Miss Arkansas 1994, I’m Telling You To STAHP
Singing isn’t just about getting some notes right. There are some songs that you need to SANG, because they’re all emotional and you gotta come with it. Dreamgirls’ “I am Telling You” ballad is one of them. When Jennifer Holliday sang it on Broadway decades (and at every other gig she’s had then. O__o), you really believed she wasn’t going. And when Jennifer Hudson sings it, you just want to slide her a stool to occupy because you KNOW she ain’t leaving. She’s staying and you’re gonna love her. YOU. ARE. GONNA. LOVE. HER.
I came across a video of Miss Arkansas 1994 (Nicole Bethmann) singing the song for the Miss USA pageant. And this is the worst version of “And I am Telling You” that I’ve ever heard. EVER.
Listen:
This is so bad. SO. BAD. And I am telling her she shoulda picked another song. LAWD! First, the intro is so bland that I wasn’t convinced it was the same song until about 30 seconds in.
“I AMMMMMM not going.” Miss Arkansas don’t know what struggle is because if she did, she’da found some to pull from for this song. Outchea singing “And I’m Telling You” with the same soul you use for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
When she snatched the mic off the stand, I thought she was bout to go IN and let have too! Nawl. Instead, she hit that random ass high note that ain’t e’em go with nothing. And people were clapping. NO MA’AM! You not gon turn this struggle anthem into a commercial jingle! Too bad Mary J. Blige’s School of Singing Struggle Music wasn’t open then.
Worst version of this song EVER. By the end of her song when she was doing that long drawn out “LOOOOOOOVVVVEEEEEE” I was ready to hit CTRL+ALT+DELETE and just be done with her.
Again, being able to hold a note doesn’t guarantee that you can sing every song! Someone shoulda told their cousin that this was the wrong song selection. Chile, BYE. Bless her heart.
So what do y’all think of Mis Arkansas’ rendition of “And I Am Telling You?”
There’s a post on FlavorWire called “White Women Singing ‘And I Am Telling You.'” And it will slay you.
Get these blogposts directly in your inbox! Sign up for my weekly LuvvLetter below:
It is time to write that book. Come into The Book Academy and learn how to go from IDEA to INK.
Related Posts
73 Comments
That video is where tragedy goes to reside, to kick its feet up and just chill. She really thought she was doing something with that “I’mmmmmmmmmmmm not going” just terrible.
WAIT, she is 24? BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I’m saying though! Why is my 25 year old self looking at her like I should address her with ma’am?
I was thinking the same thing! I couldnt even listen to the song cause I was stuck on how old she looked.
I hate you Marie….
Chile this sounded like a cheesy jingle form that era the way she hit those “and you’s” with no damb fervor. This is why we don’t like ya’ll (referring to white people) to attempt at singing soulful music. Most of the time you suck all the soul out like sucking on a neck bone. Some even have the nerve to remix a pop rendition.
That was the most random long note and folks clapping like she was doing something. I bet if there were any black folk in the crowd or watch they were so perplexed at the applause.
*from* *watching*
So… I’m sitting in front of my work computer with my mouth wide open, in shock and disgust. What the heck?
Where is Simon Cowell when you need him? This is the epitome of what he is talking about when he lectures them on song choice.
Jesus be a something. I am sooooo angry that I clicked on this. What song was she singing!?!?!?
She obviously graduated from the Michael Bolton School of Struggle Singing.
Whoa, whoa, whoa. Michael Bolton can sing. You’ve just hurt my feelings with that one.
Nah, Michael, love him or hate him or just “meh” about him, knew struggle. He had “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”, “How Can We Be Lovers” (stop scratching your head..I liked Adult Contemporary Music as well as R&B when I was growing up. I was definitely an anomaly among my friends, lol).
But this chick here? The only thing flatter than her singing was her bosom. IJS.
All she needed to do was scream “Sexual Chocolate” drop the mic and walk off the stage. She was good, good and terrible!
*drops chicken bone in the collection plate*
*claps hands vigorously* “That girl was good…” “You must me crazy.”
Her bland-as-ricotta-cheese behind would have messed that up, too, unfortunately.
She’d have smiled prettily, pressed her mouth close to the mic and firmly stated, “procreative Hershey bar.” Then, she would gingerly place the microphone on the stage. All while looking at the audience & thinking to herself, “Maybe I should have said Hershey’s with almonds”
You ma’am are a mess…LOL
She tried it. And failed. She zapped all of soul out of this song. I’m in disbelief.
She needed Sandman from the Apollo to not come and escort from the stage but to take her down with a flying tackle and drag her off by her hair. Tssskkk (me sucking my teeth real hard)
What in the what?! Chile NO! Oh how I needed this laugh this morning. You never disappoint Luvvie!
OH. HELL. NAWL! I had to find a clip of the way the song is SUPPOSED to be sung to get over that shit! OMG that was bad! LOL!
lmao me too, had to cleanse my fucking palette after that white washed rendition, nopr
LOL!!! I’m crying…she is going. As a matter of fact they are carrying her out on the couch right now..WOW! What a terrible rendition of a great song!! LMAO!!
I KNOW Jennifer threw a shoe at the tv when she heard that! Ma’am, I bet they wanted you to go!!
Jennifer threw ALL of DSW shoe store at the TV b/c of this horrible rendition.
Those head jerks, like she was doing “sumptin speshal” whoooooooooo, who told her to sing THAT song?
I always wondered what this song would sound like with all the soul sucked out of it. And now I’ve heard it. I can now check that off my list of “50 Things To Do To Stay Depressed Forever.”
Next up, I have to search YouTube for videos of Kathie Lee Gifford twerking. Wish me luck!
(Note to self: Hoda Kotb will do in a pinch….)
Homegirl went up there and blandly sang that song like she was auditioning for kidz bop. *sigh*
That was beautiful shade.
And I am telling you to go. Singing this all lame and whatnot. Please. Just…leave. Lock the door behind you too.
She was determined to stay.but I was determined to leave and occupy myself in a corner in the room.
This video brought to you by the letters N and H, for NOPE and HAVE A SEAT. Ma’am, please go back to singing Miralax jingles and leave our precious eardrums in peace.
I couldn’t even finish listening. I had to go search for and watch the official diva Jennifer Holiday, to get this horrible sound out of my ear. Then I happened upon Jennifer Holiday and Michelle Sanchez on American Idol. THEY SLAYED IT…damn maybe I should watch Idol, if the performances are like that.
She took all the soul out of that song to please a white audience. bleh.
NAWLLLLLLL!!!!! The Carpenters would have at least done better than this. At least Karen knew something about the struggle.
I went back and looked at Jennifer…Loretta Devine was a fine sister….Miss Arkansas…No and ma’am.
THAT GIFFFFFFFFF!!!!! bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! SO. DAMN. FITTING!
I saw an Asian chick with a SERIOUS accent sing this at the Apollo. She didn’t even get booed off. There must be something mystical about that song. They let her finish it. She ain’t win… I was mouth open shocked.
I’ll take that version all DAY over this one: http://youtu.be/yaguNeopUss
Ohh shit this made my ears hurt and bleed in utter distress!
What the hell is up with Arkansas and that song?
You’re right this one is worse…didn’t think it was possible.
Ummm, she has a little more enthusiasm…? That’s all I got. LMAOL
Evelyn, on behalf of all of us posting on this site, I’m must ask you to step away from your keyboard, turn in your computer, and take all the seats to the left so you can think about the havoc you wreaked posting this mess.
What the hell was that ish, anyway?
Help me! Uh uh. NAWL. A piece of me died listening to this. YouTube is a cruel place.
Evelyn, that’s…just…terrible. I think a part of my soul left my body while watching this. I’m verklempt.
Luvie now it wasn’t that bad….it sounded like Marilyn McCoo from Solid Gold when she tried to sing the hits. She at least has a nice voice. It was like Celine Dion singing it–of course it would not have any soul!!!!
Celi- that Canadian woman will make you burst into tears. Celine got soul, it may be a bit white-ish but no not close to this at all. At least as a seasoned vocalist she would know which notes to put the right inflections on and crescendo.
Lawd where do you find this stuff? Hilarious!
How can anyone sing that great song without an ounce of passion. Has she been living in a cave? Has she never seen this song performed? She could have been twirling batons as she sang for all the emotion she put into it. She has a pleasant voice but she needs to stick to Karen Carpenter songs. Thanks for sharing this Luvvie, it was “entertaining” (?)
I’m speechless.
For some reason as soon as she started singing I had the feeling I had to poop. hmmmmm……
That’s disrespectful and after that….I.WANNA.BE.FREE O_o!!
OOOOHHHHH chile! At 1:23 when she turned her head with the beat… I watched that ish bout 5 times. lord jesus I needed that today
Two thoughts came into my mind watching this song:
1) why is Miss Arkansas a dead ringer for Miss Molly from Romper Room? “And I see Billy, I see Katie, I see Patty..”?
2) Why did her rendition of this song make me feel like I’ve just come in contact with a Dementor? Like I feel as if I will never know joy again?
I need a chocolate I.V. stat!!!
This is how Mr. Cowell would feel:
http://tmblr.co/ZTKHTsyHHtNo
Damn…this morning I watched Eye Opener and they had video footage of Britney Spears’ show in Vegas. It was baaaaaaaad! Made this sound like Whitney singing the Star Spangled Banner back in the day
This is what happens when beauty queens go off their depression medication. It was so bad I was stunned to confusion. Surely she sang this in front of somebody prior to getting on a national stage. Why didn’t somebody stop her? The same people that name SyFy channel movies probably signed off on this craziness.
Apparently Miss Arkansas went to the same school Pat Boone went to to learn how to sing Little Richard’s songs. Done white washed ALL the struggle and soul out of it.
at least homeboy put some stank on his rendition LOL
i can get behind this 😀
http://flavorwire.com/403120/white-women-singing-and-i-am-telling-you-im-not-going/9/
i was still listening when i posted; he went IN round about 3:50!:D
Wow. Little dude brung it. See, he knows this song requires all your facial muscles and all your body to carry it off (and a strong voice of course). Faith in humanity is restored.
This is a classic example of why we can’t have nice things. We have them and them someone goes and does this!
Loved this post Luvvie, even if it has left me flabbergasted and unable this morning.
This is like the White “mainstream” version of “Got Me A Cadillac” from Dreamgirls. XD O_O XD
Oh. My…
That’s just…
Dang. Words have failed me. I just can’t with this whole rendition!
And why did she keep changing keys and just…
Ugh!
Makes me wish my ears could unhear.
Luvvie, how is this ——> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaguNeopUss not the worst rendition of “And I am telling you” I just can’t with her…..
Yes ‘ol girl was bland but she was (In the very least) on key… kinda…. this other chick though…. 0_o and you couldn’t tell her she aint kill it…. I’m just confused.
Sweetie, you ain’t gotta go. Hell, I’ll leave. #OhHellNaw
First of all…24 my ass.
I sat her in amazement. I wasn’t sure she was singing the right song at some parts. I had to do a reset and pull up Jennifer Hudson’s rendition just to get that out of my head. Please bury that in the backyard.
Luvvie!! Where you be getting these GIF’s from? That “nope” gif LAID ME OUT. Lmaoooo.
I’m not even surprised at that performance cuz y’all know most of them (bar a few exceptions) have no soul whatsoever. Talk about BLAND.
“Too bad Mary J. Blige’s School of Singing Struggle Music wasn’t open then” lololol. YOU KNOW no one sings about the pain like good ol’ Mary J. Oh, and there is no way in hell she was 24.
She’s singing this song with a sociopath/psychopath eerie calmness. (lol) I feel like she’s the type to calmly chop vegetables as her husband proclaims he’s having an affair and leaving her, then follow him into the shower and just get to slicing! (lol)