For the detractors here, the role in original stage musical had different requirements and intentions from that of the film. Sally Bowles in this context was supposed to have been a jaded, somewhat lost and not so great cabaret singer. Liza was, at the time of the film, a fantastic singer and entertainer, so the role was altered for her. Both are great in their own contexts.

I was a stagehand (showman) on the London 1968 production of this show. We were paid additional money for wearing black clothing, including balaclava and black gloves, from head to toe so that we could go on stage and change the set without the audience seeing us as the curtain was never closed during the changes, we would fire a bank of flashlights at the audience and whilst their pupils were dilating that's when we changed to set.

What a lot of people forget about Sally Bowles (or they never knew in the first place) is that she is supposed to be a second rate singer. The problem is, it's difficult to make a musical with a singer who really is second rate! I think Judi Dench is superb in the role. Wish I'd been old enough to actually see her live!

Dame Judi is said to have put posters in the lobby saying "Yes, Sally is supposed to sound like that."

Oh the irony that I'm sitting in my room right now, and listening to this...

Dench is defiantely the best no doubt in our mind , she is known for her throaty singing and this was how it was suppose to be.

Judy Dench puts the character into this song. The character, Sally Bowles, has delusions of grandeur. She can't sing, act or dance. The KitKat Club is a dive. But Judy Dench was fantastic as Desiree in A Little Night Music, and sings "Send In The Clowns" better than anyone.

I was a stagehand (showman) on the London 1968 production of this show starring a young Judi Dench. One thing I remember was that on the stage they had a prop book of Adolf Hitler's 'Mein Kampf' but the strange thing was the book on the stage was actually a English copy of Mein Kampf. Why? After all no one in the audience could possibly see it.

Not to mention Sally Bowles isn't meant to be a brilliant singer, she's meant to be rusty and unrehearsed- even in the Isherwood book she's described as being rather sub par at singing. If she were a flawless talent what would she be doing in a sleazy cabaret in Berlin?

It's not supposed to sound "good". It's an emotional breakdown.

Judi Dench's voice is perfect for the part of Sally Bowleds as originally written, as is Peter Sallis and Lila Kedrova. I'd loved to have seen this production.

OMGD she must have been wonderful in this part. In parts of the song she sounds like Betty Davis singing the song :) now I have the vision of Betty Davis singing Cabaret and I can't get it out of my head :) Mannn It would be awesome to see a movie film of this performance.

So happy that modern renditions of the musical are incorporating this raw emotion that Judi has while playing Sally, it fits the character so well, I adore it!

Simply SUPERB ( and Lila Kedova too)!!! The very BEST - I was lucky enough to this!!! UNFORGETTABLE!!!

Judi is an amazing actress and singer, she brings SO much life to Sally Bowles and the character isn't suposed to be perfect! If you think Judi isn't great listen to her singing Send In The Clowns, its incredible!! And watch the film Nine!

You also have to remember that the character she is playing isn't a superstar. The only work she gets as a performer is at a shoddy night club. Judi had to portray that in the singing as well as the acting.

genius piece of casting genius performance

Dench is still fabulous and sexy no matter how old she is she can sing and dance with the best of them. She is known for her throaty voice that is what makes her stand out. she has one play after another lined up for 2009 and 2010. We love her we all go to London to see her.

OMG I'm absolutelly delighted! Thank you so much for this.

I love Judi Dench.She is a true star.What a trooper doing this even with a cold,like the article said.Wonderful job!

Thank you for sharing this! Excellent photo montage to go with the recording. What a fascinating performance!

omg i love her ❤❤

Is there anything she can't do? This is magnificent. Real art. I love her voice -- I'll take it over any of those pop belters any day.

Thousands with better voice, prettier figure, more beautiful face. No one better. And it's not even close.

Magnificent

this is incredible. judi is 100% on pitch. thats more than I can say for most 'singers'

❤❤❤thank God for algorithms or I may never witness this incredible bit of stage history!

judi dench is undeniably a very talented actress

Go Dame Judi...you can do anything

This is the best album for sure.

I Love Judi Dench She Is Pretty And Sweet And Familiar And Amazing

""SEE" this production!!!

Sparkling

Thanks for another version...just as good... just different, it's nice to hear.. different, it's Good.

I can only imagine what some of the commentators who don't 'get " this would think of Lotte Lenya's voice in the original NY stage production .

OMG FANTASTIC!!!

Wish I had seen this production.

Minelli was NOT the first 'Sally". Jill Haworth was on Broadway. The '66 "Cabaret" on Broadway, the FILM (Fosse would love that), and the revival were different presentations, stagings, scores, books, etc. Dame Judy actually sounds closest to Jill Haworth. Both were actresses first.

Gosh, never knew she was a singer!

Outstanding...

"Maybe This Time," which Sally performs at the cabaret, was not written for the film. Kander and Ebb had written it years earlier for Kaye Ballard, thus making it ineligible for an Academy Award nomination. just searched it right now, sorry. I swear to god I thought the song was written for the film.

Judi Dench is great in this role and others because she has that unique quality to sing (and act) straight from the heart. THAT is why she is so special, and and that is why she is not a Liza, a Cher, a Celine Dion or a Streisand ... she is in fact so much better than the aforementioned.

I'm called Elsie!

I was a stagehand on the London 1968 production of this show and by coincidence I also worked backstage at the London Palladium when Judy Garland made her last television appearance and of course her daughter Liza Minnelli played Sally Bowles on film. Happy days.

Holy crap, it's 'M'

wow, didnt even know the great dame could sing! BRILLIANT

trop bien

Sally isn't meant to be all that good. So people complaining about Judy not being a first rate singer are just ignorant of this musical and have probably only seen the film. Why would Sally be working in the Kit Kat Klub if she was amazing? She's mediocre. That's the point. And besides, all of the right emotion is in this version. Sally is giving up on her real life and giving it to the Cabaret. Judy does it perfectly. Liza is amazing. AMAZING. One of my idols. But she's not quite Sally.

Her natural and mild singing was possible for a little cabaret 's stage..

That song was written for the film ;)

Judi, Judi, Judi!!!

Oh My God I love that song

OMG I Love The Musical Albums

Very interesting observations. I for one felt like Judi Dench's Sally was the most "sophisticated" out of the lot - the one who oozed "refinement", and considered Jill Hayworth's Sally to be the "smokin'", more "erotic" one who "oozed sexiness". Of course, both Jill and Judi have distinctively HUSKY voices, and are BOTH effortlessly *CLASSY* albeit in VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. :) Compared to Jill and Judi, however, Liza's Sally ends up looking like a TOMBOYISH *LITTLE GIRL*, as much as I LOVE Liza.

Her voice needs heat

Do you know if there's a video recording of this production?

No a lot of people say that when Sally sings this song off-key and somewhat badly always go to Liza Minelli and say that she was the first one to do it and she did it on-key. But this was before the movie and truly shows how the part is supposed to be. So take your Liza and the movie, get some popcorn, enjoy it, then come here for some real theater and emotion.

SALLY bOLES WAS TO BE FLAT AND JUDI IS A ORIGNAL SINGER FROM THE DAY WHEN THIS WAS POPULAR.THE SONG WAS MADE FOR SOMEONE WHO SANG THIS WAY.

I never said she was the first sally! But people think she is.

Okay, that's the way the revival presented it. The original and the Film were different approaches.

Who played the Emcee in this production? Otherwise, hearing this, I cannot help wondering what Cats would have been like if Dame Judi had actually been Grizabella...

I thought the "huskiness" was a prerequisit to be a top ( she's the top of the top) Sheaksperian actress! Ne was not the first or the last just the best.

Have seen Dame Helen Mirren live, now there's another mission to perform.

I remember seeing Judi in Cabaret all those years ago. Yes, she was great but it was Lila Kedrova who stole the show.

She sings and packs the audience to sold out tickets. She still has a sexy throaty voice and is still sexy in person. I would watch her if she sand and read a phone book she has class compared to a lot of the younger actess;s today.

I think she's a better Sally Bowles than she was a Fraulien Schneider (though she was a pretty good Fraulien)

she was so gorgeous back in the day

Sally Bowles isn’t actually supposed to be a great singer. Liza Minelli was a great singer and when the movie was made it was adapted for her

And I Love Dick Van Dyke And Ethel Merman Janet Leigh Perry Como Gene Autry Judi Dench And Judy Garland And Paul Lynde And Ann Margret Because They Are My Favorite People So Is Ed Sullivan

Personally, I've always much preferred JILL HAYWORTH'S Sally from the Original 1966 Broadway Production. I think Hayworth's Sally is a lot more SYMPATHETIC than Judi Dench's Sally, and is replete with an effortless *YOUTHFUL* CHARM that I don't find in Dench, who acts and sounds a little *TOO* JADED for my liking, although awesome in her own right. I basically think Jill is better at balancing Sally's endearing qualities with her *DARKER* attributes, but of course that's my own affinity..

and A Duet

They Should Make Me A Singing Judi Denchs Favorite Song On Broadway And London

And Bing Crosby

I wish That Stewie And Brian Should go to It

She has the excellent voice for Sally Bowels. A wonderful person, to her fans also.

when I make The Glenn Quagmire voice

And if Sweet Charity can dance like Gwen Verdon, Juliette Prowse, Debbie Allen, Donna McKechnie, Chita Rivera and Shirley MacLaine...why would she be working in a lousy dance hall. Sally should sing well...it's a musical. The best Sally I have ever seen was Alyson Reed in the 1988 revival...who belted Cabaret like a volcano.

And David Cantrell Will Join In Tonight

Sally is a third rate singer in a third rate club, not some diva.

They Will Make Me A Movie Call Tommy Canady Takes A Broadway Hit

I prefer Judi Dench's Sally Bowles to Liza's version. Judi oozed sexiness and was just so smokin' going across the stage. Plus, the husky voice.......very erotic. Now I love Liza Minelli but her Sally just didn't have the same appeal as Judi Dench's.

I Wish That Stewie And Brian And Peter Griffin Could Go To That Musical

I Will Say At my own House I Will Say On My Microphone And Say Good Evening Ladies And Gentlemen May I Have your Attention Please Tonight We Are Gonna Start Singing And Dancing To The Radio Tonight At 6pm To 8.30 PM and Tonight Me Charli Kylee And Calvin Will Start Dancing And Singing One Of My Favorite Songs OK Have A Good Time Dancing And Singing Begin

At My own House Me and Charli Will Start Singing And Dancing And Calvin And Kylee Will Sing Along With Us And IN September 2016 I have To Call My Mom And Dad On The Phone About Having A Fun Time Dancing And Singing All Night At 7.30 PM My Dad Will Say I saw You Dancing With Your Girlfriend And Your Two Buddies I will Say That Songs Crack Me up At night Time Hours

I wish The Muppets Can Go To That And Rowlf The Dog Could

All I know is that young Judi Dench was HOT!!!!!

My Mom And Dad Should Make Me A Movie Call The Tommy Canady Movie with The Columbia Tristar Logo Starring Tommy Canady Charli Jones Calvin Hyder Kylee Rice David Cantrell And Jim Henson As Rowlf The Dog And Kermit The Frog And The Muppets

I must sound pretty much iconoclast, but from what I "see" here, I don't find this such a memorable interpretation, but a rather unimpressive/flat one...Jane Horrock's version is way more expressive and persuasive, she really conveys the mental breakdown of Sally... Well, I am unable to check the video so this is what I feel fro mthe audio

Jill Haworths Version Is Better

If you managed to think about it for a moment you would realise the situation is the opposite, ie. X-Factor is a very low standard. Dench's singing here is so bad that she would even fail the first stage of that. If this was a 'nobody', everyone would be cringeing, but as it's arch luvvy Judi Dench, it's bloody marvellous, dahling, positively divine. What a load of rubbish.

Her voice is... different.

Not quite my cup of tea. I like the power of her voice (never knew she had that in her) but she could use a bit of training to tie up the loose ends. Still brilliant.