The Centennial Concert Hall in Winnipeg hosted the musical Les Misérables in 19911. My neighbours went, and I was very jealous, and my dad made me a copy of their 1987 Original Broadway Cast Recording cassette tape.
The next year, it returned and my mom took me to the show. I was 8 and a half years old and had received Lights and Lace Barbie2 for my previous birthday. I still remember where we were sitting. The beautiful voices and emotions behind those songs! The costumes! A Pepsi at half-time! I loved it. Though maybe not as much as Victor Hugo loved the Parisian sewers3. Did Les Mis make me a socialist? The foundation was there!
Now it’s 2023 (gross). The recording is on *pple Music, so I’m listening again and it’s just as glorious. I still remember all the same incorrect lyrics as before! The EMOTIONS!
Here are some highlights:
Overture/Work Song - Wait a moment, this wasn’t on my tape. Possibly left off!
Valjean Arrested/Valjean Forgiven - Also wasn’t on my tape
What Have I Done - What the heck. Maybe the tape didn’t have enough room for everything
At the End of the Day - This is absolutely how the tape started, so for me, it’s the beginning. Forget tracks 1-3. This song has some big messages about capitalism and the working class! The lyrics are crystal clear.
I Dreamed a Dream - That… instrument… that comes in right after 0:47. That is 1987 as heck.
Lovely Ladies - I think I understood that there was a huge plot involving sex work . I definitely didn’t get the euphemisms until, oh, now. “Make money in your sleep” sounds more like an MLM than prostitution, though.
Who Am I? - Lest you forget the main character, JVJ
Come to Me (Fantine’s Death) - “Where all the children PLAAAAAAY” 2:15 oh my GOD
Confrontation - This version is great too:
Castle On a Cloud - Every little girl pictured themselves as Cossette, covered in dirt but still artfully pretty
Master of the House - This jaunty number would not be out-of-place in one of the classic Disney animated films that came out in the 90s, minus the salty language
The Thénardier Waltz of Treachery - That transition from the end of this song into Look Down still gives me chills
Look Down - I was obsessed with this song
Stars
Red and Black - Marius cements himself as a Disney prince
Do You Hear the People Sing? - Just remembered that my tape had a huge empty space after this song. HMMMM
TURN THE TAPE OVER
In My Life - The “but daddy I love him!” of this Disney movie
A Heart Full of Love - Eponine piping in at the end of the song. No best-friends-to-lovers for this lady!
Plumet Attack - Eponine’s scream in this song… tasty.
One Day More - There are so many characters in this song, singing against each other. Sorry, but Eponine has the best parts once again.
Upon These Stones (Building the Barricade)
On My Own - IT’S TIME FOR EPONINE’S BIG NUMBER. Frances Ruffelle4 is incredible. The part from 2:20 is like a punch in the feelings.
Upon These Songs (At the Barricade)
Javert At the Barricade/Little People/The First Attack - Little People is maybe too jaunty for the subject matter?
A Little Fall of Rain - Spoiler alert, Eponine died.
Drink With Me
Bring Him Home
Dog Eat Dog - NO
Javert’s Suicide
Turning - Interesting juxtaposition to Lovely Ladies
Empty Chairs At Empty Tables
Wedding Chorale/Beggars At the Feast
Finale “Les Miserables” - Ghost of Eponine is back!
Every single show in history at the CCH, a list that sadly was not updated after, yikes, February 2020. Accessed online at https://centennialconcerthall.com/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=history&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id= in 2023
Barbie | commercial lights & lace barbie | 1990 - YouTube. Accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HupqMYRF_k in 2023. I also received the Barbie Hawaiian Fun Flower Shop. It was a great birthday.
Why sewer systems are the key to understanding Les Miserables - Vox. Accessed at https://www.vox.com/23026734/one-good-thing-les-mis-sewer-systems in 2023.
Wikipedia - Frances Ruffelle. Accessed at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frances_Ruffelle in 2023.
I have never heard a single Les Mis song (blasphemy!) but now that I have seen Jason Segel and Neil Patrick Harris sing parts I MAY HAVE TO thank u for the annotated list