About These Words Are Meant For Someone

How was I to know that the stoners would embrace the piece? 👋 Emanuel's not a smoker. I was smoking and drinking, however. - The story about it is pretty simple: Emanuel approached me after our reading of Portrait of a Knight, and then we discussed the 37 or so poems that he wanted to be the cycle. His advice to me was to 'go crazy' and try whatever ideas I had about love songs. Emanuel wanted a baritone, but by that point I'd worked with Barbara on the demo recording of Portrait of a Knight; she turned down Rachel (for a minor role in Sweeney Todd), but I was still keen to work with her. I'd already written At the Entrance for Phillip by that stage. Plus Lauren had been the rehearsal pianist for the studio sessions of Portrait, so the pieces were all in place. Then my tenor songs became too complicated... but I think now that I've sung them, that legit singers are lining up to take a crack. I'm not an opera singer, but I think I put them over! - That's what I'd like to see if someone stages it -- I'm not a drawcard, and I'm not interested, but I'd love to watch a real singer do the harmony parts with Barbie. - I know that B isn't a smoker, but I have no idea whether Lauren does drugs or not. 🤣