Vocal music that you might actually enjoy on ice

Tonichelle said:

Kristi Yamaguchi had a great program to that

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Thanks, Toni! I knew I'd seen that from a skater but couldn't place it. She also did a great interpretation of Carlos Santana's "Smooth." (A song with one of the best lines I've ever heard: "My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa.")

We should think about some of the jazz standards from earlier eras, by Ella Fitzgerald and the like. One thing that could be done is a double version of a song: for example, a straightforward vocal presentation of Begin the Beguine and then a swing version such as the one by (I think) the Artie Shaw band in Broadway Melody of 1940. This would take care of variety in rhythm.

As you watch Fred Astaire and Eleanor Powell dance to this, keep in mind what Sinatra said in his narration in the anthology film That's Entertainment: You can wait and you can hope, but you'll never see the likes of this again. But maybe a skater or two could add something to the legendary luster of this classic song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWW6QeeVzDc

CaroLiza_fan said:

And given the ages of a lot of the skaters, I don't think "Like A Virgin" would be appropriate somehow...!

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I always preferred the parody song Like A Surgeon, myself. (In fact, it's the only reason I can see for the original existing in the first place... I was born in 1971, there was no way you could avoid hearing the bla- er blessed thing... )

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

so many videos! I need time to look at them, they seem interesting...

Would another way to ask the question be "What vocal music do you think would work well with the requirements of a short program or well-balanced freeskate?" since vocal music will soon be allowed there?

Or is it more "What vocal music would you like to see interpreted on ice (for entertainment purposes, with no requirements)?"?

Un bel di Vedremo. Definitely.

Other than that, it would be so cool if skaters would use Disney's songs. I know it's not going to happen, at least with the senior skaters, because people could say they're immature but these songs are usually extremely beautiful, meaningful and the audience do know them.
I especially love Pocahontas and I think it has one of the best soundtracks. The ending piece, Farewell (without lyrics) is so powerful and full of emotions. A program having all Colours of the Wind, Just around the Riverbend and Farewell would be to die for.

My favourite Pocahontas programs include
of course Michelle Kwan, 1996
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TEJzbtKfzY

The best of the best Evora/Ladwig 2011
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5CFz2M8kjc

Jennifer Kirk 2000
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoLZw99jmRk

Others include Tara 1996, G&G for tv, Rudy Galindo 2000 but they are not as epic as the others. Figure skaters used Disney's soundtracks like Shizuka, Caroline and Michelle The Lion King, Michelle and Yuna used Reflection from Mulan, Mao had an exhibition with Jeffrey to Alladin and ALL of these programs were truly beautiful. Btw. such numbers could attract little fans that would stay interested in the sport for a long time

LRK said:

I always preferred the parody song Like A Surgeon, myself. (In fact, it's the only reason I can see for the original existing in the first place... I was born in 1971, there was no way you could avoid hearing the bla- er blessed thing... )

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

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I loved that parody! I also came up with my own. "Like a Sturgeon." (pickled for the very first time....)

Olympia said:

I loved that parody! I also came up with my own. "Like a Sturgeon." (pickled for the very first time....)

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That's brilliant, Olympia!

In a different thread because it's miles from the Madonna song or its parody:

This is the first half of a simply ravishing four-section vocal work by the French composer Ernest Chausson, "Poeme de l'Amour et de la Mer" (poem of love and the sea).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d443vFJS7PI


I have no idea if the lyrics are problematic; I imagine they're no more suggestive than any love poetry from the literary canon. I read French but have never perused the words; I just listen to the music and get gooseflesh.

gkelly said:

Would another way to ask the question be "What vocal music do you think would work well with the requirements of a short program or well-balanced freeskate?" since vocal music will soon be allowed there?

Or is it more "What vocal music would you like to see interpreted on ice (for entertainment purposes, with no requirements)?"?

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I was aiming for the former when I started this thread because I was hoping for some enlightenment on what I think is the more difficult question. I think galas and exhibitions already serve as a venue for unconstrained entertainment purposes and for the most part, I already know what I would say to the second question: my own favorite songs of course! I think part of the fun when skaters use popular music in exhibitions is recognizing the music when it's played and feeling validated that other skaters and fans enjoy that music too (alas, half of my music would be classified as "hipster" and remains relatively obscure, welp). But I imagine that picking vocal music in which the vocals/lyrics complement a technical performance while remaining subordinate to the actual skating would be harder.

For example, right now I've been going through a rather sentimental phase at the moment and I've been listening to Eric Satie's "Je te veux," wondering if it could be made into an actual competitive program? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE5OODoUkSw

The lyrics are rather intimate but I can't imagine that it's any more sexual than the music being churned out by the ex-Disney stars popular amongst high school students nowadays sooo...

@Mathman: Oh man, I love the Pointer Sisters but every time I hear that song all I can think of is Hugh Grant dancing

Oh lord, I am so not looking forward to the upcoming infestation of vocal music in all disciplines. There's just too little good taste left in the world....

Mathman said:

The Letter Duet from the Marriage of Figaro.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLtqZewjwgA

(Or basically anything from the Marriage of Figaro. ) This would be for the new discipline, two-lady pairs. Katarina Witt (Countess) and Kristi Yamaguchi (Suzanna) would debut it, just to make sure it all works out.

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Hah, my favourite Shawshank Redemption scene. Also, I loved when Bonaly experimented with some opera in her programs.

Mathman said:

Although...Here is a song (Jump by the Pointer Sisters) that has about twelve great "jumps" in it. By doing a bunch of split jumps, etc., you could hit every one of them and blow the audience out of their seats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgSyB5xSo2U

Kurt Browning had a program to Easy by Barenaked Ladies. Every time they sang "Make it easy" he did a double Axel.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxRus55s19g

I wouldn't mind seeing Carolina Kostner take a shot at "Throw your hands in the air, and wave 'em like you just don't care!"

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I thought the same about Van Halen's "Jump".

Also, I'd never seen that Kurt performance! He puts on such a clinic for skating skills... so many different turns and sensational footwork. :agree:

I absolutely loved Nicole Bobek's Circle of Life program and I wouldn't mind listening that song again.

Generally I like musics in Zulu or Swahili I think.... Like the music in Power of One sort of movies, or Baba Yetu.

I would expect the younger generation (current Junior crop) of skaters to be the ones to be bold about using vocals, and thus their tastes - coaches permitting it - will weigh.

I would hope if vocals are used, then skaters should be trying to interpret the meaning of the story or lyrics. Am not that confident of the prospect though. Ice dance trained choreographers will probably see some heightened demand.

w_darling said:

For example, right now I've been going through a rather sentimental phase at the moment and I've been listening to Eric Satie's "Je te veux," wondering if it could be made into an actual competitive program? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE5OODoUkSw

The lyrics are rather intimate but I can't imagine that it's any more sexual than the music being churned out by the ex-Disney stars popular amongst high school students nowadays sooo...

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My personal opinion -- the lyrics should not be a problem for a physically and emotionally mature skater -- say at least 17 for girls and a little older for boys.

I think that solo piano + soprano will NOT sound good on arena sound systems. I would advise against it for any live (therefore any competitive) program for that reason. For a made-for-TV artistic program for which the sound can be adjusted in the studio it could be OK.

(I'd say the same about most chamber music -- richer textures tend to work better -- but solo soprano or solo violin can sound especially shrill.)

Four minutes of that sound texture would become tedious, so even if the sound quality issue could be solved it would be better cut to short program length, or one section of a long program with orchestral, choral, or at least male voice (solo or in duet) sections for contrast.

The level of attention to musical detail required to do it justice would be beyond most competitive skaters in a competition context. An artistically inclined skater well into his/her 20s who is attempting only skills that s/he's been performing consistently for years might be able to handle it -- e.g., Kostner the year she watered down her jump content. A skater whose focus is on pushing the envelope technically would likely ignore most of the subtleties you'd hope to see expressed. Or be that much more prone to stumbles and falls.

GGoldberg said:

I would hope if vocals are used, then skaters should be trying to interpret the meaning of the story or lyrics.

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The general meaning, the emotional shape of the piece, absolutely. Same as with instrumental pieces.

I would hope that competitive programs would not try to interpret the literal meaning of the words too literally. Especially not with overuse of arms and facial expression at the expense of the whole body.

And not in ways that make the story that the singer is sharing through words more important than the story the skating program is presenting, primarily through the medium of edges and turns and steps and jumps and spins.

Perhaps we should go look for some "technical" programs to vocal music with 7 jump passes from some of the old pro competitions to get an idea of how this might work -- keeping in mind that in eligible competition, especially with IJS demands, the programs are more technically demanding and the skaters generally younger and less experienced.

I've thought for a long time about choreographing this (as a Short Program, obviously) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dytdl_vQXok

gourry said:

I absolutely loved Nicole Bobek's Circle of Life program and I wouldn't mind listening that song again.

Generally I like musics in Zulu or Swahili I think.... Like the music in Power of One sort of movies, or Baba Yetu.

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What a clever idea! I'm not an expert on the details, but some African cultures have wonderful choral music, and I think the Zulu might be one of them. The music has a very rich sound, and the voices enhance the music even when one doesn't know what the words mean. I think that using music like this will create a unique impression for a skater. The one thing I hope WON'T happen is that a skater creates some kind of stereotyped African costume or movement. That would be in such bad taste. This music has a universal quality that can be conveyed with any costume, just as the Duchesnays wore generic street clothes while skating to Andean music for "Missing."

Anything nearing the atrocity of the Ghost that I/K did this season can never happen again.

Blades of Passion said:

I've thought for a long time about choreographing this (as a Short Program, obviously) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dytdl_vQXok

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Great lyrics.

I'll just leave this here. "You'll remember me when the west wind blows..."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wazOhkRuySI

I'm thinking that El Amor Brujo, (Love the Magician) by Manuel de Falla, would have some great possibilities. It might convince some people that Carmen isn't the only way to portray passionate characters. There were always orchestral sequences that could be used from this work, but now the fierce vocal segments can be part of the mix.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQKzQPW3_W8