The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra - A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

4.13

7:54

Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Jim Steinman

Produced by Jim Steinman and Andrew Lloyd Webber
Co-produced by Steve Rinkoff and Nigel Wright
Orchestrations by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Cullen
Conducted by Mike Reed
Arranged by Jim Steinman, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Roy Bitan

The ultra-spectacular Metal Philharmonic Orchestra, heard here in A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste from Whistle Down The Wind, was a dream project from Lloyd Webber and lyricist Jim Steinman. The idea was to create something really big – in every sense – for us to write for, says the composer. The project has yet to take flight, but Lloyd Webber, who describes this task as one of the best recordings of my music, is convinced that the Metal Philharmonic could still be a great succes. Again, this recording is previously unreleased. James Inverne, "Now & Forever" liner notes

So, Jim didn't know me previous to that, and couldn't know how I would be in the studio etc, so he decided to try me out in a simple role. At the time of the recording of ["A] Kiss [Is A Terrible Thing To Waste"], my job was simply to sing the demo. More to the point, my job was to sing live with the rhythm section, so the drummer would know where to fill around lyrics etc. There was never a thought that my vocal would mean anything.

The take you hear on the record was a complete take, no punches or edits. Further, we did more than 30 takes of this song over 4 or 5 days. They kept the take with the best drum performance. My vocal wasn't chosen as the best of the vocals, just the one that happened to go with the best drums. (...) It was a complete take. We added more vocals to the back of it, but the lead vocal is all the way through a live performance, and not even chosen as the best vocal of the bunch. Maybe it was, I dunno, but at the time, they chose the take they liked the rhythm section best.

By the way, what fun to sing a song like that LIVE with Drummer Kenny Aronoff, Bassist, Kasim Sultan, Guitarist Eddie Martinez and Pianist Roy Bittan.

Q: I heard they were originally going to use Brian May on the 'Kiss' demo?

I think they did, as an overdub. But I'm pretty sure there are some of Eddie's tracks on it too. Interview with Kyle Gordon, from the Rockman Record

First released as part of the Andrew Lloyd Webber 5CD box "Now & Forever" in 2001, along with several tracks from the cast and "Songs from WDTW" albums. It is also included on the "Andrew Lloyd Webber: 60" compilation, released in 2008.

Label	Really Useful Records	Cat.No.	314 589 393-2	Format	5CD	Year	2001	Country	USA

A KISS IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE

(aah, if only) (aah, if only) …

If you listen to the night you can hear the darkness call
I can barely stand to wait, I can't barely stand at all
C'mon closer to me now like we're sharing the same skin
We gotta get out of this jail, we gotta let the future in!

So many things in your life that you're bound to regret
Why didn't I do that? Why didn't I do this?
So many chances you lost that you'll never forget
Why didn't I make it? Why didn't I take it right there?

The loneliest words you'll ever know:
If only, if only it was so
The emptiest words that there'll ever be:
It could have been me, it could have been me

You'll have to pay for it later
If you don't get it when it's going for free
Believe me! Believe me!

A kiss is a terrible thing to waste
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste
It's something that's always been so
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste

And one of these nights you're gonna show me that you already know
There's a feast waiting for you and you never even gotten a taste
It's later than you think
And a kiss is a terrible thing to waste

You shouldn't tremble when we touch, there's no reason for these fears
It's a promise that was made, wWe've been promised this for years
I wanna show you it all: what to do, and where and how
'Cause we'll never be as young as we are right now!
We'll never be as young as we are right now!

So many cries in the night that you try to ignore
Why didn't I do this? Why didn't I do that?
So many unanswered prayers, so many unopened doors
Why didn't I take it? Why didn't I make it come true?

The loneliest words you'll ever know:
If only, if only it was so
The emptiest words that there'll ever be:
It could have been me, it could have been me

You'll have to pay for it later
If you don't get it when it's going for free
Believe me! Believe me! Believe me!

A kiss is a terrible thing to waste
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste
It's something that's always been so
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste

And one of these nights I'm gonna show you that you already know
There's a feast waiting for you and you never even gotten a taste
It's later than you think
And a kiss is a terrible thing to waste....

There's a feast waiting for you
And you never even gotten a taste
It's later than you think
And a kiss is a terrible thing to waste....

Tire tracks and broken hearts
That's all we're leaving behind
It doesn't matter what we're losing
It only matters what we're going to find!

Tire tracks and broken hearts
That's all we're leaving behind
It doesn't matter what we're losing
It only matters what we're going to find! …

Tire tracks and broken hearts
That's all we're leaving behind
It doesn't matter what we're losing
It only matters what we're going to find!

There's a feast waiting for you and you never even gotten a taste
It's later than you think
And a kiss is a terrible thing to waste
(a kiss is a terrible thing to waste)
A kiss is a terrible thing to waste.....

A KISS IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE
Lead Vocals: Kyle 'Scarpia' Gordon
Guitars: Eddie Martinez
Guitar overdubs by Brian May
Bass: Kasim Sultan
Piano: Roy Bittan
Drums: Kenny Aronoff
Female vocals: Sandy Farina
Other instrumentation: The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Mike Reed

Top

See also

The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra - A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

A KISS IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE