Track Listing

1. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Ensemble - I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky (Mike, Consuelo, Dewain, Rick, Leila, Tiffany, David)
2. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: A Sermon On Romance (David, Leila)
3. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Consuelo's Dream (Connsuelo)
4. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Mike's Song About Arresting A Particular Individual (Mike)
5. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Tiffany's Solo (Mike)
6. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Song About The On-Site Altercation (Dewain, Tiffany, Leila, Mike)
7. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Song About The Bad Boys And The News (Tiffany, Consuelo, Leila)
8. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Your Honor My Client He's A Young Black Man (Rick, Dewain)
9. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Leila's Song; Alone (Again Or At Last) (Leila)
10. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Three Weeks And Still I'm Outta My Mind (David, Lelia)
11. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Crushed By The Rock I Been Standing On (David, Consuelo, Tiffany, Rick)
12. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Dewain's Song Of Liberation And Surprise (Dewain)
13. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: !Este Pais! - This Country (Consuelo, Dewain)
14. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: One Last Look At The Angel In Your Eyes (Consuelo, Dewain)
15. I Was Looking At The Ceiling And Then I Saw The Sky: Finale (Mike, Consuelo, Dewain, Rick, Leila, Tiffany, David)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #137633 in Music
• Released on: 1998-11-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording

Customer Reviews

Great Music
The piece is clever, funny and moving. Audra McDonald and the cast are fantastic. But the sound of the recording is quite dull and the booklet doesn't add much. 4 stars - a reflection of the CD and materials, not John Adams' music. Still definitely worth the purchase.

Vivid sound-marvelous...
Inspired by the 1994 California earthquake, using for its title a quotation from one of the survivors, this theatre-piece is an captivating amalgamation of opera and musical. It starts with persistent ostinatos in Adams's early Minimalist style, and then launches into melodic lines echoing pop and jazz. The dramatic point is lessened on the disc when no linking dialogue is included, but the mixture is undemanding and agreeable, often moving. Even so, it can hardly compare in its impact with Adam's mainstream operas. Conducted by the composer, the performance with a character full line-up of singers is persuasively colloquial. Vivid, upfront sound.

Just My Opinion
I love John Adams. I love what he did with Ives' songs, his Transmigration, violin concerto etc. I was wondering why I hadn't heard this piece before. I was so excited by the beginning orchestration that I actually said to my wife that history will prove Adams to be the voice of our generation. Unfortunately, I quickly changed my mind. The problems began with the triteness of the "chorus" part of the first track. The piece continued sinking; not being buoyed by the insipid libretto. Adams is a rhythmic genius. I don't consider him a great tonal-melodist. I bet there is only a small audience for this piece. People versed in his concert pieces will find this uninteresting and those that like modern Broadway will not enjoy the angular melodies......but what do I know.