May 16, 20212 min read

What I Did for Love - Various Artists (1975) 5/17/21

Today's "Great Song of the '70s" was first sung in 1975 by Diana Morales.

If you're a musical theatre fan, you know that Morales is one of the main characters in "A Chorus Line," the Broadway show that won NINE Tony Awards (out of 12 nominations), including Best Musical, Best Direction, Best Choreography, Best Leading Actor, Best Leading Actress and Best Supporting Actress! It also won the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

It ran for 6,137 performances--a record at the time--and is still the 7th longest-running Broadway show.

Oddly enough, Priscilla Lopez, who, as Morales, sang the most iconic song from the show, "What I Did For Love," was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but lost to castmate Kelly Bishop. (This proves how deep the talent pool ran in the show.)

Be that as it may, Priscilla's performance was one for the ages.

But let's back up a little...

"A Chorus Line" featured music by Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban, with a book (script) by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante.

The story centers around 17 dancers who are auditioning for the chorus line in a Broadway show. The director of the show-within-a-show interacts with each character, asking them questions that result in answers that reveal each dancer's background, deepest thoughts, and motivations.

Near the end of the show, one of the dancers injures his knee while tap dancing, and as he is carried off to the hospital, the rest of the group collectively realizes that they could be one tap away from a career-ending injury.

The director asks everyone what they would do if that happened to them, and Morales leads the group's response.

"What I Did for Love" touched a nerve with performers everywhere, and over the years, several famous vocalists recorded their heartfelt versions. This list is long, and includes names like Bing Crosby, Johnny Mathis, Engelbert Humperdinck, Robert Goulet, Peggy Lee, Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, and in 2015, Josh Groban. Early on, two artists reached Billboard's Adult Contemporary Chart with their versions: Jack Jones (#25) in 1975, and Eydie Gorme' (#23 in 1976). Those chart positions do NOT do justice to how iconic "What I Did for Love" has become. Not only is it a "Great Song of 1975," It's one of the "Greatest Songs in Broadway history!" Priscilla Lopez (Morales):