Here Lies Love

Here Lies Love is a concept album and rock musical made in collaboration between David Byrne and Fatboy Slim, about the life of the former First Lady of the Philippines Imelda Marcos along with the woman who raised her—Estrella Cumpas—and follows Marcos until she and her family were forced to leave the Philippines.^[1] The album features 22 guest vocalists and was released on 6 April 2010, under Nonesuch Records and Todomundo in several formats, including a deluxe double-Compact Disc set with a DVD of music videos from the album and a 120-page book. The album was adapted as a rock musical that premiered in 2013 at The Public Theater.^[2]

 

Background

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The title of the album is taken from a comment made by Imelda Marcos during a visit to her husband Ferdinand Marcos’s embalmed body. Imelda Marcos expressed that she would like the phrase “Here Lies Love” to be inscribed on her tombstone.

David Byrne released the following statement regarding this album:

“The story I am interested in is about asking what drives a powerful person—what makes them tick? How do they make and then remake themselves? I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great if—as this piece would be principally composed of clubby dance music—one could experience it in a club setting? Could one bring a ‘story’ and a kind of theatre to the disco? Was that possible? If so, wouldn’t that be amazing!”

 

Recording and Release

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The studio album features mostly guest female singers, including Florence Welch, Allison Moorer, Nellie McKay, Cyndi Lauper, Tori Amos, Martha Wainwright, Natalie Merchant, Sia Furler, Santigold, Charmaine Clamor, Nicole Atkins, Sharon Jones and Kate Pierson among many others, alternately playing the roles of Imelda Marcos and Estrella Cumpas.

Byrne described Cyndi Lauper’s performance on the album as “amazingly fine-tuned” and “very impressive.” The only male vocalists are Steve Earle on “A Perfect Hand”, and Byrne himself on “American Troglodyte” and “Seven Years”, the latter being a duet with Shara Worden from My Brightest Diamond.^[3]

The first promotional single from Here Lies Love is “Please Don’t” featuring Santigold on vocals. The single became available on Byrne’s website as a free high-quality MP3 download on 19 January 2010.

Video

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Live Performances

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Here Lies Love was performed live four times before the album was released. It was first presented as a song cycle (with vocals by Byrne, Dana Diaz-Tutaan and Ganda Suthivarakom) at the Adelaide Festival of Arts under the artistic direction of Brett Sheehy in Adelaide, Australia, on 10 March 2006 with additional dates on 13 and 14 March, and was also performed live at the Carnegie Hall in New York City on 3 February 2007, as part of the Carnegie Hall Perspectives Series.^[4]

The album was adapted into a stage musical directed by Alex Timbers that premiered at The Public Theater in New York City in 2013.^[5] The production played an extended run at the Public before closing in August 2013. It returned for an open-ended commercial run again at the Public in April 2014. The production will close at the Public on January 4, 2015.^[6] The production won five Lucille Lortel Awards in 2014.^[7] The original production directed once again by Mr. Timbers opened at the Royal National Theatre in September 2014 scheduled to play a limited run until January 2015 at their newly renovated Dorfman Theatre. The entire run at the National is currently sold out.

 

Run

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Date	Type & Version	Theatre
Apr 23, 2013 – Jul 28, 2013	Musical, Original	The Public Theatre, Joseph Papp NYC
May 01, 2014 – Jan 04, 2015	Musical, Return	The Public Theatre, Joseph Papp NYC

 

Cast

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Joseph Papp Public Theater/LuEsther Hall Apr 2013

Actors
Name		Role
Renee Albulario		Ensemble
Melody Butiu		Ensemble
Natalie Cortez		Ensemble
Joshua Dela Cruz		Ensemble
Debralee Daco		Ensemble
Jose Llana		Ferdinand Marcos
Kelvin Moon Loh		Ensemble
Jeigh Madjus		Ensemble
Ruthie Ann Miles		Imelda Marcos
Maria-Christina Oliveras		Ensemble
Conrad Ricamora		Aquino
Trevor Salter		Ensemble
Janelle Velasquez		Ensemble

Joseph Papp Public Theater/LuEsther Hall May 2014

Actors Name Role Renee Albulario Ensemble / Dovie / God Draws Straight Carol Angeli Swing Billy Bustamante Ensemble Melody Butiu Estrella / Ensemble Natalie Cortez Ensemble / Aquino’s Mother Debralee Daco Ensemble / TV Reporter Jose Llana Marcos Kelvin Moon Loh DJ Jaygee Macapugay Swing Jeigh Madjus Ensemble Ruthie Ann Miles Imelda Maria-Christina Oliveras Ensemble / Soloist / Interviewer Conrad Ricamora Aquino Enrico Rodriguez Swing Vincent Rodriguez III Swing George Salazar Ensemble / God Draws Straight Janelle Velasquez Ensemble

Understudies Name Role Renee Albulario Imelda Billy Bustamante Marcos / Aquino Jaygee Macapugay Imelda Vincent Rodriguez III Marcos / Aquino

Scene Structure

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Prologue

1. “Here Lies Love”

Act I

Flashback – Early Days

2. “Every Drop of Rain”
3. “You’ll Be Taken Care Of”
4. “The Rose of Tacloban”
5. “How Are You?”
6. “A Perfect Hand”
7. “Eleven Days”

Act II

The Climb to Power

8. “Walk Like a Woman”
9. “Don’t You Agree?”
10. “Ladies in Blue”
11. “When She Passed By”
12. “A Pretty Face”
13. “A Whole Man”
14. “American Troglodyte”
15. “Dancing Together”

Act III

The Turning Point

16. “Men Will Do Anything”
17. “Never So Big”
18. “Please Don’t”

Act IV

The Fall

19. “Solano Avenue”
20. “Seven Years”
21. “Order 1081”
22. “Why Don’t You Love Me?”
23. “Here Lies Love” (Reprise)

Track Listings

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Disc One

1. “Here Lies Love” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 5:52
2. “Every Drop of Rain” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 5:34
3. “You’ll Be Taken Care Of” (David Byrne) – 3:20
4. “The Rose of Tacloban” (David Byrne) – 2:33
5. “How Are You?” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 2:43
6. “A Perfect Hand” (David Byrne) – 4:58
7. “Eleven Days” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 2:44
8. “When She Passed By” (David Byrne and Tom Gandey) – 3:50
9. “Walk Like a Woman” (David Byrne) – 3:59
10. “Don’t You Agree?” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 3:20
11. “Pretty Face” (David Byrne) – 3:23
12. “Ladies in Blue” (David Byrne) – 4:21

Disc Two

13. “Dancing Together” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 3:53
14. “Men Will Do Anything” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 4:06
15. “The Whole Man” (David Byrne) – 4:15
16. “Never So Big” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 4:00
17. “Please Don’t” (David Byrne) – 3:59
18. “American Troglodyte” (David Byrne, Norman Cook, and José Luis “Cheo” Pardo) – 4:07
19. “Solano Avenue” (David Byrne and Norman Cook) – 3:56
20. “Order 1081” (David Byrne) – 5:47
21. “Seven Years” (David Byrne) – 5:40
22. “Why Don’t You Love Me?” (David Byrne and Tom Gandey) – 3:58

DVD videos

1. “Eleven Days” – 2:20
2. “When She Passed By” – 3:30
3. “Don’t You Agree?” – 2:51
4. “Dancing Together” – 3:24
5. “Please Don’t” – 4:00
6. “Order 1081” – 4:28

Cast Recording Track Listing

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A cast recording of the 2013 off-Broadway performance was released by Todo Mundo on 26 April 2014.^[7]

Disc one

1. “American Troglodyte” (Ensemble)
2. “Here Lies Love” (Ruthie Ann Miles & Melody Butiu)
3. “Child of the Philippines” (Conrad Ricamora & Ruthie Ann Miles)
4. “Opposite Attraction” (Conrad Ricamora & Ruthie Ann Miles)
5. “The Rose of Tacloban” (Ruthie Ann Miles)
6. “A Perfect Hand” (Jose Llana)
7. “Eleven Days” (Ruthie Ann Miles)
8. “When She Passed By” (Melody Butiu)
9. “Sugartime Baby” (Ruthie Ann Miles, Jose Llana & Jeigh Madjus)
10. “Walk Like a Woman” (Ruthie Ann Miles)
11. “Don’t You Agree?” / “Pretty Face” (Ruthie Ann Miles, Jose Llana & Maria-Christina Oliveras)
12. “Dancing Together” (Ruthie Ann Miles & Maria-Christina Oliveras)
13. “The Fabulous One” (Conrad Ricamora)
14. “Men Will Do Anything” (Maria-Christina Oliveras)

Disc 2

15. “Star and Slave” (Ruthie Ann Miles)
16. “Poor Me” (Ruthie Ann Miles & Jose Llana)
17. “Please Don’t” (Ruthie Ann Miles)
18. “Solano Avenue” (Ruthie Ann Miles & Melody Butiu)
19. “Riots and Bombs”
20. “Order 1081” (Renee Albulario, Melody Butiu, Natalie Cortez & Maria-Christina Oliveras)
21. “Seven Years” (Ruthie Ann Miles & Conrad Ricamora)
22. “Gate 37” (Conrad Ricamora)
23. “Just Ask the Flowers” (Natalie Cortez)
24. “Why Don’t You Love Me?” (Ruthie Ann Miles)
25. “God Draws Straight” (Kelvin Moon Loh)
26. “Here Lies Love (Curtain Call)” (Ensemble)

The Voices

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• Tori Amos – vocals on “You’ll Be Taken Care Of” (as Imelda Marcos’ mother Remedios Trinidad y de Guzman Romualdez) and “Why Don’t You Love Me?” (as Estrella Cumpas)
• Theresa Andersson – vocals on “Ladies in Blue”
• Nicole Atkins – vocals on “Solano Avenue” (as Estrella Cumpas)
• David Byrne – composition, instrumentation, and vocals on “American Troglodyte” and “Seven Years” (the latter song as Benigno Aquino, Jr.)
• Camille – vocals on “Pretty Face” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Charmaine Clamor – vocals on “Walk Like a Woman” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Steve Earle – vocals on “A Perfect Hand” (as Ferdinand Marcos)
• Fatboy Slim – composition and instrumentation
• Sia – vocals on “Never So Big” (as Estrella Cumpas)
• Cyndi Lauper – vocals on “Eleven Days” and “Why Don’t You Love Me?” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Nellie McKay – vocals on “How Are You?” (as Estrella Cumpas)
• Allison Moorer – vocals on “When She Passed By” (as Estrella Cumpas)
• Sharon Jones – vocals on “Dancing Together” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Natalie Merchant – vocals on “Order 1081” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Róisín Murphy – vocals on “Don’t You Agree?” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Candie Payne – vocals on “Every Drop of Rain”(as Estrella Cumpas)
• Kate Pierson – vocals on “The Whole Man” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Alice Russell – vocals on “Men Will Do Anything” (as Imelda Marcos)
• St. Vincent – vocals on “Every Drop of Rain” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Santigold – vocals on “Please Don’t” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Martha Wainwright – vocals on “The Rose of Tacloban” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Florence Welch – vocals on “Here Lies Love” (as Imelda Marcos)
• Shara Worden – vocals on “Seven Years” (as Imelda Marcos)

References

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1.  “About “Here Lies Love”; Here Lies Love”. David Byrne. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 
2.  Hetrick, Adam (18 April 2013). “Public Theater Announces Second Extension of David Byrne-Fatboy Slim Musical Here Lies Love”. Playbill.com. Retrieved 20 April 2013. 
3. Ayers, Michael D. (14 December 2009). “David Byrne Announces Upcoming Album With Fatboy Slim”. Spinner. Retrieved 1 April 2010. 
4.  “David Byrne Tour Index”. Davidbyrne.com. Retrieved 20 February 2011. 
5.  Brantley, Ben. “A Rise to Power, Disco Round Included”, The New York Times, 23 April 2013, accessed 7 April 2014
6.  http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/20/theater/here-lies-love-to-close-at-the-public.html
7.  “Here Lies Love Cast Album Out Today + Lortel Award Wins!”. David Byrne. 6 May 2014. 
8.  Collar, Matt. “Review: Here Lies Love“. Allmusic. Retrieved 6 April 2010. 
9.  “A. V. Club review”. 
10.  “BBC review”. 
11.  “Mojo review”. 
12.  “NME review”. 
13.  “One Thirty BPM review”.  by Rob Hakimian
14.  “Pitchfork review”. 
15.  “Q review”. 
16.  “Rolling Stone review”. 
17.  “Telegraph review”. The Daily Telegraph (London). 1 April 2010. 
18.  Cairns, Dan (4 April 2010). “The Times review”. London.

External Links

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• David Byrne’s homepage on Here Lies Love
• Here Lies Love at AllMusic
• Here Lies Love at Discogs (list of releases)
• Here Lies Love at Metacritic
• Here Lies Love at MusicBrainz (list of releases)

 

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