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I'm
Going Back There Someday
Paul Wililams

Cindy
Chapman (July 14, 2005) - This
two-disc collector’s edition DVD, released by AIX Records allows Muppet
fans to learn more about songwriter extraordinaire Paul William’s
career as well as the man himself. While most Muppet fans know he guest
starred in the first season of The Muppet Show and many know he was
given a Muppet likeness of himself, you may not know much more about his
acclaimed career.
The DVD will
expose you to the range of Williams’ career and transport you back
to the 70s. I guarantee you will you’ll find yourself saying, “I
didn’t know he wrote that song.” From “We’ve Only
Just Begun,” made famous by the Carpenters, to “I Won’t
Last a Day Without You,” Williams’ career was so much more
than the Muppets. In fact, the realization of his status makes his association
with the Muppets even more special.
You
may or may not realize that Paul Williams was one of the masterminds behind
the entire soundtrack to The Muppet Movie. I don’t know a single
Muppet fan who hasn’t in some way been touched by “Rainbow
Connection.” The song is magic and we feel it every time we listen.
Paul admits that it is also his favorite song. It is only fitting that
Rainbow Connection opens this DVD set. This time, instead of Kermit, Willie
Nelson, an icon in the country music industry, performs. Nelson performs
this song and does so at nearly every one of his live concerts. For those
of you who are not Willie fans I can assure you he does not disappoint.
Willie’s version of “Rainbow Connection” is soothing
and warm.
Unfortunately
for Muppet fans this DVD set isn’t filled entirely with Muppet music.
Paul’s music isn’t all about the 70’s either. Sprinkled
throughout the DVD we hear old songs and new songs that show us a little
more about Paul’s life. And thanks to the song introductions we
get insight into how each song came to life. For instance, during the
song “You’re Gone” we learn about Paul’s battle
with alcohol and how he found sobriety after working on The Muppet Christmas
Carol. We learn about Paul and what he was thinking, saying and praying
during the song writing process. Many of the bio’s and behind-the-scenes
interviews on the dual-sided discs are just as interesting.
We
learn how pick-up lines influenced the song “It’s All Been
Said Before” and how “We’ve Only Just Begun” actually
began as a song for a bank commercial. Paul’s major influence in
the music business is evident when Paul recalls an episode in which “Old
Fashioned Love Song” was rejected by the Carpenters and in turn
he immediately took it “down the hall” to the band Three Dog
Nite who made it a huge success. Although not every Paul Williams song
was included on this set, we get a nice retrospective of his career
The opening
disc plays as one long jam session. Although originally recorded over
three separate days, you hardly notice that any time has passed. The setting
remains the same, the Zipper Auditorium at the Coburn School for the Performing
Arts. With five cameras and 5.1 surround sound, you feel as if you are
at your very own private concert. Sometimes Paul is singing duets with
Willie Nelson, Melissa Manchester and The Great Gonzo accompanied by a
string quartet and a full band.
Last but certainly not least, the song that influenced the title of this
DVD set wraps up this musical journey. “I’m Going To Go Back
There Someday” was Gonzo’s solo in The Muppet Movie. It is
a very touching ballad about souls, love, and finding yourself. From the
very second you open this boxed set, you’ll know just how much this
song means to Paul. Gonzo
even graces the cover with Willie Nelson, and Melissa Manchester. Throughout
the inside art and lyric book are sprinkled pictures of Gonzo and Dave
Goelz. I especially like the photo on the back of the lyric book that
shows Paul with his arm around Dave and a shared smile. Their genuine
respect and friendship are evident in the way that they interact.
During
the introduction to “I’m Going To Go Back There Someday,”
Gonzo recalls his unusual way of getting to the auditorium (via UPS) and
the various “alterations” he has had done over the years.
From the early days of The Muppet Show to Emmett Otter’s Jug-band
Christmas to the two films, Paul and the Muppets go way back. This version
of “I’m Going Back There Someday” is, at the risk of
sounding cheesy, breathtaking. From the alternating of verses to the little
sigh that Gonzo gives at the end. In fact, Gonzo sums up the entire thing
with, “Beautiful song, Paul.” Yes, Paul, I think we would
all agree: beautiful song. (You can hear Gonzo and Paul singing “I’m
Going To Go Back There Someday” on Muppet
Central Radio.)
And though
playing the DVD through the entire twelve tracks is entertaining enough,
you must not omit the other features. Besides the overall sound quality
and cinematography of the widescreen presentation, this DVD is packed
with juicy bits of information especially if you are a Muppet fan. Many
off stage conversations can be found in the behind-the-scenes extras.
Paul even mentions his performance during “The Muppet Show Live”
at MuppetFest.
You’ll also
find an extensive biography of Dave Goelz. We learn about a new project
for Dave which includes a children’s book and song written with
the help of Dave’s children’s elementary school. Extra video
footage includes Gonzo meeting Willie, Gonzo’s wardrobe, band members
talking about Gonzo, and a very hilarious Surround Sound Check complete
with chickens and other sound effects.
The
flip-side of disc one includes a documentary on Paul with additional behind-the-scenes
interviews and concert footage. Of particular note is a scene where he
is talking about working with Jim Henson and the impact Jim had on Paul’s
life. Disc two is a dual disc featuring CD audio of the live performances
on one side and DVD-Audio on the other. The overall quality of this two-disc
box set is extremely high. Each copy in this collector’s edition
set is hand-signed and numbered by Paul himself. The two-disc DVD set
is available to purchase for a limited time from AIX
Records.
If you buy this DVD
set solely for the purpose of watching Muppet footage you might be a little
disappointed. But if you enjoy Paul Williams’s music and like to
have “live” music in your collection this is the DVD for you.
The extras with Dave Goelz and Gonzo are fantastic but as Muppet fans
we would always like more.
Paul Williams
will also be appearing on other Muppet releases later this year. On August
9, the first
season of The Muppet Show with his guest appearance arrives on DVD.
And on October 4, Paul Williams uncovers a “lost song” for
Emmet
Otter’s Jug-band Christmas DVD along with behind-the-scenes
interviews on the making of the perennial holiday favorite.

Discover
what you may be missing!
Learn the differences between
widescreen and pan-and-scan DVDs.
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