Flashback Friday: The Marvelous Maureen McGovern

I’ve long been a fan of Maureen McGovern, who began her career in the 1970s with her #1 hit, “There’s Got To Be A Morning After” (aka the theme to The Poseidon Adventure). The song not only launched her career, but won the 1972 Oscar for Best Original Song. In 1974, she scored a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, and another Grammy nod for her 1997 album, The Pleasure Of His Company. While she continued to record studio albums and movie theme songs (“Can You Read My Mind” from 1978’s Superman), in the 1980s McGovern began acting in Broadway shows such as The Pirates of Penzance and Nine. In 2005, she created the role of “Marmee” on Broadway in the musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women.

In 2021, McGovern was diagnosed with posterior cortical atrophy, thought to be a form of Alzheimer’s disease. She shared her diagnosis with the public in 2022 saying she would no longer perform in concert, but planned to continue working on musical projects for children, and advocating for musical therapy. Some time ago, I came across this clip from her 2018 performance at Birdland in NYC. Suffice to say, McGovern (68-years-old in the clip) could still throw down in the vocal department. I come back to this again and again as I revel not only in her gorgeous voice, but the depth of meaning she clearly found in the song’s lyrics. As we close 2023, its message seems appropriate to say the least.