Tell Him

Love this duet by Barbra Streisand and Celine Dion. We were at a mid-autumn festival party at my co-workers place and he had a karaoke system. Everyone was trying to get my sister to sing something since I always brag to them about how good she is. She didn’t want to sing any Chinese songs (most songs in the system were Chinese) and regular "pop" songs were not her style either, plus she didn’t want to sing alone so we were trying to find an English duet. I was actually hoping for a guy-girl duet so that I could sing the guy part. Really, I have less problems singing most male vocal parts than female ones. My range is a low alto crossed over to high tenor. But then she found this song, which is for two SOPRANOS! Ahhh… of course she’d have no problems, she excels in the stratospheric ranges. But poor me… while Streisand’s role is the "more mature and wiser" woman in the song, singing the lower of the harmonies, she is first and formost a fantastic soprano with incredible range, so her solo parts soared to the same heights as Dion’s.

So there I was, trying to sound older and wiser while screeching the bloody notes out, whereas Evana glided gracefully and effortlessly in her rendition of the young woman who’s lost and afraid and seeking some advice. I think she has secretly prepared for this… because she knew exactly when to come in (the karaoke version was actually rearranged for one singer so there were no cues for the two separate parts), knew precisely how the notes and runs went… her performance was flawless while I kept asking "is it my turn?", "Do I come in here?" etc. Considering the last time I heard this piece was probably more than 5 years ago, I think I did ok. There were maybe two low notes in the whole song that fall in my optimal register, so I savored those couple of seconds and milked them for all their worth. Plus I’m great at harmonizing so the refrains where both of us come in sounded wonderful.

Great melody aside, this song’s lyrics are meaningful too. It’s fitting because I’m the older (not sure about "wiser") one, and the words match what I regularly preach in my blog ;) Anyway, the regular font is Celine’s part, the italics represent Barbra’s part, and bold is when both of them sing. (I have both the CDs that this song is in if anyone wants to borrow: Dion’s Let’s talk about love and Streisand’s Higher ground – both released circa 1997.)

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I’m scared
So afraid to show I care
Will he think me weak
If I tremble when I speak
Ooohh… what if…
there’s another one he’s thinking of?
Maybe he’s in love, I’d feel like a fool
Life can be so cruel, I don’t know what to do

I’ve been there
With my heart out in my hand
But what you must understand, you can’t let
the chance to love him pass you by

Tell him…
Tell him that the sun and moon rise in his eyes
Reach out to him
And whisper, tender words so soft and sweet
I’ll hold him close to feel his heart beat
Love will be the gift you give yourself

Touch him (ohhh…)
With the gentleness you feel inside (I feel it)
Your love can’t be denied, the truth will set you free
You’ll have what’s meant to be, all in time you’ll see

Ooh, I love him (then show him)
Of that much I can be sure (hold him close to you)
I don’t think I could endure, if I let him walk away
When I have so much to say

Tell him…
Tell him that the sun and moon rise in his eyes
Reach out to him
And whisper, tender words so soft and sweet
Hold him close to feel his heart beat
Love will be the gift you give yourself

Love is the light that surely glows
In the hearts of those who know
It’s a steady flame that grows
Feed the fire with all the passion you can show
Tonight love will assume its place
This memory time cannot erase
Your faith will lead love where it has to go

Tell him…
Tell him that the sun and moon rise in his eyes
Reach out to him
And whisper, whisper words so soft and sweet
Hold him close to feel his heart beat
Love will be the gift you give yourself

Oooh… Never let him go