Can I Go On by Charlie Smalls from movie 1978 motion picture, The Wiz sung by Allyncia

Описание: This video begins my series on music from the Wiz! This is my favorite movie of all time and this song is called. "Can I go on" by Charlie Smalls sung by Diana Ross in the movie, directed by Sydney Lumet and Music direction by Quincy Jones.

‘Can I go on’ is the song that Dorothy sings when she is realizing she doesn’t see how she fits into this cycle of connection her family has after the song "Dont lose the Feeling (that we have.)."

I find in my life travels, moving multiple times growing up, living overseas and still always living far from home, the concept of home is very much a feeling and a concept versus a reality. At any time in my life, I can relate to this song and not so much to other people who already can see where their life is going in this cycle of leave home, graduate, get married, get a house, have kids, and go to graduations, and retire.

"Can I go on" is a rhetorical question as Dorothy seeks to find herself and ponder the meaning of her own life and how she fits into this feeling that they have. How can you lose a feeling you don’t have? Should she have the feeling? How does one get the feeling?

This musical is my favorite because it better develops the themes of the original book. While themes of the Wizard of Oz are covered in a one dimensional way, The Wiz has a grown up Dorothy searching for meaning and purpose. There are more hints and funny references to the real world from the fantasy world metaphors. For example, the lion reveals his name is Fleetwood Coupe Deville and it was because his mother had high ideals. Often parents do give names to help guide their children to their own aspirations for their success.

The Wiz is on Broadway now and I am super stoked for an opportunity to see the production. My mother took me to see the stage version, but I was too young to remember. We watched this 1 million times as a family so we know it word by word and of course, all the amazing well-known talent appearing in the film, we would get stories or comments we memorized our mom always says at the same point in the movie. Like 80s ‘Coming to America’, this movie is black Entertainment royalty with Diana Ross and Michael Jackson Nipsey and Ted Ross, Richard Pryor and Lena Horne, Teresa Merritt Maple King Thelma Carpenter.

I picked just a couple of songs to do and I especially appreciate these very sentimental songs I can relate and I will post some songs that are not suited for me, but are just fun to sing!