While this show, a dark parable of the Catholic-Protestant contentions in Ireland, has been touted as Andrew Lloyd Webber's "intimate" musical, the music is very little more than his usual tunes: derivative, repetitive, and often dull. There are a few great songs to be sure; there always are. The title track is catchy and triumphantly soaring, "I'd Rather Die On My Feet" has a great rock beat with an awesome Irish twist, "Dead Zone" is chilling, and "The First Time" is pretty (albeit pretty crass). The best song in the entire show, however, is "God's Own Country", and Andrew Lloyd Webber knows it (he not only reprises it once, but twice). It's a very beautiful tune and shows Lloyd Webber's talent for simple and pretty ballads.
Ben Elton's lyrics, overpraised for its "freshness" and "comedic value", fall flat. At best, they are serviceable. He never rises to the level of any of the previous lyricists for ALW shows, not even Richard Stilgoe (who penned such lines in "Starlight Express" as "Freight is great/We carry weight 'cos we are freight"). An example typical of Elton's lyrics could be this little selection from "Off To the Party": "We're just totally great/There's no debate/I'm telling you, mate". And on and on it goes.
The sound quality on the CD is all right. For some of the more rock-influenced songs, especially the title track, the words are completely lost and make the cast sound like a raucous bunch of drunkards singing the latest tavern ditty. I don't know whether or not this was the intention; if so, I'm afraid it just doesn't work.
All-in-all an average Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. Not being a huge fan of the composer myself, I may be a bit biased, but I have to say that even "Cats" has a few more memorable musical moments than this CD. And that's saying a lot.
1. Overture
2. Beautiful Game, The - The Company
3. Clean The Kit - John/Thomas/Mary/Cronies
4. Don't Like You - Mary/John
5. God's Own Country - Mary/Protestant Girl
6. God's Own Country (Protestant March) - The Company
7. Let Us Love In Peace - Christine/Del
8. Final, The / Game Of Two Halves, A - The Company
9. Off To The Party - The Team And Father O'Donnell
10. Craic, The - The Company
11. Don't Like You (reprise) - Bernadette/Ginger
12. Our Kind Of Love - Christine
13. Let Us Love In Peace (reprise) - Bernadette/Mary/Christine/Father O'Donnell And Company
14. Happiest Day, The - John/Mary/Father O'Donnell
15. To Have And To Hold - John/Mary And Company
16. First Time, The - Mary/John
17. I'd Rather Die On My Feet Than Live On My Knees - Thomas
18. God's Own Country (reprise) - Mary/Christine/Del
19. Selection, The - John/The Team
20. Dead Zone - John/Internment Camp Inmates
21. If This Is What We're Fighting For - Mary
22. All The Love I Have - John/Mary
23. Finale - Mary/Sean/Father O'Donnell/Company
Beautiful Game
