The song was written by David Shire in 1968.
Working Girl Records just announced that Tony nominee and Emmy winner Liz Callaway will release her new single "The Morning After," today, August 14, 2020. It is now available on all digital platforms, including iTunes, Spotify and Apple Music.
"My friend, Oscar-winning composer David Shire wrote this song in 1968 in reaction to the Detroit race riots, which followed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. 50+ years later, "The Morning After" resonates now more than ever. I had to record it," said Callaway.
The song was originally recorded by Barbra Streisand on her album "What About Today". Of the song, Mr. Shire states, "The 1968 Detroit riots now seem to be a prophetic forerunner in microcosm of the worldwide protests we are witnessing in 2020 following the murder of George Floyd. In 1968, I watched in disbelief as flames enveloped a large part of Detroit, and The Morning After was my songwriter's response. Last month I got an email from muse Liz Callaway telling me that a friend had reminded her of the song, and she that wanted to record it right away. We worked by Zoom and FaceTime on the arrangement, tweaked the lyric to bring the song up-to-date, and the result is this stunning, deeply heartfelt performance."
"The Morning After" is the latest in a string of singles by Ms. Callaway, including "Beautiful City" by Stephen Schwartz and a duet of "Journey to the Past" with Broadway's Anastasia Christy Altomare.
Tony nominee and Emmy winner Liz Callaway made her Broadway debut in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along. She has gone on to star in Baby, Miss Saigon, The Look of Love, The Three Musketeers, and for 5 years appeared as Grizabella in Cats. Off-Broadway appearances include The Spitfire Grill (Drama Desk nomination), No Way to Treat a Lady, Marry Me a Little and Brownstone. Liz sang the Academy Award-nominated song "Journey to the Past" in the animated feature Anastasia. Other film work includes Jasmine in the two Aladdin sequels, The Swan Princess, and The Rewrite with Hugh Grant. Her extensive concert and symphony career has included appearances in London, Paris, Iceland, Vietnam, Australia, China and nearly every major city in the U.S. She performs regularly with her sister Ann Hampton Callaway, as well as composer Stephen Schwartz, and has had the great pleasure of singing with Jimmy Webb, Paul Williams and the legendary Johnny Mathis. Liz has six solo recordings including her most recent album, The Essential Liz Callaway. www.lizcallaway.com @LizGoesOn
Photo by Bill Westmoreland
Cover artwork by Robbie Rozelle
Videos