My dear friend Alex Rybeck, (uber-talented composer, music director, arranger) reminded me of the artful yet melancholy “Theme from Valley of the Dolls” recorded by a wistful Dionne Warwick back in 1968.
The spare, haunting arrangement coupled with Warwick’s elegantly pensive vocal has always struck me as a special kind of pop song.
Hitting #1 on the Record World Chart in March 1968, the song was the “B” side of Dionne’s million selling “I Say a Little Prayer”, which also became another million-seller for Dionne.
What I didn’t know was that the song was originally intended for Judy Garland, who was initially cast in the film Valley of the Dolls but subsequently fired.
I can definitely see Judy bringing her unmistakable vulnerability and poignancy to the tune.
They say the mark of a great song is how future generations can connect to it. In this Trumpian day and age, who hasn’t thought:
“Gotta get off,
Gonna get,
Have to get off from this ride.”
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