Mel's Inktober 10 - Malachi As the Phantom

This one took more time and effort, but it's by far my favorite. I think it turned out awesome!

I'm not that much into The Phantom of the Opera, but I have been listening to a couple more songs lately, and I really like the version by Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. I envision Malachi with a voice like Crawford or something similar, and Joanna can hit fairly high notes like Brightman. Either way, both fauns are outstanding singers and boast a good number of fans. Malachi is the most famous of the two but Joanna will still get a request for an autograph here and a reenactment of a well-loved scene there.

Yes, that's Beowulf way back there. He can be on a live stage if the lights aren't too bright or shining directly in his face.

In fact, he crashed at least one of Malachi and Joanna's big performances, because he was in the process of hunting down a few criminals who were trying to hide from him in the theater. As it turns out, you're not safe from the King's Hound even in a theater or any other public place. One or two of the criminals made it all the way onto the stage, but Beowulf actually started singing (he's a decent singer) and kept the performance going smoothly, and Malachi and Joanna soon started to play along. Most of the crowd thought this was part of the original performance, so panic was kept at bay. In a way, Beowulf made the scene even more exciting, and he kept going until he had his targets exactly where he wanted them.

By the time the criminals were caught, the entire theater resounded with applause and all Malachi and Joanna could do was take their usual bow, while Beowulf just slipped away into the night shadows.

BMM 22 - The Music of the Night

 

Nighttime sharpens

Heightens each sensation 

Darkness wakes

And stirs imagination

 

Silently the senses

Abandon their defenses 

Helpless to resist

The notes I write 

For I compose 

The music of the night

 

Slowly, gently

Night unfurls its splendor 

Grasp it, sense it

Tremulous and tender

 

Hearing is believing

Music is deceiving

 Hard as lightning

Soft as candlelight 

Dare you trust

The music of the night?

 

Close your eyes

For your eyes will only tell the truth 

And the truth isn't what you want to see

 In the dark, it is easy to pretend 

That the truth is what it ought to be

 

Softly, deftly,

Music shall caress you 

Hear it, feel it

Secretly possess you

 

Open up your mind

Let your fantasies unwind 

In this darkness which you know

You cannot fight

 The darkness of the music of the night

 

Close your eyes 

Start a journey to a strange new world

 Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before 

Close your eyes and let music set you free 

Only then can you belong to me

 

Floating, falling

Sweet intoxication 

Touch me, trust me

Savor each sensation

 

Let the dream begin

Let your darker side give in 

To the power of the music that I write 

The power of the music of the night

 

You alone can make my song take flight 

Help me make the music of the night 

 

From Wikipedia: "The Music of the Night" (also labeled as just "Music of the Night" and originally labeled as "Married Man") is a major song from the 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera. The music was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. Initially made famous by Michael Crawford, the actor who originated the role of the Phantom both in the West End and on Broadway, "The Music of the Night" has appeared on many cast recordings of the musical, sold millions of copies worldwide, and has been translated into many languages. 

 

My own thoughts: As of right now, this is the only other song from this musical that I've heard, the version sung by Michael Crawford and Susan Boyle. I found it very nice, and it helps that I'm already a bit in love with Michael Crawford's voice.

 

I imagine my character Malachi with a similar voice. 

 

Besides his acting skills, he's a superb singer, to the point where even the people who don't like him can't really find anything to criticize about his singing. He puts his beautiful, well-trained voice to excellent use inside and outside church, he and Joanna make an especially lovely duet, and he was Reid's unofficial singing coach as well as one of his swimming coaches.

 

When his children were young, they have many wonderful memories of their father singing lullabies to them. It never failed to relax them or comfort them if they'd just had a terrible dream or were upset about something. He could even compose some nice songs all his own, and Jonathan learned well enough from his dad and got good enough on his own to where people were quite surprised that he decided to be a soldier instead of an entertainer when he grew up. All Jonathan can say is that he feels like being a soldier is his true calling, though he sees no reason why he can't sing and dance on the side for fun.

BMM 11 - All I Ask of You

No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here
Nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you 

Let me be your freedom
Let daylight dry your tears
I'm here
With you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you

Say you love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you need me with you
Now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you 

Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe
No one will find you
Your fears are far behind you 

All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me
To hold me and to hide me 

Then say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
That's all I ask of you 

Say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
Share each day with me
Each night, each morning
Say you love me
You know I do
Love me
That's all I ask of you 

Anywhere you go, let me go too
Love me
That's all I ask of you 

From Wikipedia: "All I Ask of You" is a song from the 1986 English musical The Phantom of the Opera, between characters Christine Daaé and Raoul, originally played on stage by Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton, respectively. It was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart, and Richard Stilgoe, and solely produced by Lloyd Webber. An operatic pop piece, its lyrics serve as dialogue between the two characters and discuss themes such as commitment and romance. Like Lloyd Webber's song "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You" was compared to the music found in Giacomo Puccini's 1910 opera La fanciulla del West. 

Author and music historian Ethan Mordden stated that the song contains "lyrical magnificence" and noted that its brilliance helped it "accomplish wonderful things" on stage. The song was described as one of the biggest and most commercially successful hits from The Phantom of the Opera by the staff at Show Music.

"All I Ask of You" was commercially successful in several territories internationally. In the United Kingdom, it became Richard's 52nd top ten single by peaking at number three on 4 October 1986. Its success allowed it to be listed on the year-end chart in that country, where it was ranked at number 31. The song was later certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry on 1 October 1986 for shipments of 250,000 physical copies. It topped the Irish Singles Chart for one week, replacing Status Quo's cover of "In the Army Now" (1986). The song reached the same peak in South Africa on the country's Springbok Radio chart, while in Australia, it peaked at number 24, according to the Kent Music Report.

My own thoughts: Although I haven't yet made up my mind about this musical, I have listened to a couple of the songs, including this one, and I like them. I especially like the duet between Susan Boyle and Donny Osmond.

I can easily hear a platonic version between some of my own characters, mainly between Reid, Beowulf, and the Windwillows. Since Beowulf is a werewolf and must avoid the sunlight at all times, this lyric is particularly fitting: "All I want is freedom, a world with no more night." When his path crosses with Reid's path, he gets his wish of being loved and being taken seriously at the same time. That's what cracks his tough shell for good.

And all Reid wants is to love the Windwillows, something they're a little too afraid and too proud to give him at first. But that's all they ever ask, too, to be loved and wanted and respected. Not everyone hates them, but a lot of people have given them a hard time for a whole host of reasons, so it kind of makes sense that they're reluctant to trust Reid wholeheartedly.

The sad irony is, Reid has always respected them, wanted them, and loved them with no strings attached, and they realize (almost too late) that they've always loved him as well and can't bear to lose him. Jonathan was the first one (and the only one at first) to take a chance on Reid and he's never regretted his decision yet.

I think being loved and understood is all everyone ever asks.