God Give Me Strength

Robin Platts · Post by **Robin Platts** » Mon Dec 20, 2004 11:55 pm

Hi all,

I was just listening to Kristen Vigard's "God Give Me Strength," and it occured to me that there is still a gaping hole in my Bacharach collection - I've never been able to track down the version heard briefly in Grace of my Heart, with Kristen's vocal backed by a full arrangement. I think someone once told me it had come out on a promo CD or something. Does anyone have a copy?

Robin

Post by **mark** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 3:09 pm

I'm not sure I remember a full-band arrangement of "God Give Me Strength."

I've got a version of Kristin Vigard accompanied only by piano that I recall from the movie. Is the version I have the same one that appeared on the Rhino compilation CD "Love Scene: Romantic Movie Music" or is that the full-band-arrangement version you're talking about?

scotsgreg · Post by **scotsgreg** » Tue Dec 21, 2004 3:29 pm

No...I know the piece to which Robin is referring. There's a brief section of Ileanna Douglas in the studio recording the song in Kristin Vigard's voice with full orchestra in a Burt Bacharach/Brian Wilson/Phil Spector type of mid-1960's arrangement of the song, which sounds like it would be sumptuous, possibly even definitive version if anyone can find the full recording. Surely, they wouldn't have only overdubbed the middle third of the song. There must be a complete version somewhere.

Davide Bonori · Post by **Davide Bonori** » Thu Dec 23, 2004 9:01 am

A version of the song, sung by Kristen Vigard with orchestra, was recorded in a special MCA (not for sale).
The version is good, but nothing to compare with the orchestal version in the movie (when Matt Dillon conducts the orchestra).

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Jan 19, 2005 1:22 am

Well, I'm sure that the movie version of GGMS serves it's purpose...but
after hearing and becoming familiar with the orchestration that Burt used for Elvis Costello first...I can't get with the movie version...the key
center doesn't sound right to me.

LO · Post by LO » Fri Jan 21, 2005 9:59 pm

Robin, I have a copy of the soundtrack that as I recall was some kind of early pressing or special pressing or mistake pressing -- I have vague memories that it was unusual because of something having to do with Joni Mitchell, but you know, that was several administrations ago ... Does that sound like what you're looking for? It's in a box, surrounded by boxes, in a garage and hemmed in by a car: not accessible, but not impossible.

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