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Pippin Goes Pop
DEC 6, 2012
The original 1972 Broadway production of Pippin was an enormous hit; it ran for close to 2,000 performances and inspired the hottest pop musicians of the day to record their takes on Stephen Schwartz’s songs.
JACKSON 5
If you’re having a bad day, watch their Soul Train performance of “Corner of the Sky.” It’s funky, it’s smooth, it’s endearingly positive…plus, the 5 are even dressed up like a ragtag circus troupe.
MICHAEL JACKSON
In another Jackson-related Pippin cover, a young Michael croons a similarly uplifting rendition of “Morning Glow” on his third solo album, Music & Me.
THE SUPREMES
A post-Diana Ross Supremes turned out a sassy cover of “I Guess I’ll Miss the Man” in 1972, belted by the amazing (and supremely underrated) Jean Terrell.
DIANA ROSS
Not to be outdone, the Queen of Motown’s version of “Corner of the Sky” is appropriately graceful, dramatic and uplifting. It was released on her 1979 Live at Caesar’s Palace record, alongside a number of Broadway classics.
DUSTY SPRINGFIELD & PETULA CLARK
This one is particularly interesting. Regretting that she didn’t have the chance to sing a duet with Springfield while she was alive, Petula Clark recorded herself singing “Corner of the Sky” in 2007, then dubbed it over Dusty’s mid-70s recording of the same song.
