I think this is one of the most beautiful, passionate, and heart wrenching performances in musical theater history. It makes my soul ache every time I hear it.
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
I feel the exact same way
@headbangingmama89073 жыл бұрын
I totally agree with you 💯!!! Gives me chills listening to this Jerome Kern song sung by William! 👏👏👏
@nigelarbury9989Ай бұрын
Absolutely agree
@tet68vietnam724 ай бұрын
Back in the 1990s, I was a rookie reporter for a mid-sized Midwestern city newspaper when William Warfield came to our city to perform. I was assigned to do the interview. I still remember just the two of us sitting on the stage talking about "Showboat" and his experiences making the movie and interacting with the actors, especially Howard Keel, with whom he formed a lasting friendship. He was in his 70's and suffering from a cold. But he pushed through the performance and received a standing ovation. I have always loved musicals, whether on Broadway or on the big screen and I just sat and listened as he reminisced about his career. He was especially proud of his starring role in the musical "The Green Pastures," which had an all-black cast, and which was very successful on Broadway and a 1959 television production of the show. I was particularly impressed with the dignified way he carried himself and the patience he showed to a young reporter who kept stumbling over his words. He can be summed up in one word: Gentleman. And on my living room wall is a picture of that gentleman with his arm around the shoulders of that young rookie reporter.
@davidholman483 ай бұрын
Marvelous! You were truly blessed.
@LoisCandler2 ай бұрын
❤ thank you for your touching memory of this talented man. You have a gift for great writing & expressing your thoughts. Your story moved me to tears❤🤗
@annecraven79063 жыл бұрын
Absolutely no one sings Old Man River like William Warfield. Perfection! Breaks the heart!
@lynchaney6844 Жыл бұрын
Paul Robeson did a fantastic job to
@peterd7886 ай бұрын
He's not singing the song. Like all modern versions of it this is not the song. It's a pointless sanitization of the song robbed of meaning. It was written as a song about the wrongs of segregation and racism but now it's just words with a good tune.
@stephenabrowning19533 жыл бұрын
I was lucky enough to see the great William Warfield in the London revival production of Showboat around 40years ago .What a performer and a fantastic show!
@stephenabrowning19533 жыл бұрын
Sorry, my mistake, It wasn't Mr Warfield that I saw! apologies!
@NightExPM4 жыл бұрын
Believe me, everytime I listen to this version, I feel his pain! And in these days quite a little bit more!
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
I feel the exact same way
@jacquelinepeoples3792 жыл бұрын
William rips this classic. It’s so powerful. Beautiful!
@user-bb7pe8ji6r Жыл бұрын
This is not just a show tune, but a slice of culture!
@michaeldavidfigures98422 жыл бұрын
When I hear this it makes me realize we are all slaves. We are slaves to ourselves and to the sorrow, the suffering, and the disappointments of this life. There is no doubt in my mind that when William Warfield sang this song he was singing it for everyone; blacks, whites, Jews, Christians regardless of race creed or color. This is the most profound expression of the human condition ever put on paper, and praise God for giving us William Warfield to sing it! May he rest in peace.
@AndthenthereisCencorship-xc6yi7 ай бұрын
Nobody does this song like William did. Incredible voice.
@garymorris18562 жыл бұрын
This man had a great voice !
@tamikoestomo32755 жыл бұрын
What a marvelous song...it is like a devout prayer...
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
It sure is
@torlandonsteines2 жыл бұрын
Beautiful, watched many musicals with my parents and family...❤
@carterhurd52634 жыл бұрын
This is an amazing song, i like it so much
@gess4170 Жыл бұрын
I'm going home from hospice tomorrow. You go home so your last days are comfortable. The last verse; I get's weary Yes I' am sick of trying I'm tired of living and I'm Feared of dying. Describes my situation to a T. Its been a great 68 years, so long.
@evanhicks3444 Жыл бұрын
I hope it's lovely where you are now
@LanceHotz-yn2si5 ай бұрын
This person was going home to die and only one person responded to this comment? @gess, I hope you are happy and free of pain and enjoying the fruits of a life well lived. RIP😇 Go in Peace Friend❤️
@mattbutler3852Ай бұрын
God bless you , I hope that you found happiness in your new home.
@deeasztalos25202 жыл бұрын
I cry every time I see this part of the movie.
@TheWanderingWife7 ай бұрын
I get chills every time I hear his version of this song.
@timnicholas18326 ай бұрын
Absolutely beautiful.
@michaeldavidfigures98422 жыл бұрын
The greatest musical of all time.
@adrianaclark84986 ай бұрын
A poignant song yearning for understanding and acceptance of fate. No rendition of this song can compare to this performance,....and, I have listened to many. One of the greatest voices of all time.
@lyngruen86077 ай бұрын
AWESOMENESS 🎶💖🎶 NONE LIKE HIM 🎶💖🎶
@SirCharlesPerkins5 ай бұрын
Agreed, no one will probably ever top Warfield's interpretation. But let's not forget the man who wrote the lyrics : Oscar Hammerstein II. Oscar captured the essence of Life's Story in those lyrics.
@ravenband19473 жыл бұрын
A little lower and deeper than Robeson.Warfields was incomparable!
@fatman4718 ай бұрын
He was not given proper credit for the title song for “A Walk in the Sun”. No matter, his voice was astounding
@barbaraedwards40262 ай бұрын
Love this performance.
@lisacipriani61054 жыл бұрын
I love you....i cry
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
Me too
@williamporter5693 жыл бұрын
old man river can.be used as a person people in.many.cases trials in life can trying and pushing powerful peace
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
So true
@tonydomenech7713 Жыл бұрын
The best ever. Period.
@jeffkatt4 жыл бұрын
I'm so used to hearing Melvin Franklin of The Temptations sing lead on this. 👍🏾
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
Did not know he sang this song
@atvrealty4 ай бұрын
Beautiful voice and performance, golden throat!
@elkekuehl60306 ай бұрын
What a voice beautiful
@nigelarbury9989Ай бұрын
Absolutely class❤
@carollee4442 жыл бұрын
Beautiful heartwarming song ever writtenu! 💙❤️💜
@wandakuilboer7197 Жыл бұрын
It breaks my heart. And it makes me cry.
@janekata14325 ай бұрын
This is why the last shall be first,and likewise,the first shall be last,one day in Eternity....
@marisarossi66924 жыл бұрын
bravissimo.
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
Bravo indeed
@graveebailey23 ай бұрын
The first time to listene ,and its beutiful.
@pieromark3 жыл бұрын
QUESTA E STORIA DELLA MUSICA E DEL CINEMA
@legalvampire81364 жыл бұрын
I prefer it this way with the (largely) original words, as an expression of the hardness of life and respect for the great river, before Paul Robeson altered the words to make a political point.
@carterhurd52633 жыл бұрын
Exactly
@brucekirschbaum64992 ай бұрын
The tears in Ava Gardner's eyes at the end is because she's a black woman, passing as white and is so moved by the plaintive words and singing of one of her own kind, she's been, up until that point, denying. Gorgeous. Moving. Excruciating.
@sooskevington61442 ай бұрын
William Warfield is every bit as good as Paul Robeson
@shantavanee5 ай бұрын
❤
@atyourmomshouse3 жыл бұрын
1:40 (for myself)
@scottmiller6495 Жыл бұрын
Everything is great but what happened to the powerful ending to the song with a strong finish ? You cut it off that is the best part and without that it doesn,t do the trick !!!!!