Probably most famous as launching “The Simpsons,” the Tracey Ullman Show was a sketch comedy / variety show from back in the late 80s. Ullman had (has?) a pretty good voice, and there were a number of sketches in which she broke into song – I remember one that included a spirited version of Elvis Costello’s “Radio Radio.”
Anyway, I’m trying to remember one where Ullman played an older (lets say 50-60ish) woman. I can’t remember what the sketch was about, but it ended with her at the piano, playing and singing a slow, downbeat ballad. I can’t remember any of the lyrics, either, but it included something like “love killed the dream.” And I’m sure that’s not it, because googling that phrase is of no help.
Anybody remember that? Do you know what song that might have been?
Could it have been “I Dreamed a Dream” from Les Mis (which would have been huge then, but not as big as Susan Boyle would make it)? The final line is
“Now life has killed the dream I dreamed…”.
Tracey Ullman always struck me as the TV equivalent of one of those authors like Anne Rice who has some great ideas and some undeniable talent but also no self control and no editor. Several of her sketches- including that one- are way too self indulgent.
Wow. I was remembering the production values on that show as being poorer than they actually were. My memory painted the original Tracey Ullman Show as looking more like 80s Saturday Night Live.
One of the suggested videos alongside pinkfreud’s link features Steve Martin as a choreographer. It’s pretty funny. And Tracey looked damn good in her leotard.