all time.
Agreed, no one will probably ever top Warfield's interpretation. But let's not forget the man who wrote the lyrics : Oscar Hammerstein II. Oscar captured the essence of Life's Story in those lyrics.
I prefer it this way with the (largely) original words, as an expression of the hardness of life and respect for the great river, before Paul Robeson altered the words to make a political point.
The tears in Ava Gardner's eyes at the end is because she's a black woman, passing as white and is so moved by the plaintive words and singing of one of her own kind, she's been, up until that point, denying. Gorgeous. Moving. Excruciating.
Everything is great but what happened to the powerful ending to the song with a strong finish ? You cut it off that is the best part and without that it doesn,t do the trick !!!!!
