Author Archives: Stephen Lawrence
Free To Be – Part 7: Rosey Grier
From 1955 to 1966 Rosey Grier was a 300-pound professional football player, first for The New York Giants and then for The Los Angeles Rams. It was the late lyricist Bruce Hart who had the brainstorm that Rosie would be … Continue reading
Free To Be – Part 6: Dionne Warwick
Dionne Warwick recorded many hits during the 60s and 70s. She was most associated with the songs of Burt Bacharach and Hal David. Bacharach has a very distinctive style. He uses wide leaps between notes, unexpected phrase lengths and unusual … Continue reading
Free To Be – Part 5: Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack
The Free To Be…You And Me record was released in November 1972. It attracted a great deal of attention and we were soon at work on a television version for ABC. We decided to adapt my song “When We Grow … Continue reading
Free To Be – Part 4: Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks is a one-of-a-kind comic talent, an explosively funny writer and actor. His films and shows are unlike any others. The late Ed Kleban, a superb songwriter who wrote the lyrics for A Chorus Line, was asked to write … Continue reading
Free To Be – Part 3: Diana Ross
One of the main themes that run through Free To Be is the joy of friendship. With this in mind, lyricist Shelley Miller came up with the idea for “When We Grow Up.” Within a few days she gave me … Continue reading