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tomveiltomveil t1_j8x3va2 wrote

In every version, bars are temples but the pearls ain't free

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BloodBoundCavalier t1_j8xj9zw wrote

Wait a sec, that game in The Queen's Gambit is from a musical?!

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starmartyr t1_j8z1hl4 wrote

People really like that board game for some reason. It's decent, but it's no Mouse Trap.

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Xeynid t1_j8y97gc wrote

Wait till you google en passant.

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IBeTrippin t1_j8xjjyv wrote

I remember for the first time I was really paying attention to the Lyrics of One Night in Bangkok, and realizing, wtf, is this song about chess?

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bolanrox t1_j8xltbv wrote

that and name dropping Yul Brenner

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Ninnux t1_j8yqqgq wrote

Chess and Bangkok and Ladyboys

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[deleted] t1_j8xbejl wrote

[deleted]

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Mikey6304 t1_j8yo8mj wrote

The quartet is so difficult to do, but so awesome when everyone has their timing down. I know him so well, you and I, anthem, pitty the child; that show is crammed with amazing music, but Bangkok is the only one anyone ever remembers.

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Sir-Viette t1_j90zgmw wrote

“Embassy Lament” is not only my favourite, it is possibly the most British song in the history of Britain.

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Kurokotsu t1_j90oqng wrote

I listen to the concert every so often. I love it and it has some of my favorite performers ever. I just can't listen to Pity The Child #2 without crying. And I'm not always feeling that.

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farmerarmor t1_j8xosoc wrote

You’ll find a god in every golden cloister.

If you’re lucky then the gods a she.

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bolanrox t1_j8xlra2 wrote

Is this where One night in Bangkok came from?

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turniphat t1_j8xn9of wrote

The song came first, on a concept album, which was used to raise money to put on the musical.

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AmnesiaInnocent t1_j8y3cjb wrote

"One Night in Bangkok" is sung by Murray Head, who is the older brother of Anthony Stewart Head (Giles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

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bolanrox t1_j8y3t4n wrote

Anthony is also the bad guy in the 10th Doctor episode that brought back K9 and Sara Jane. and was in Paris Hiltons only good movie: Repo! The Genetic Opera

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Mikey6304 t1_j8yox74 wrote

A collaboration of the 2 guys from Abba and the lyricist who had spent about a decade collaborating with Andrew Lloyd Webber on his biggest hits. The concept album cast some of the biggest names in musical theatre.

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leadchipmunk t1_j8x9qu5 wrote

A quick Googling says it should be back on Broadway in the fall of this year, and I've already got a trip to New York planned in October. It sounds just interesting enough to try and get tickets.

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Mradyfist t1_j90ba5s wrote

I'd plan a trip out to New York to see it!

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featherwolf t1_j8xi4y3 wrote

Now I'm where I want be and who I want to be and doing what I always said I would but I feel I haven't won at all...

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bolanrox t1_j8xlvbl wrote

and shocking this wasnt Andrew Lloyd Weber

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Mikey6304 t1_j8yp2y9 wrote

Webber wrote arrangements. This was written by the same lyricist who Webber typically collaborated with.

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JaiC t1_j8z0lbw wrote

Y'all be making "One Night In Bangkok" references but "Nobody's Side" is the real soul of the show.

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Kurokotsu t1_j90ovsu wrote

I can never decide if Nobody's Side or Pity The Child is the bigger emotional motivator. I love them both. And then Anthem. Linda Eder's cover of Anthem gives me chills every single time.

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JRedWolf t1_j8z5y9n wrote

Absolutely!!! "Nobody's Side" always gets to me, it really is the heart of the show.

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Paintmebitch t1_j8zg8rw wrote

I've played this musical twice, really love it. Especially the ballet of the chess pieces...good theater! Written by ABBA!

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The_Stockholm_Rhino t1_j90rp3x wrote

Written by BB...Björn & Benny. Agneta & Anni-Frid had nothing to do with it, as far as I know.

Heja Sverige.

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Paintmebitch t1_j94h950 wrote

True enough. I guess I figured most people wouldn't know the names and responsibilities of the members of ABBA?

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The_Stockholm_Rhino t1_j969cy8 wrote

Good point good sir! It’s just that as a Swede I had to make sure the info about Björn & Benny’s escapades was as correct as possible, IKEA?

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enter_the_slatrix t1_j8x36m3 wrote

TIL there's a musical about chess lol

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Bubbagumpredditor t1_j8x44bv wrote

Omg yeah. I thought it was just a ridiculous thing to have a play about, then a friend was in it and after seeing it's it was excellent. The whole thing is set during the cold war with the us vs Soviet, and has got all the bullshit of the time with defectors and politics and kgb and international rivalries and all that.

Seriously, it's much better than it sounds by the name.

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wwhsd t1_j8xlayr wrote

… and a song from the musical topped the international pop music charts. It remember it being in the top 10 rotation for awhile when I was in 6th grade.

That song and “Rock Me Amadeus” by Falco were my 6th grade jams.

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bolanrox t1_j8xm62o wrote

and remember 10+ years before that he was belting out Jesus Christ Superstar, and 10ish years later was singing Under the Sea.

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Irishpanda1971 t1_j8xvbc0 wrote

A musical about chess with music written by the male half of ABBA and book by Tim Rice

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Mikey6304 t1_j8ypdij wrote

It's actually mostly about cold war politics, spycraft, and international grandstanding (which was all a major factor in the sport of chess at the time).

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PhillipBrandon t1_j8yp79d wrote

There are almost as many versions of the book (a musical's "script") as there are professional productions of Chess. Every time it's mounted the thing goes in a blender with a couple of new plot lines, cut or expanded characters, songs being reassigned etc etc.

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NS-10M t1_j8zkv95 wrote

Everybody are talking about One Night In Bangkok, but I would take the chance to highlight Chess' ballad song "I Know Him so Well" (Elaine Page, Barbara Dickson). That song is super great!

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Impeachykeene t1_j8yhu4b wrote

I prefer the work-in-progress version, but I got to see the West End version twice in 1986.

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N_onel t1_j8zc2nn wrote

Tea girls, warm and sweet (Warm, sweet)

Some are set up in the Somerset Maugham suite

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heelface t1_j8youyh wrote

In the book version of The Natural, he strikes out in the end.

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sirdiamondium t1_j90db5g wrote

As an American, our movies seem to require the happy ending a la Disney.

Except the movie The American, which is set in Italy

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LocoinSoCo t1_j90wra9 wrote

When my husband and I were dating, he popped this CD in. I said, “Wow. This reminds me of ABBA”. He was like, “Haha! Yeah, let me tell you why.”

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rollskinardly t1_j8zmiuq wrote

Chess had a troubled production, they made major changes to it several times and it still is pretty crap. A few good songs, the book itself doesn’t work on any level.

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Mammoth-Mud-9609 t1_j8xb9p2 wrote

Americans can't stand to be portrayed as inferior losers.

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IBeTrippin t1_j8xiwwf wrote

More precisely, that's the world view of writers and producers, not Americans.

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adamup27 t1_j8xtw8z wrote

I think it’s more of a Pippin situation. Pippin has two unique endings that changed between the original and touring/revival.

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