An evening with Neil Sedaka
Last night I had the opportunity to meet another legendary person backstage at the glorious Sydney Opera House on the harbour. I was invited to the Neil Sedaka concert. As I reflected on the songs of Neil Sedaka I knew, I was thinking of Calendar Girl, Oh Carol, Breaking Up is Hard to Do (his signature tune), Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, Next Door To An Angel. I then reflected and realised that his songs that I always loved were Laughter in the Rain, The Hungry Years and Wheeling West Virginia,(which incidentally only ever charted and succeeded in Australia). I am largely not affected by the doo wop style songs of the early material, yet, I was not aware that sooo many people have covered his songs.
People who have sung Neil’s songs have been Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Abba, Tom Jones, Connie Francis, Bobby Darin, The Captain & Tenille, Cheryl Crow, even George Clooney's famous songstress Aunt, Rosemary Clooney, Randy Crawford, Nancy Wilson, Gloria Estefan, Shirley Bassey, Graham Bonnet, Crystal Gayle, Jane Oliver, Helen Shapiro, Yvonne Ellerman, Rita Coolidge, Jose Feliciano, Helen Reddy, even the American Idol superstar Clay Aiken and Blues man Paul Butterfield. WHEW! Neil is perhaps the only recording artist in history that had a two time number 1 hit with the same song released some 20 years apart, one released as an upbeat song whilst the other version, a ballad. It is his signature tune, Breaking up is hard to do. One song I wasn’t aware that he wrote is a beautiful song called Solitaire. This has been his most recorded song and has made him a great deal of money.
But I digress, the concert last night was nice, yet this one song performance made it all worthwhile for me. The backup of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the ambience of the Opera House Concert hall all blended seamlessly, and for that brief moment, all was in perfect symmetry (if that is the right word to use) Basically, it was a transcendent moment of the concert. The other highlight for me was when he sang the song Should've Never Let you Go with his daughter Dara Sedaka. She was on a pre-recorded video, like that of Natalie Cole and her famous deceased father. The sync. was faultless and beautiful.
The lyrics for Solitaire are below.
After the concert I then journeyed into the bowels of the Sydney Opera House to go backstage and meet the man, who has been writing songs for 56 years. The man, who between 1958 and 1963 sold 40 million albums. He said that it stopped almost dead in 1963 due to the rise of a band called, the Beatles! I found him to be very gracious and accommodating. Though his minders were hurrying us up, as they wanted him to leave. He was occupying the same dressing room that Burt Bacharach had, and I took a couple of shots in the room to illustrate the Steinway & Sons grand piano, the leather lounges and the beautiful table full of food. It was a wonderful experience to meet someone who has had such an impact on American music history. I was able to catch up with Leon who is the Qantas in flight producer for Glenn A. Bakers on board audio show, which Neil just loved. I am very grateful for Glenn A., His wife Lorelle and Allison. It was great to be a part of this small historical moment in my life.
The lady on the right of the picture with the handbag is Neil's wife of 45 years, Leba. A lovely lady who gives you the impression she has seen it all. The lady on the left was the producer shaking hands with Neil and you can see Glenn A. Baker there as well.
I thought I would show some pictures of Neil with some notable people whom you might recognise.
Stevie Wonder
Dionne Warwick
Neil and his wife Leba, whom I met, with Reba McEntyre and her Husband
Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20) and an actor whose name eludes me presently.
and lil ole me!
A post note. The concert was great, but the use of the orchestra, the use of the lights or the actual concert hall stage was never utilised in any dimension similar to that of the musical master Burt Bacharach. I will be forever grateful to have met him.
Oh, before I forget, this is the Calendar Girl film clip. Look at how old and bizarre it looks. Here is the reason why it's here, It was filmed in Australia, using Aussie girls, and ranks amongst the first Music Videos EVER made, if not the first! My how they have progressed. Backstage Neil added that he had met one of the girls from the clip recently, and said how much she had aged! and added, but so have I!....Too funny.
People who have sung Neil’s songs have been Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Abba, Tom Jones, Connie Francis, Bobby Darin, The Captain & Tenille, Cheryl Crow, even George Clooney's famous songstress Aunt, Rosemary Clooney, Randy Crawford, Nancy Wilson, Gloria Estefan, Shirley Bassey, Graham Bonnet, Crystal Gayle, Jane Oliver, Helen Shapiro, Yvonne Ellerman, Rita Coolidge, Jose Feliciano, Helen Reddy, even the American Idol superstar Clay Aiken and Blues man Paul Butterfield. WHEW! Neil is perhaps the only recording artist in history that had a two time number 1 hit with the same song released some 20 years apart, one released as an upbeat song whilst the other version, a ballad. It is his signature tune, Breaking up is hard to do. One song I wasn’t aware that he wrote is a beautiful song called Solitaire. This has been his most recorded song and has made him a great deal of money.
But I digress, the concert last night was nice, yet this one song performance made it all worthwhile for me. The backup of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the ambience of the Opera House Concert hall all blended seamlessly, and for that brief moment, all was in perfect symmetry (if that is the right word to use) Basically, it was a transcendent moment of the concert. The other highlight for me was when he sang the song Should've Never Let you Go with his daughter Dara Sedaka. She was on a pre-recorded video, like that of Natalie Cole and her famous deceased father. The sync. was faultless and beautiful.
The lyrics for Solitaire are below.
There was a man
A lonely man
Who lost his love
Through his indifference
A heart that cared
That went unshared
Until it died
Within his silence
And solitare's the only game in town
And every road that takes him
Takes him down
And by himself it's easy to pretend
He'll never love again
And keeping to himself he plays the game
Without her love
It always ends the same
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire
A little hope
Goes up in smoke
Just how it goes
Goes without saying
There was a man
A lonely man
Who would command
The hand he's playing
And solitare's the only game in town
And every road that takes him
Takes him down
And by himself it's easy to pretend
He'll never love again
And keeping to himself he plays the game
Without her love
It always ends the same
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire
And solitare's the only game in town
And every road that takes him
Takes him down
While life goes on around him everywhere
He's playing solitaire
After the concert I then journeyed into the bowels of the Sydney Opera House to go backstage and meet the man, who has been writing songs for 56 years. The man, who between 1958 and 1963 sold 40 million albums. He said that it stopped almost dead in 1963 due to the rise of a band called, the Beatles! I found him to be very gracious and accommodating. Though his minders were hurrying us up, as they wanted him to leave. He was occupying the same dressing room that Burt Bacharach had, and I took a couple of shots in the room to illustrate the Steinway & Sons grand piano, the leather lounges and the beautiful table full of food. It was a wonderful experience to meet someone who has had such an impact on American music history. I was able to catch up with Leon who is the Qantas in flight producer for Glenn A. Bakers on board audio show, which Neil just loved. I am very grateful for Glenn A., His wife Lorelle and Allison. It was great to be a part of this small historical moment in my life.
The lady on the right of the picture with the handbag is Neil's wife of 45 years, Leba. A lovely lady who gives you the impression she has seen it all. The lady on the left was the producer shaking hands with Neil and you can see Glenn A. Baker there as well.
I thought I would show some pictures of Neil with some notable people whom you might recognise.
Stevie Wonder
Dionne Warwick
Neil and his wife Leba, whom I met, with Reba McEntyre and her Husband
Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20) and an actor whose name eludes me presently.
and lil ole me!
A post note. The concert was great, but the use of the orchestra, the use of the lights or the actual concert hall stage was never utilised in any dimension similar to that of the musical master Burt Bacharach. I will be forever grateful to have met him.
Oh, before I forget, this is the Calendar Girl film clip. Look at how old and bizarre it looks. Here is the reason why it's here, It was filmed in Australia, using Aussie girls, and ranks amongst the first Music Videos EVER made, if not the first! My how they have progressed. Backstage Neil added that he had met one of the girls from the clip recently, and said how much she had aged! and added, but so have I!....Too funny.
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