Endless Appetite (Demo)

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6 жыл бұрын

I can't believe it's been 20 years of success for "Tanz der Vampire." Kudos to Jim Steinman, Michael Kunze, and all associated with the creation of that popular German rock musical.
As some of you may know, it's also been 10 years (last month) since I was first engaged on a project very close to my heart: a solicited English bid on that show. Rest assured, "Tanz" fans, this wasn't going to be a retread of "Dance of the Vampires." My team (and I, as the exec producer) worked very long and very hard on a new translation/adaptation that was true to the German material, similar in form, meaning, and spirit, while also having our own unique sense of poetry, language, etc., geared to the sensibilities of an English-speaking audience.
For a variety of reasons, this project has not yet moved forward. A planned reading in the summer of 2010 with Broadway caliber talent didn't happen, and it's been in limbo ever since (I mean, I personally have never quite let it go, but the level of activity has varied over the past seven years or so). I still have my memories. And the script, which is fantastic (but, due to confidentiality, unable to be shared). And... a handful of demos. They're rough, but they're good; the vocalists have a gorgeous quality, and they show how well the lyrics fit the melody (accurate to the German recordings, with a few of our accents thrown in). As the demos are available at our discretion, I decided to celebrate the 20th anniversary of "Tanz" my way, by shedding a little light on the 10th anniversary of the version that never came to be.
This selection, known as "Die unstillbare Gier" to German-speaking fans, is called "Endless Appetite." Vocals are by Shawn Jesseman. In this soliloquy, Count von Krolock laments the truth of his being and makes a bleak prediction: before the turn of the next millennium, mankind, overcome by greed, will know only one god -- the god of appetite. (Kinda... eerily prescient, isn't it?)
Obligatory copyright info:
"Die unstillbare Gier"
(From the German musical "Tanz der Vampire")
Music by Jim Steinman
Original German Lyrics by Michael Kunze
"Endless Appetite"
English Lyrics by Michael Kunze, Jim Steinman, Richard Haase
Additional Lyric Material by Ashton Jaymz
© 2007-2017; registered, Writers Guild of America East. All rights reserved. Please note: no commercial usage of this selection can be made whatsoever without the permission of Messrs. Steinman and Kunze.

Пікірлер: 40

@GibsonDelGiudice 8 ай бұрын

By popular demand, the lyrics! KROLOCK ENDLESS NIGHT WITHOUT A STAR THE MOON, IT LIGHTS MY CURSE AS IT SAILS AFAR THE DARKNESS CAN’T EFFACE THE PAST CAN’T BE ERASED THE SHADOWS OF OLD FEAR AND OF WOUNDS AND SCORES RETRACED THE FIELDS WERE GOLD AND SUMMER SKIES WERE CLEAR SIXTEEN-SEVENTEEN I THINK THAT WAS THE YEAR WE LAY TOGETHER ON THE GRASS YOUR HAND SO TENDER IN MINE DIDN’T LAST WE NEVER THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD ALL BE LOST OUR WHOLE WORLD AND OUR FUTURE COULD BE TEMPEST-TOSSED AND ON THE NIGHT YOU DIED I HELD YOU CLOSE IN MY ARMS AND I CRIED AND AS I FELT YOUR LIFE SLIP THROUGH MY HANDS LOVE DYING LIKE A FLAME AS I SAW MY WORLD CONSUMED IN FIRE AND YET I NEVER BURNED I KNOW THAT WINGS ARE MADE FOR FLYING BUT I SINK DEEPER AND DEEPER INSTEAD BECAUSE THE ANGEL THAT FALLS BECOMES THE DEVIL HIMSELF AND WHEN YOU’RE FALLING, YOU KEEP HUNGERING FOR EVERYTHING YOU KNOW YOU CAN’T HAVE AND EVERY BIT OF STOLEN JOY OR PLEASURE BRINGS ME TWICE AS MUCH IN PAIN ‘CAUSE WHEN YOUR SOUL GROWS DEAF TO CRYING IT’S ‘CAUSE YOUR HUNGER CAN’T BE REINED WHEN YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES THE FINAL TIME AND EXTINGUISHED IS ALL LIGHT THERE’LL BE NOTHING BUT A DESERT LEFT FROM AN ENDLESS APPETITE WHEN OUR HEARTS HAVE DRUMMED THEIR FINAL BEAT STILL AN ENDLESS APPETITE THE PASTOR’S DAUGHTER LET ME IN HER ROOM SEVENTEEN-THIRTY-TWO TO KNOW ME WAS HER DOOM UPON HER SKIN I MADE A PRAYER AND WROTE MY POEM OF LOVE THE LONELY SENTRY FROM NAPOLEON’S WARS EIGHTEEN-HUNDRED-THIRTEEN SURE HE WON HIS CAUSE AND I RECALL HIS SMILE AND HIS WINNING WAY WE MET ON HIS LAST DAY EACH TIME I TAKE LIFE’S SWEETNESS TO MY LIPS, IT TURNS BITTER AS NIGHT FALLS TO HAVE THE WHOLE WORLD AT YOUR FINGERTIPS TURN DARK WHEN HUNGER CALLS AND IF YOU FLY TOO CLOSE TO HEAVEN YOUR WINGS GET HEAVY AND START PULLING YOU DOWN BECAUSE YOU’LL NEVER BE AN ANGEL OR THE DEVIL HIMSELF AND ALL THE TIME I KNOW I’M NOTHING BUT A SNAKE WHOSE FANGS ARE WAITING, SET FOR STRIKING ALL WHO EMBRACE ME MUST DIE MEN WILL SAY TOMORROWS WILL BE BETTER DAYS TO DECEIVE THEMSELVES FROM DOUBT BUT PAIN’S MORE MEMORABLE THAN PLEASURE AND THE HUNGER WILL WIN OUT THERE ARE THOSE WHO TRUST IN SCIENCE THOSE WHO SELL THEIR SOUL FOR ART AND THE SOLDIER SWEARS BY HIS COIN AND REALMS OTHERS MAKE THE HEART THEIR GOD THERE ARE THOSE WHO BOW DOWN TO FORCES WHO THEY’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE - GOD DAMN THEIR ADDLED MINDS WITH VIRTUE AND SINNING - BUT I BOW BEFORE ONE THING IT’S THE ENDLESS, INSATIABLE UNENDING, ALL-CONSUMING, UNSTOPPABLE FOREVER RAVENOUS ENDLESS APPETITE AND IF I COULD TELL MAN’S FORTUNE ONE PREDICTION WOULD BE RIGHT WHEN THE LAST TIMES OF THIS WORLD HAVE FINALLY COME THE LAST GOD IN THIS WORLD WILL BE AN ENDLESS APPETITE

@harrosin 6 жыл бұрын

Huge Steinman fan here. I found this linked from the DataLounge thread in regards to Jim, but I'm glad I kept scrolling even after all the juicy gossip and trivia. Barton's English demo is my favorite take, but I love all the Tanz interpretations, including this one -- the lyrics are definetly an improvement over Jim's common themes are redundant passages ("The skies were blue and the fields were green," etc). While I don't feel Tanz will ever make a resurgence in the US, regardless of the success of the BOOH musical, I appreciate all the love it continues to get around the world. I still kick myself for not taking the time to catch it in Berlin when I was there for an event last August :\

@GibsonDelGiudice 6 жыл бұрын

Harrison Moccio, thank you so much for your kind words! I was wondering when someone would hop over from that thread. :p I like to think that it may have a further chance on the English stage, perhaps in the UK (especially now that Bat is a hit over there), but I agree with you that it probably won't catch on in America, what with people constantly bringing up its disastrous reputation on Broadway to prove the point that vampire musicals "don't work." Still, stranger things have happened. Who knows? It may yet come back.

@saraoverkamping8143 9 ай бұрын

I never thought anyone could revive the feeling I had by hearing Steve Barton for the first time singing this. Well, I was gladly proven wrong 💯

@GibsonDelGiudice 9 ай бұрын

Thank you! We're glad you liked the demo and Shawn's performance.

@saraoverkamping8143 9 ай бұрын

@@GibsonDelGiudice I heard Steve Barton the first time I was about five. Since then I was very sceptical, till I saw Jan Ammann performing the german version live. That evening my hope was raised, that maybe this inspiring story nor the memory of the first one who sang it, will not vanish from the stages in this too fast and modern world. Thanks to singers like Jan Amman and Shawn. Me, a barely twenty year old lad, can only thank you for that.

@Jari_Sanou 3 жыл бұрын

Didn't think it was possible, but I think the lyrics are even more beautiful than the English version by Steve Barton! There's so much powerful emotion in these songs of Tanz der Vampire, that they've definitely helped me get through my own tough emotional times. Maybe the reason is that that listening to these songs made me think someone else understood what I was going through. Either way, thank you so much posting this!

@GibsonDelGiudice 3 жыл бұрын

I'm glad we could do that for you!

@wickedfeylady 5 жыл бұрын

This is a good one too, I especially like this guy's voice.

@GibsonDelGiudice 5 жыл бұрын

Shawn is a very talented guy, and a successful singer. He can be heard on KZfaq doing other versions of this song (including in German and with Jim's lyrics).

@shawnjesseman664 5 жыл бұрын

I have very little memory of recording this. This was, what..10 years ago? Back when I was a baritone before I spent so much time doing rock and roll and turned into a lyric tenor. Lol. My latest album, The Invisible Diamond, is here on KZfaq. You can listen to it for free.

@GibsonDelGiudice 5 жыл бұрын

It may interest you to hear some of the public comments this received on Tumblr as well as here, for example this charming sentiment: "What a most charming and winning combination (The Endless Appetite): the potency of Mr. Jesseman's voice and the poetry of the lyrics, staying closer to the original German while giving the English Krolock its own voice."

@maxbeal7589 6 жыл бұрын

These words are lovely! I particularly love the choruses! The ‘fallen angel’ imagery’s much more poetic in these words

@GibsonDelGiudice 6 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for your comment! It means a lot to those of us who worked on it.

@maxbeal7589 6 жыл бұрын

Not a problem. Thanks for continuing the pipe dream of having an English version of this wonderfull show

@GibsonDelGiudice 6 жыл бұрын

With any luck, some day we will.

@maxbeal7589 6 жыл бұрын

These Lyrics are very ‘Paradise lost’

@GibsonDelGiudice 6 жыл бұрын

We actually got that comparison a lot when we shared the demo with industry people. It kind of reassured me that there are still some cultured people out there in the business called show.

@Beatle911 5 ай бұрын

If there is ever a "Dance of The Vampires" Broadway revival (which I think is unlikely if the brand has been damaged in the States), I would love Ramin Karimloo or Norm Lewis to play Krolok.

@GibsonDelGiudice 5 ай бұрын

Both are solid choices!

@timdirks7114 4 ай бұрын

👍

@GibsonDelGiudice 4 ай бұрын

Thanks for the affirmation!

@markyjoe1990 5 жыл бұрын

Even more depressing than the official english version!

@GibsonDelGiudice 5 жыл бұрын

Not sure whether to take that as a compliment... thank you, I guess?

@markyjoe1990 5 жыл бұрын

@@GibsonDelGiudice It's a compliment, I assure you. I don't wanna be happy when I listen to this song. Sometimes, I feel like total shit, and I need a song that reflects how I am feeling to give myself the sense that I'm not alone. This song has been my mood as of late.

@GibsonDelGiudice 5 жыл бұрын

@@markyjoe1990 Well then, in that sense, I'm glad it helped.

@siljeediassen8178 4 жыл бұрын

I love this! It fits so well with the melody and the themes. Is there a chance of you putting this on spotify? Anyway I'm going to listen to this on repeat for a week and dream about seeing the whole of the musical equally well translated on stage one day.

@GibsonDelGiudice 4 жыл бұрын

The rest of the script and lyrics are just as fantastic, and we hope that one day our version will reach the audience for which it was meant when we started work on it back in 2007. :) Until then, these videos are the remnant that are at our discretion to share. As for putting it on Spotify, we're not at liberty to upload these files anywhere for commercial sale. For now, thank you for listening to it on repeat!

@siljeediassen8178 4 жыл бұрын

@@GibsonDelGiudice You'll see me in that audience!

@nutsmasher420 3 жыл бұрын

are there any other demos from this? i’d LOVE to hear more

@GibsonDelGiudice 3 жыл бұрын

Aside from this and "Hungry for Love" (a/k/a "Gott ist tot") elsewhere on the channel, we never got a real chance to record anything else. Time was at a premium and we had other projects on the slate. I wouldn't rule out the appearance of future demos or live performances, however. ;)

@nutsmasher420 3 жыл бұрын

Gibson DelGiudice just gave it a listen, it sounds great! is there potential for this project to ever get off the ground again? tanz is one of my favorite musicals, i’d love to see a GOOD english adaption of it some day

@GibsonDelGiudice 3 жыл бұрын

@@nutsmasher420 The ball is in the court of the European rights holders. We had written and verbal authorization from Jim to begin with, but their word is ultimately law.

@nutsmasher420 3 жыл бұрын

Gibson DelGiudice fair enough, haha. I’m sure that’s not exactly top priority for people at the moment, but it’s great to know there’s even a chance!

@shawnjesseman664 5 жыл бұрын

Hi Gibson.

@GibsonDelGiudice 5 жыл бұрын

Hello Shawn! Thank you so much for doing the work you did on this brilliant demo.