u/SpaaceCaat

Some of you may be aware of the strange affair of The Phantom of the Opera single 45RPM vinyl sung with Steve Harley, not Michael Crawford, a casting choice wisely advised and fully explained.

Perhaps we may frighten away the ghosts of so many years ago with a little luminous disc!

Music video here, lyrics below.

Christine:
Beneath the opera house
I know he’s there
He’s with me on the stage
He’s everywhere
And when my song begins
I always find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind

Phantom:
Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
You’ll give your love to me, for love is blind
The Phantom of the Opera is now your mastermind

Christine:
Those who have seen your face draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear

Phantom:
It’s me they hear

Christine/Phantom
Your/my spirit and my/your voice
In one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my/your mind

~~Ambient Chorus (e.g., “He’s there, the Phantom of the Opera”) ~~

Christine/Phantom:
Sing one again with me
our strange duet

Phantom:
My power over you
grows stronger yet

Christine/Phantom:
I’ll/You’ll give my/your love to you/me
For love is blind
The Phantom of the Opera is now my/your mastermind

Phantom:
Sing, my angel of music!

(Overlapping)

Christine:
He’s there the Phantom of the Opera, ahhhh!

Phantom:
Sing once again with me our strange duet!

Christine:
Ahhhh

Phantom:
My power over you grows stronger and stronger!

Christine:
Ahhh! (etc.)

Phantom:
Sing my angel of music!
Sing!
Sing our strange duet!
Sing!

Christine:
Ahhh! [but even higher]

Phantom:
The Phantom of the Opera is now your mastermind!
I am here inside your mind!

Christine:
Ahhhhhhh! [That good E6]

(The video ends here, but the vinyl continues!)

Phantom:
I am everywhere!
The power! Sing! Sing my angel of music! Sing!

Christine:
Ahh!

(Fades out with “Sing!” And “Ah!”)

Why did I post this? I’m very happy to finally have the 45, it was quite difficult to find in decent condition from a seller who would ship to the US, as it was only released in the UK, to my knowledge.

I don’t know if it’s just me, since I have an eye condition (convergence insufficiency) but these are hardly legible.

Hello! Here are two Playbills. The McGillin one seems to be from August 1999 (lol I would have been 5), but I have conflicting info on when Adrienne McEwan was Christine.

The Panaro one seems to date to some time between September 2003 and November 2004, but I would love to narrow it down more.

This kind of reasoning isn’t the kind my brain is best at, and conflicting sources don’t make it any easier! Interestingly, the one that seems to be older is in much better shape than the “newer” one!

TYIA!