NEWS
Moving Heaven down here
06 Aug 2000 by M.T. Moura
According to Carrey legend, that was the starting point of a famous musical collaboration between Jim Carrey and his long time friend, Phil Roy. During a trip to Europe to celebrate "Ace Ventura: Pet Detective" success, Carrey and Roy walked into a Paris gallery were Roy bought a 18th century painting. Back in L.A., and while Carrey was helping Roy to find a place to hang the sixteen-panel painting, the musician asked him to "move heaven down here", because he couldn't see the top half of the panel Carrey was holding. Carrey immediately replied "You missed one. That would make a great song title." Roy quickly went to fetch a tune that he had composed with Rick Neigher and John Shanks but was still lacking the title, and played it for Carrey who said, "That's it. That's 'Heaven Down Here'." The friends then took three weeks writing and perfecting the lyric and Carrey is also said to be responsible for the very beautiful melody hook, "Let's bring heaven down here."
The song, first recorded in 1995 by New Age duet Tuck and Patti, was recently chosen again this time to be part of Anne Pringle & Mark Burnell's debut album "Little Things We Do Together". Pringle & Burnell, a Chicago based vocal duo, have been performing together for over seven years in their Chicago hometown and also in New York, Paris and Amsterdam, while simultaneously pursuing solo careers.
"Little Things We Do Together" features a carefully chosen mix of genres from Jazz to Pop, to Showtunes, Cabaret, and even Tango, always delivered with impeccable vocal technique by Pringle and harmoniously matched by Burnell, who also plays a skillful piano accompaniment.
"Heaven Down Here" is unquestionably one of the album's highlights, performed in an engaging and heartfelt fashion that accentuates the beauty of the lyric and melody. Asked about the reasons beyond the song's choice, Anne Pringle said to JCO that "We heard 'Heaven Down Here' and it really spoke to us, but we had no idea who wrote it. In fact, Mark jokingly said, 'hmm, J. Carrey, I wonder if it could be Jim, as in 'Dumb & Dumber', 'Liar, Liar',....' Then I later read in a Rolling Stone interview that he had written it, which is great 'cause we're big fans."
Besides "Heaven Down Here" there's plenty of other relevant tracks on the album, as a rendition of "Moon Indigo" with Buddy Charles and the lively "Blue Skies", accompanied by Johnny Frigo on violin, while "Honeysuckle Rose" and "Under The Boardwalk" stand as examples of their impressive a capella singing skills.
The duo also shows a delightfully wicked sense of humor in their performance of "The Masochism Tango", a track we're sure Hank Evans, of "Me, Myself & Irene" fame, would equally thoroughly enjoy.
A final remark goes to the catching "Another Chorus Of The Blues", the only track penned by Pringle & Burnell, which will hopefully lead more original compositions in future albums.
| Track listing (click on the Real Media icon to listen to samples of the songs) | |
| 1. Some People/Small World - 'Gypsy'/Together Wherever We Go/Let Me Entertain You | |
| 2. Honeysuckle Rose | |
| 3. Heaven Down Here |  |
| 4. Let's Take A Walk Around The Block/Let's Get Away From It All | |
| 5. The Little Things You Do Together | |
| 6. Moon Indigo | |
| 7. Quality Time | |
| 8. 42nd Street/Puttin' On The Ritz/Lounging At The Waldorf | |
| 9. Under The Boardwalk | |
| 10. Another Chorus Of The Blues | |
| 11. The Masochism Tango | |
| 12. The Tennis Song | |
| 13. Two Sleepy People | |
| 14. Blue Skies | |
If you're near one of these locations be sure to check Anne Pringle & Mark Burnell perform live:
- August 12 Borders, Oak Park IL
- August 13 Davenport's, Chicago IL
- August 26 Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Waterford, CT
- September 7 & 8 Judys* Chelsea, New York, NY
(There will be a CD release party at Judys* Chelsea on September 7th after the show and part of the evening's proceeds will benefit The American Cancer Society.) - October 18, 19, 20 Davenport's, Chicago IL
-- With our very special thanks to Anne Pringle, and Rachel Wright at Spectrum Records. Sound clips © 2000 Spectrum Records. Photo © Anne Pringle & Mark Burnell. Phil Roy's quotes taken from "Jim Carrey Unmasked!" by Roy Trakin. Click to comment this article.
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