Talk:Where Is Love?

Untitled

Re the voice-over of this song in the 1968 film version of Oliver by Kathy Green, as reported in the BBC Radio 4 documentary on 20 November 2007, Paul Gambaccini said the story of the real singer was being revealed "for the first time". Not so, I think, but I am going to be pushed to find the reference to it immediately! I'll look it out and then put it here. A UK TV documentary on Lionel Bart about 18 months ago mentioned the story, and had an interview to camera with Kathy Green herself. She told the tale a little differently, if I recall. Mark Lester had been repeatedly stumbling over pitching an awkward note in the middle portion of the melody, to John Green's consternation. Kathy Green was in the studio at the time and, as children do, she imitated Mark Lester's attempts during a break. She was overheard, and it was realised that, if she applied a bit of unfocussed breathy boy-tone to it, she could cover the sound track.

If the reference can be turned up unequivocally, it may be worth amending the article. Soixante (talk) 14:40, 20 November 2007 (UTC)

Kathe Green was 24 at the time, scarcely a child. I could believe, though I would take some persuading due to the lower tones produced and the general character of it, that the voice on Where Is Love? and the numbers on which the character of Oliver contributes is a girl's, not a boy's, but not that it is that of a 24-year-old woman. I would also point out that Kathe Green is American and the accent on the recording English.

I have never seen why the singing should not have been by Mark Lester, because while quite nice it is far from amazing, as indeed one would not expect of a nine-year-old. If the performances were going to be dubbed, why not get some outstanding boy soprano to do it? Presumably someone knows the truth, indeed several someones must, Mark Lester included. Lacking an authoritative cite to the contrary I will continue to believe that it was him.

86.162.143.103 (talk) 12:15, 4 July 2008 (UTC)