The OED Loves Me Not
Well-Known Member
Sorry about my lengthy thread title. I just wanted to put enough information in it to give you the idea at a glance. Although I'm almost an absolute beginner when it comes to appreciating (and celebrating) Karen's music, personality, and life, I think I already know how vocally versatile she is and how amazingly she can empathize with the feelings embedded in just about any song she happens to sing.
Randy L. Schmidt's outstanding biography Little Girl Blue describes how Karen managed to do anything at all, imitating anybody and anything at all, with her voice. As a college student, she would often imitate a hare-lipped singer to amuse her classmates, thereby greatly impressing her professor Frank Pooler. (Here, I know that by today's standards it is probably politically incorrect to do any such thing. But in those days most people must have been ignorant of how cruel it might have been for such people with disabilities.)
I distinctly remember Karen say "Why not?!" in a very loud but unbearably adorable voice in a TV performance in response to Richard's mention of "why can't girls play drums?" or something along those lines. I've seen or heard the footage 100 times or so already, and each time I hear her, I can't help but laugh, sometimes with tears in my eyes. With just two words uttered, she could do just about anything.
As for her song performances, I feel totally amazed at her vocal versatility (which probably comes from her outstandingly high emotional intelligence) particularly when listening to the following songs:
(a) I Can Dream, Can't I? (which magically evokes a dream world)
(b) Boat to Sail (which eloquently makes you actually feel the gentle waves and ripples rolling your yacht in the quiet night)
(c) Please Mr. Postman (which, of course, makes you cry for joy with her outstandingly delightful youthful voice)
(d) Now (which, accompanied with a minimalist melody, tells everything and makes you just weep and weep)
(e) Ave Maria (which totally shuts you up, mesmerizing you).
And what else? Many others. Yes, anything and everything she says or sings stuns you with her genius, doesn't it? Her talent is so fascinating it feels almost terrifying and intimidating.
Randy L. Schmidt's outstanding biography Little Girl Blue describes how Karen managed to do anything at all, imitating anybody and anything at all, with her voice. As a college student, she would often imitate a hare-lipped singer to amuse her classmates, thereby greatly impressing her professor Frank Pooler. (Here, I know that by today's standards it is probably politically incorrect to do any such thing. But in those days most people must have been ignorant of how cruel it might have been for such people with disabilities.)
I distinctly remember Karen say "Why not?!" in a very loud but unbearably adorable voice in a TV performance in response to Richard's mention of "why can't girls play drums?" or something along those lines. I've seen or heard the footage 100 times or so already, and each time I hear her, I can't help but laugh, sometimes with tears in my eyes. With just two words uttered, she could do just about anything.
As for her song performances, I feel totally amazed at her vocal versatility (which probably comes from her outstandingly high emotional intelligence) particularly when listening to the following songs:
(a) I Can Dream, Can't I? (which magically evokes a dream world)
(b) Boat to Sail (which eloquently makes you actually feel the gentle waves and ripples rolling your yacht in the quiet night)
(c) Please Mr. Postman (which, of course, makes you cry for joy with her outstandingly delightful youthful voice)
(d) Now (which, accompanied with a minimalist melody, tells everything and makes you just weep and weep)
(e) Ave Maria (which totally shuts you up, mesmerizing you).
And what else? Many others. Yes, anything and everything she says or sings stuns you with her genius, doesn't it? Her talent is so fascinating it feels almost terrifying and intimidating.