My reaction to "OUTLANDER: The Musical"
I got my "OUTLANDER: The Musical" CD in the mail today!
My reaction to the songs is below (I'll leave a little spoiler space, just in case people don't want to know yet):
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
The Way That Life Was - I like this one. As Diana commented on her blog, they've picked up on the idea that Frank and Claire are not the same people they were before the war. "Now we're different people to the ones that marched away", etc. The singer who played Frank has a nice voice, IMHO.
Falling - I love the instrumentals in this song, which capture very well the eerie, supernatural, frightening feeling of going through the stones.
I am Ready - Terrific song, one of my favorites in the collection. I like Jamie's Scots accent ("my ain clan", etc.), and I think the lyrics reflect his personality extremely well.
The Message - Dougal's line, "nay at this time", made me laugh. And that last line, "to protect you from that Black Jack, I'd lay down my very life" made me shudder, knowing what's coming later.
Could I Surrender My Heart - This is a very sweet song, maybe my favorite of the whole album. I love it! I imagine this taking place at that moment where Claire comes face-to-face with Jamie in his Highland finery, immediately before the wedding.
Is tu fuil.... - I love it! I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating. <g> This is a keeper for sure, and perfectly captures that moment. Just lovely.
Such a Fool - I like this song very much because it mirrors my own reaction on re-reading, when I always want to grab Claire and give her a good shake ("You IDIOT, can't you see he's desperately in love with you?!") "How could I have been such a fool", indeed. <g> I love that line about "that giddy Laoghaire-girl", too.
Perhaps I am a Witch - This is my least favorite of the songs. But I like the way Geillie seems oddly...cheerful....when describing how she poisoned Arthur Duncan. <g>
Farewell - I liked the reprise of the "I am Ready" song, especially Claire's part. Nice touch to include Jamie's line from the book, "I prayed all the way up that hill" etc.
Why Did I Marry a Fraser - This song is a lot of fun. I laughed out loud in several places. ("Apologize!" "Never!!")
Say the Words - I was not prepared for the abrupt transition from the light-hearted teasing and humor of the last song, to the heartbreaking sadness of this one. Wow. Very intense. It really captures the essence of that Wentworth experience, without being at all graphic about it. (I was half-expecting to hear the crack of a whip somewhere in the background, but glad they chose to focus on the psychological aspects of the ordeal instead.) The idea that BJR kept the image of Claire always before him, Jamie's stubborn refusal to say "I love you"....everything in this scene "feels" just right to me. Well done!
Ellen's Son - I'm sort of ambivalent about this one. MacRannoch's part was well done, very touching, but IMHO not much of Claire's personality comes through in this song. She's begging for help to save Jamie's life, the situation is desperate, and yet the music is so slow-paced that you don't really get the sense of urgency at all. And I don't want to nitpick, but it isn't a "castle wall", of course, it's a prison wall.
Safe - this song captures Claire's feelings very well, I think. And I didn't mind the slow pace of this song at all, unlike the previous one, because this one has the feel of a lullaby to it.
The Right Road - I think Claire's voice is MUCH too high-pitched at times in this song, but the lyrics are very good. "I've no fear of what lies ahead....We'll live as one, the two of us, and find the right road through all we face." I like that very much. This song touches on another of those major themes running through the series (and one that appeals to me a great deal): that it doesn't matter what lies ahead, as long as they have each other, they will get through it.
I really enjoyed listening to this, and I'm sure I will play the songs many times in the days and weeks to come. Congratulations to Kevin and Mike, and to the performers. They did a great job. And what a wonderful tribute to Diana and to this unforgettable story! I can see now why Diana is delighted with the results. <g>
My reaction to the songs is below (I'll leave a little spoiler space, just in case people don't want to know yet):
S
P
O
I
L
E
R
S
The Way That Life Was - I like this one. As Diana commented on her blog, they've picked up on the idea that Frank and Claire are not the same people they were before the war. "Now we're different people to the ones that marched away", etc. The singer who played Frank has a nice voice, IMHO.
Falling - I love the instrumentals in this song, which capture very well the eerie, supernatural, frightening feeling of going through the stones.
I am Ready - Terrific song, one of my favorites in the collection. I like Jamie's Scots accent ("my ain clan", etc.), and I think the lyrics reflect his personality extremely well.
The Message - Dougal's line, "nay at this time", made me laugh. And that last line, "to protect you from that Black Jack, I'd lay down my very life" made me shudder, knowing what's coming later.
Could I Surrender My Heart - This is a very sweet song, maybe my favorite of the whole album. I love it! I imagine this taking place at that moment where Claire comes face-to-face with Jamie in his Highland finery, immediately before the wedding.
Is tu fuil.... - I love it! I know I've said it before, but it bears repeating. <g> This is a keeper for sure, and perfectly captures that moment. Just lovely.
Such a Fool - I like this song very much because it mirrors my own reaction on re-reading, when I always want to grab Claire and give her a good shake ("You IDIOT, can't you see he's desperately in love with you?!") "How could I have been such a fool", indeed. <g> I love that line about "that giddy Laoghaire-girl", too.
Perhaps I am a Witch - This is my least favorite of the songs. But I like the way Geillie seems oddly...cheerful....when describing how she poisoned Arthur Duncan. <g>
Farewell - I liked the reprise of the "I am Ready" song, especially Claire's part. Nice touch to include Jamie's line from the book, "I prayed all the way up that hill" etc.
Why Did I Marry a Fraser - This song is a lot of fun. I laughed out loud in several places. ("Apologize!" "Never!!")
Say the Words - I was not prepared for the abrupt transition from the light-hearted teasing and humor of the last song, to the heartbreaking sadness of this one. Wow. Very intense. It really captures the essence of that Wentworth experience, without being at all graphic about it. (I was half-expecting to hear the crack of a whip somewhere in the background, but glad they chose to focus on the psychological aspects of the ordeal instead.) The idea that BJR kept the image of Claire always before him, Jamie's stubborn refusal to say "I love you"....everything in this scene "feels" just right to me. Well done!
Ellen's Son - I'm sort of ambivalent about this one. MacRannoch's part was well done, very touching, but IMHO not much of Claire's personality comes through in this song. She's begging for help to save Jamie's life, the situation is desperate, and yet the music is so slow-paced that you don't really get the sense of urgency at all. And I don't want to nitpick, but it isn't a "castle wall", of course, it's a prison wall.
Safe - this song captures Claire's feelings very well, I think. And I didn't mind the slow pace of this song at all, unlike the previous one, because this one has the feel of a lullaby to it.
The Right Road - I think Claire's voice is MUCH too high-pitched at times in this song, but the lyrics are very good. "I've no fear of what lies ahead....We'll live as one, the two of us, and find the right road through all we face." I like that very much. This song touches on another of those major themes running through the series (and one that appeals to me a great deal): that it doesn't matter what lies ahead, as long as they have each other, they will get through it.
I really enjoyed listening to this, and I'm sure I will play the songs many times in the days and weeks to come. Congratulations to Kevin and Mike, and to the performers. They did a great job. And what a wonderful tribute to Diana and to this unforgettable story! I can see now why Diana is delighted with the results. <g>
You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful to you, and I hope I didn't spoil anything for you inadvertently by giving so much detail.
Karen