So we’ve done country and we’ve done Latin-American music.

Dudes, bust out the jazz hands and wiggle those spirit fingers because I’m about to go all musical theatre on your asses.

There are certain people on the planet who I look at the fruits of their labors and say, well, he/she clearly got in line twice when God was giving out the talent and then went and stole some talent from other people which explains why I cannot sing or dance.

People like Michael Phelps, Josh Groban, Mikhail Baryshnikov.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, the fly in Maxwell Sheffield‘s tea, is their king. Particularly for my number three pick for JoBeth, which made the honorable mention lists of readers Virginia and Thee Dude, both rule-breakers by the way.

3. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera Original London Cast

There was never a Broadway soundtrack I bought prior to this one, and there’s never been another after worthy of the space on Diggory. Every song holds you.

If you’ve never listened to any of this show, I suggest you watch this video from the Tony Awards in 1988 in which the incomparable Michael Crawford and the angelic-voiced Sarah Brightman sing a selection of songs.

My absolute favorite song on the CD is Music of the Night so you can imagine how thrilled I was when David Cook chose to sing that on Idol. He’s got a great studio version that you can hear blaring out of my car on any given day.

Like this morning. (Wasn’t me.)

Tomorrow, Number Two, which now that I’ve been listening to it more lately, I really should have put it at Number 1. It’s that good.

Here’s a hint:

higher, higher, higher

Category: Random | August 18, 2008 | | ShareThis