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Title: Very Disappointing
Review: Compare Raitt's "Soliquoy" on the Decca "Selections" CD to Hayden's on the London cast recording. Raitt's operatic majesty, masculinity laced with self-hatred, and charismatic musicality jump out of my tinny little CD player. Michael Hayden is - and I hate to criticize any performer - downright anemic by contrast, as well as lacking utterly the pathos and complexity of Raitt's showstopping version. The use of a real opera voice, with Raitt, was a stroke of genius, as it contrasts so deliciously and painfully with Billy Bigelow's shortcomings of character.I cannot overstate this- DO NOT SPEND MONEY ON THIS LONDON VERSION. Suffice it to say, it misses "the point" of the show.I will continue to explore other versions, as my love of and fascination with this show is endless.GET THE DECCA VERSION - "SELECTIONS FROM THE THEATRE GUILD MUSICAL PLAY,", instead. Whatever its deficiences (truncation mainly) its emotional and aesthetic rewards are enormous and triumphant.
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