I have never watched American Idol (perhaps the last human being) or any reality show in my life (the God’s honest truth). However, this video has gone viral and I wanted to share Susan Boyle with anyone on this blog that has not seen her.
Susan Boyle is a 47-year-old unemployed worker who lives with her cat Pebbles in the village of Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland. She was born with a disability with a learning disability. She had to quit going to school when her father, Patrick Boyle, died and she had to care for her mother, Bridget Boyle.
She faced a cruel and snickering audience on Britain Has Talent . . . until she began to sing “I Dreamed a Dream” from “Les Misérables.”
She says that she has never been kissed. That is likely to change.
If you are having a bad day, this is the cure.
For the video, click here or here.
By the way, if you think the video below is a one-trick-pony-show, check out her earlier performance of Cry Me a River.
Okay, I am a tough old man and that video was a one-in-a-million chance illustrating the triumphant spirit of the classic underdog.
Brava, Ma’am!
That was great. Have you seen the previous video from BGT that also went “viral?” It’s similar to this one, more of the “triumphant spirit of the underdog.” (link at sig)
Thanks Jonathan,
She was wonderful. I hope she performs live many times because she has a real attitude in addition to her lovely voice.
oustanding, I’m not too much of a sentimental fellow but that brought tears to my eyes, The look on her face when the first judge said yes was priceless
right on Susan
To be completely candid, my eyes welled up watching her. Unpretentious and beautiful.
Prof, I too, have never seen American Idol or any reality shows or anything on network TV since Newhart went off the air.
i’m impressed that you’ve never watched a reality tv show.
Susan Boyle has no vanity. Her entire persona becomes the voice, the song, the music, the dream, the vision. Is she transformed by the song, or is the transformation taking place in our own projections of what a singer should be?
If you like her, you really need to see Paul Potts ( I think that’s who David is alluding to):
This is normally a story I might or might not pay attention to, but about a dozen people today told me I should check this out.
All I can say is . . .
Wow.
Just simply wow! That was indeed stunning!
Good for her! What a fantastic blessing to have such a gift.
That’s just damn good television, that.
Susan’s spirit and her incredible voice are precious gifts. My greatest hope for her is we honor her and continue to move from a place of snickering and shock to realizing that beauty is from inside and not the creation of artful design.
“I Dreamed a Dream” was originally performed by Patti LuPone. She “owned” the song the same way Garland owned “Over the Rainbow” or Sinatra owned “New York, New York”. Well, not any more. This song (which only someone with a stone cold Hitler heart could listen to and NOT tear up) now TOTALLY and rightfully belongs to Boyle. To her credit, LuPone, who is not known for having a modest ego, admits that even she cried when she saw the video.
I’m glad there is a Susan Boyle, and in the afterlife there are sure to be at least 39 more.
MeganMcKenzie:
Beauty fades, talent endures.
7:
Thank you for the history. I wondered who sang the most iconic version.