Oh What a Circus
"Oh What a Circus" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by David Essex | ||||
B-side | "High Flying, Adored" | |||
Released | August 19, 1978 | |||
Recorded | 1978 | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 3:54 | |||
Label | Mercury | |||
Composer(s) | Andrew Lloyd Webber | |||
Lyricist(s) | Tim Rice | |||
Producer(s) | Mike Batt | |||
David Essex singles chronology | ||||
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"Oh What a Circus" is a song from the 1976 musical Evita, which had lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It was recorded by English singer David Essex and released as a single on August 19, 1978, by Mercury Records. Essex played the character of Che in the original London production of the musical, and the song is sung from his point-of-view. Produced and arranged by Mike Batt, "Oh What a Circus" is a mid-tempo song, comparing the musical's title character Eva Perón's funeral with a circus, and calling her actions fraudulent. The song is a contrafactum, and shares its tune with the better known "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from the same show.
"Oh What a Circus" was a commercial success for Essex, who had been dropped by his previous record company due to his declining sales. The song reached number 3 on the
Background and release
"Oh What a Circus" was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice while they were developing Evita as a musical in between 1974 and 1976. Rice was extremely intrigued by the stories surrounding the life of Eva Perón while researching her during the mid-1970s. The duo were also on the lookout for various actors to play the part of the narrator for Evita.[1]
In the meantime, English singer David Essex had completed his work on Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, and was interested in theatrical productions. He received a call from Rice and Webber, and immediately accepted the part. Evita had already generated interest with its concept album of the same name, as well as the commercial success of singer Julie Covington's released single, "Don't Cry for Me Argentina". Essex met director Hal Prince and talked about the character of Che, an Argentine everyman narrating and commenting on the events, portrayed as Che Guevara on stage, including the vision that Rice and Webber had about him. Due to his Romany ancestry, Essex had the characteristic laconic nature and idealistic looks needed for the role of Che.[2]
Evita was a success from its opening night, with Derek Jewell of
Composition and reception
Musically, "Oh What a Circus" is a contrafactum, and shares its composition with the better known "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from the same show, but has a faster tempo and completely different lyrics.[7] The song includes a choral chant in Latin, based on the Catholic anthem "Salve Regina". Alternative lyrics to "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" appear as a prelude to the song from Act 2, sung by a young girl characterizing Eva's younger self.[4] The version of "Oh What a Circus" present on the Evita concept album was sung by Colm Wilkinson.[4] However, it was not used. Instead, Essex recorded a new version which was arranged and produced by Mike Batt, in the style of Phil Spector. A video for the song was filmed at Clifton Cathedral in Bristol and showed Essex singing the song as a crowd moves around inside a building carrying candles.[8]
An uptempo version of the main melody for "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "Oh What a Circus" acts as an introduction to the whole musical and is sung after "Requiem for Evita", as Che ponders about the life of Eva. The song was composed in a key of E major. Essex's voice spans from C♯3 to E5 and the song follows a basic sequence of F/C–G7–C–Am/C–Dsus–C–D7/C–G/B as its chord progression.[9] Lyrically, it talks about the news of Eva's death and her funeral, as well as Che's belief that the mourning for her was misplaced and Eva's life and preaching was fraudulent. It compares her funeral to that of a circus with a choir added during the middle section.[10][11] The lyrics question the sainthood of Eva and her praise as a godly character among the Argentinians, while taunting her that she had failed her people by not being immortal. The words had rhyming across the verses like those of ("show/go") and ("town/down") which Rice explained was done intentionally to make the song appear asymmetrical.[12]
- Oh what a circus, oh what a show, Argentina has gone to town
- Over the death of an actress called Eva Perón
- Oh what an exit, that's how to go, When they're ringing your curtain down
- Demand to be buried like Eva Perón
After its release in August 1978 as the third single from the Evita concept album, "Oh What a Circus" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 36. It progressed and climbed the charts rapidly, ultimately reaching a peak of number 3 in its sixth week. It was Essex's highest charting song since "
Other versions
A different rhythm and tempo occurs in the middle where the main composition has rock influences and piano, as Banderas uttered the line, "She didn't say much, but she said it loud". The choir is brought back towards the end, followed by an orchestral passage consisting of the main theme, accompanied by sounds of gong and timpani. Madonna sings the final verses, uttering the lines "share my glory, so share my coffin".[11] Author J. Randy Taraborrelli complemented Madonna's singing in the book, Madonna: An Intimate Biography, describing her vocals as "supple and strong". This view was shared by author Lucy O'Brien in Madonna: Like an Icon who said that "the sweetness and the power of Madonna's voice comes out as never before on these tracks".[20][21] It also received positive review from Paul Verna of Billboard, who listed the "flamenco flavored" song as a highlight from the soundtrack.[22]
For the 2006 First West End Revival of Evita, actor Matt Rawle portrayed Che and sang the song. Michael Billington from
Track listing
- UK 7" single[29]
- "Oh What a Circus" – 3:54
- "High Flying, Adored" – 3:19
Credits and personnel
- David Essex – vocals
- Tim Rice – songwriter
- Andrew Lloyd Webber – songwriter, composer
- Mike Batt – producer, arrangement
- Tony Bridge – mastering at Pye Studios
Credits adapted from the 7" single liner notes.[29]
Charts
Charts (1978) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (Kent Music Report)[18] | 72 |
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[14] | 26 |
Ireland (IRMA)[17] | 8 |
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[15] | 18 |
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[16] | 20 |
3 |
Notes
- ^ Clark 2015, p. 53
- ^ Essex 2012, p. 176
- ^ Essex 2012, p. 178
- ^ a b c Rice 2012, p. 25
- ^ Davis 2012, p. 178
- ^ Essex 2012, p. 179
- ^ Swain 2002, p. 325
- ^ Rich, Frank (August 21, 1978). "Eva Peron, Superstar". Time. Archived from the original on December 24, 2007. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
- ^ "David Essex: Oh What a Circus, Piano, Vocal & Guitar". Sheet Music Plus. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- ISSN 0312-6315.
- ^ a b c Rooksby 2004, p. 77
- ^ Rice 2012, p. 23
- ^ a b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ a b "David Essex – Oh What a Circus" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ a b "Nederlandse Top 40 – David Essex" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ a b "David Essex – Oh What a Circus" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Oh What a Circus". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ ISBN 0-646-45889-2. Retrieved August 4, 2015.
- ^ Everett & Laird 2009, p. 97
- ^ Taraborrelli 2008, p. 298
- ^ O'Brien 2008, p. 307
- ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- ^ Billington, Michael (June 22, 2006). "Evita: Adelphi, London". The Guardian. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- Daily News. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- Chronicle Live. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- ^ Banyard, Natalie (October 9, 2013). "Evita: Casting Marti Pellow as Che was a real coup". Bristol Post. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- ^ "Hank Marvin > Hank Marvin and the Shadows Play the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice". AllMusic. Retrieved August 6, 2015.
- ^ a b Oh What a Circus (UK 7" single liner notes). David Essex. Mercury Records. 1978. 6007 185.
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References
- Clark, Mark Ross (2015). The Broadway Song: A Singer's Guide. ISBN 978-0-19-935167-1.
- Davis, Sharon (2012). Every Chart Topper Tells a Story: The Seventies. Random House. ISBN 9781780574103.
- ISBN 9780753547632.
- Everett, William A.; Laird, Paul R. (2009). The A to Z of the Broadway Musical. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810870444.
- ISBN 9780552153614.
- ISBN 9781444762174.
- Rooksby, Rikky (2004). The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna. ISBN 0-7119-9883-3.
- Swain, Joseph P. (2002). The Broadway Musical: A Critical and Musical Survey. ISBN 9780810843769.
- ISBN 9780330454469.