The Phantom of the Opera (song)

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"The Phantom of the Opera" is a song from the 1986 stage musical of the same name. It was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics written by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, and additional lyrics by Mike Batt. [1] The song was originally recorded by Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley, which became a UK hit single in 1986, prior to the musical. In its theatrical debut, it was sung by Brightman and Michael Crawford in their roles as Christine Daaé and the Phantom.

Contents

Background

The song is performed in Act I after the song "Angel of Music" (The Mirror) and before "The Music of the Night" (and is reprised in Act Two at the end of the song "Notes/Twisted Every Way"). It takes place as the Phantom escorts Christine by boat to his lair beneath the Opera Garnier. It is sung as a duet by Christine and the Phantom. In different shows, Sarah Brightman sings this song in different duets with other performers, Antonio Banderas, Chris Thompson, Alessandro Safina, Mario Frangoulis, Colm Wilkinson, Anthony Warlow, John Owen-Jones, Peter Jöback and Erkan Aki.

The song increases tension through successive key changes. At the end of the song, Christine sings her highest note in the show, an E6.

Composition

In 1984, Andrew Lloyd Webber and producer Cameron Mackintosh began working on the Phantom of the Opera musical, with Lloyd Webber's wife, Sarah Brightman, set to play the heroine Christine. [2] Lloyd Webber composed the music of what became the title track and gave an early demo recording, minus lyrics and vocals, to Mike Batt. After Batt expressed interest in working on the track, Lloyd Webber recorded another demo of it, with Brightman providing a wordless guide vocal. Batt believed it would make a "great title song" and named it accordingly. He then wrote a set of lyrics and reworked the music, giving what he originally perceived as a "languid romantic ballad" a "more up-tempo treatment" and a "more vigorous rhythm". Batt recorded a rough piano and vocal version, which was warmly received by Lloyd Webber and Mackintosh. [3] The lyrics were subsequently reworked and credited to Richard Stilgoe, with Batt receiving a credit for "additional lyrics". [4] The final version of the song as it appeared in the musical featured a further writing credit to lyricist Charles Hart. [5]

Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley version

"Ladies and Gentlemen, On this recording I have required that Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley perform the theme from the forthcoming musical, which I have instructed Andrew Lloyd Webber to write around my legend 'The Phantom of the Opera.' Your Obedient Servant, The Phantom". [4]

Brightman and Harley's version of the song would appear on the 1994 compilation album The Very Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber, [21] as well as another Lloyd Webber compilation, Gold – The Definitive Hit Singles Collection, released in 2001. [22]

Music video

A music video, directed by Ken Russell, was filmed to promote both the single and upcoming musical. [18] It took four days to shoot [23] and starts with Brightman as Christine running to her dressing room. On her way there, Raoul gives her a purple flower bouquet, which she takes with her. In her dressing room, she finds a gift box from the Phantom (portrayed by Harley). She opens it and puts the veil inside on her head. Then, she enters the mirror, arriving in the Phantom's lair, with the Phantom standing across the other side of a lake. Christine crosses the lake on a boat that moves by itself. The closing segment features Christine performing on stage in front of an audience including Raoul. The Phantom, secretly spectating, cuts a rope backstage which causes the chandelier to crash on top of Raoul. The video ends with Christine screaming before blood red drips over and envelops the screen. In his book Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and His Films, author Joseph Lanza felt the video "packs in the gist of the musical's message and story in just over four minutes." [2]

In the Behind the Mask documentary, Richard Stilgoe described the video as "wonderful, as over-the-top as you can get" and Cameron Mackinstosh stated, "Ken Russell came up with the most brilliant, outrageous video. It's fantastic fun, and completely over-the-top, which of course Andrew and I loved." [16] Speaking of his experience shooting the video, Harley told the Sandwell Evening Mail in 1986, "Every minute of it was torment. It was hellishly uncomfortable. I had red hot lights under my feet and my mask kept slipping off. It was like walking blindly over a bed of coals." [24]

Critical reception

Upon its release, Malcolm Dome of Kerrang! called the track "strong Andrew Lloyd Webber stuff (orchestrally-orientated rock/pop)" and "interesting, even if the rock element isn't played up as much as I'd have liked". He added, "It's great to see Steve Harley back in action." [25] Karen Swayne of Number One was negative in her review, stating that Brightman and Harley, now "older and wiser", had "taken to more boring adult pursuits" by singing on the track, with the results being "unlistenable". [26] Tamsin Fontes of the Mid Sussex Times remarked that "La Brightman warbles shrilly like a demented canary and ageing Cockney Rebel, Steve Harley, finds a new vocation as the lovesick phantom". [27] The Middleton Guardian described the song as "opera meets rock" and "directionless hotch-potch with practically no pop appeal". [28] In the US, Bob Sawyer of The Valley Advocate gave the single four out of five stars. He noted Brightman's "wonderful set of pipes" and added that although Harley was "not as operatic" as Brightman, "his voice does blend nicely with hers". [29]

Track listing

7-inch single (UK, Europe, Canada, Australasia and South Africa) [4] [30] [31] [32]

  1. "The Phantom of the Opera" – 4:40
  2. "Overture – The Phantom of the Opera" – 2:10

7-inch Single (US) [33]

  1. "The Phantom of the Opera" – 4:40
  2. "The Phantom of the Opera" (Instrumental) – 2:10

12-inch single [20] [34]

  1. "The Phantom of the Opera" (Extended Version) – 7:09
  2. "The Phantom of the Opera" – 4:40
  3. "Overture – The Phantom of the Opera" – 2:10

CD single (Japan, 1988) [35]

  1. "The Phantom of the Opera" – 4:44
  2. "Overture – The Phantom of the Opera" – 2:13

Charts

"The Phantom of the Opera"
Sarah Brightman Steve Harley The Phantom of the Opera 1986 Single.jpg
Single by Sarah Brightman and Steve Harley
from the album The Phantom of the Opera
B-side "Overture – The Phantom of the Opera"
Released3 January 1986
Genre
Length4:38
Label Polydor Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Mike Batt
Sarah Brightmansingles chronology
"Pie Jesu"
(1985)		"The Phantom of the Opera"
(1986)		"All I Ask of You"
(1986)
Chart (1986)Peak
position
European Hot 100 Singles [36] 39
Irish Singles Chart [37] 11
UK Singles Chart (Official Charts Company) [7] 7

Nightwish version

"The Phantom of the Opera"
Song by Nightwish
from the album Century Child
Released25 May 2002 (album)
RecordedJanuary–April 2002 (album)
Studio
Genre
Length4:09
Label Spinefarm
Songwriter(s) Andrew Lloyd Webber (music)
Richard Stilgoe (lyrics)
Charles Hart (lyrics)
Mike Batt (additional lyrics)
Producer(s)

In 2002, Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish recorded a cover of "The Phantom of the Opera", with their then lead (female) singer Tarja Turunen singing Christine's parts and the bassist and second (male) voice Marko Hietala singing the Phantom's parts. The song was released as part of their album Century Child ; a live version is found in their 2006 live album, End of an Era , where Turunen and Hietala duet again on the song. The live version of the song reached critical acclaim, with the cover between Turunen and Hietala often being considered one of the highlights of the live album, and has reached over 129 million combined views on YouTube.

In January 2023, the song was performed for the first time in 17 years during Nightwish's Human. :II: Nature. World Tour in Amsterdam, with Floor Jansen and Henk Poort as the vocalists. In 2019, Jansen and Poort had already performed the song in the Dutch TV show Beste Zangers, to much critical acclaim.

2023 also marked the first official reunion metal show between Turunen and Hietala, where Hietala made a special appearance while Turunen was on her Living the Dream Tour in Pratteln. They sang "The Phantom of the Opera" together for the first time in 18 years. Later, it would continue to be performed by the two as a part of Turunen's Living the Dream Together tour with Hietala.

Plagiarism allegations

In 1990, the songwriter Ray Repp sued Lloyd Webber, saying he had plagiarised the "Phantom of the Opera" melody from his 1978 song "Till You". [38] Lloyd Webber denied this, saying he had taken parts from his own earlier work, "Close Every Door", and that both songs included elements of compositions by Bach, Grieg and Holst. The judge ruled in Lloyd Webber's favour in 1994. [38]

In 1992, the former Pink Floyd songwriter Roger Waters asserted that Lloyd Webber had plagiarised "The Phantom of the Opera" from a sequence of the 1971 Pink Floyd song "Echoes". He said: "It's the same time signature – it's 12/8 – and it's the same structure and it's the same notes and it's the same everything. It probably is actionable. It really is! But I think that life's too long to bother with suing Andrew fucking Lloyd Webber." [39]

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References

  1. ↑ "Songs from the Phantom of the Opera – Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 10 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Lanza, Joseph (August 2007). Phallic Frenzy: Ken Russell and His Films – Joseph Lanza – Google Books. Chicago Review Press. ISBN   9781569764824 . Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  3. 1 2 Batt, Mike (2024). The Closest Thing to Crazy: My Life of Musical Adventures. Nine Eight Books. ISBN   978-1785120848.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 The Phantom of the Opera (UK and Irish 7-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. POSP 800.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (UK vinyl LP album sleeve notes). Polydor Records. 1987. PODV9.
  6. ↑ "New Singles". Music Week . 21–28 December 1985. p. 18. ISSN   0265-1548.
  7. 1 2 "Sarah Brightman & Steve Harley – full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  8. 1 2 "A new role for Rebel Steve" . Sunderland Echo . 8 February 1986. p. 9. Retrieved 11 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ↑ "Phantom frolic". NME. 8 February 1986.
  10. 1 2 Sky, Rick (3 February 1986). "Unmasked – the phantom rebel". The Daily Star.
  11. ↑ "The Phantom Strikes Again – Bill Hagerty". Harleyfanzone.com. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  12. 1 2 "The Phantom of the Opera – Article With Lyrics". Harleyfanzone.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  13. ↑ "Kniestedt.com". Kniestedt.com. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  14. ↑ Steve Harley : Who Was That Masked Man Article & Picture(s): Amazon.co.uk: NewspaperClipping: Books. Amazon. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  15. ↑ Wigg, David (16 January 1986). "Phantom of the Popera" . Daily Express . pp. 20–21. Retrieved 9 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Behind the Mask: The Story of 'The Phantom of the Opera' – Steve Harley Interview – 2005 Documentary
  17. 1 2 Thomas, Angela (14 August 1986). "Steve Harley lays the ghost of the Phantom". The Stage.
  18. 1 2 "Rebel Thespian – Readers Letter Reply, Mojo '09". Harleyfanzone.com. Archived from the original on 1 July 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  19. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (UK limited edition 7-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. POSPP 800.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  20. 1 2 The Phantom of the Opera (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. POSPX 800.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  21. ↑ The Very Best of Andrew Lloyd Webber (UK and European CD compilation album). Andrew Lloyd Webber. Polydor Records. 1994. 523 860-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  22. ↑ Gold – The Definitive Hit Singles Collection (UK CD compilation album). Andrew Lloyd Webber. Really Useful Records. 2001. 589 492-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  23. ↑ "The Phantom of the Opera". 18 March 2004. Archived from the original on 18 March 2004. Retrieved 26 May 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  24. ↑ Cole, Paul (5 February 1986). "The taming of Cockney rebel Steve". Sandwell Evening Mail.
  25. ↑ Dome, Malcolm (23 January 1986). "Short Kutz". Kerrang! . No. 112. p. 27. ISSN   0262-6624.
  26. ↑ Swayne, Karen (11 January 1986). "Singles". Number One . No. 134. p. 36.
  27. ↑ Fontes, Tamsin (10 January 1986). "Sounds Around: Reviews" . Mid Sussex Times . p. 8. Retrieved 11 April 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  28. ↑ "Pop: New Singles". Middleton Guardian. 3 January 1986. p. 13.
  29. ↑ Sawyer, Bob (26 February 1986). "Records: The Sawyer File". The Valley Advocate . p. 30.
  30. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (European and Australasian 7-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. 883 702-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  31. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (Canadian 7-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. PDS 2304.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  32. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (South African 7-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. TOS 1562.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  33. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (US 7-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. 883 702-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  34. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (European 12-inch single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1986. 883 702-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  35. ↑ The Phantom of the Opera (Japanese CD single sleeve). Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley. Polydor Records. 1988. P10P 30003.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  36. ↑ "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 3, no. 6. 15 November 1986. p. 12. Retrieved 25 May 2020– via American Radio History.
  37. ↑ Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts – All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2016.
  38. 1 2 Smith, Dinitia (5 December 1996). "Who Copied Whom? Ruling Implies Neither". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 13 July 2019.
  39. ↑ "Who the hell does Roger Waters think he is?". Q . November 1992. Archived from the original on 22 October 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
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