♪ o verona [ singing in german and latin ]

♪ ver... ♪ o... ♪ na! good evening and welcome to only men aloud! britain's favorite choir, live at wales's premier venue,

the wales millennium center. although we are relatively young, as a choir -- we're only 10 years old, in fact -- the tradition we come from spans centuries. i'm talking of the welsh male choir tradition, which is renowned internationally for its excellence and its roots. and in this program, you'll hear a whole variety of repertoire, with some very special guests. ladies and gentlemen, it's bryn terfel. ♪ it ain't necessarily so ♪ it ain't necessarily so ♪ da t'ings that you're liable to read in the bible ♪ ♪ oh, it ain't necessarily so

♪ little david was small, but, oh, my ♪ ♪ little david was small, but, oh, my ♪ ♪ he fought big goliath, who lay down and dieth ♪ ♪ little david was small, but, oh, my ♪ ♪ wa do ♪ wa do zimbaboloo ♪ ♪ zimbaboloo ooh la la la la la ♪ ♪ ooh la la la la la scaniwa ♪ ♪ scaniwa ♪ yeah ♪ oh, jonah, he lived in a whale ♪ ♪ oh, jonah, he lived in a whale ♪ ♪ for he made his home in that fish's abdomen ♪ ♪ oh, jonah, he lived in a whale ♪ ♪ little moses was found in a stream ♪

♪ little moses was found in a stream ♪ ♪ he floated on water 'til old pharaoh's daughter ♪ ♪ she fished him, she says, from that stream ♪ ♪ wa do ♪ wa do zimbaboloo ♪ ♪ zimbaboloo ooh la la la la la ♪ ♪ ooh la la la la la scaniwa ♪ ♪ scaniwa ♪ yeah ♪ oh, it ain't necessarily so ♪ it ain't necessarily so ♪ dey teach all de children the devil's a villain ♪ ♪ but it ain't necessarily so ♪ to get into heaven don't snap for a seven ♪ ♪ live cln, don't have no fault ♪ ♪ oh, i takes the gospel whenever it's poss'ble ♪

♪ but with a grain of salt ♪ methus'lah lived nine hundred years ♪ ♪ methus'lah lived nine hundred years ♪ ♪ but who calls that livin' when no gal will give in ♪ ♪ to no man what's nine hundred years? ♪ ♪ i'm preachin' dis sermon to show ♪ ♪ it ain't nessa, ain't nessa ♪ ♪ ain't nessa, ain't nessa ♪ ain't necessarily ♪ so what do you think, man? yeah! [ whistle ] oh, do we love de children in here? oh, yeah! oh, what do you think of this hall, guys? whoo!

ah! ♪ i'm preachin' dis sermon to show ♪ ♪ that it ain't nessa ♪ ain't nessa ♪ ain't nessa oi, what's occurrin'? tidy. ♪ ain't nessa ♪ ain't necessarily ♪ so

♪ hey, world ♪ here i ♪ am! ♪ don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter ♪ ♪ life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter ♪ ♪ don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade ♪ ♪ ba da ♪ don't tell me not to fly -- i've simply got to ♪ ♪ if someone takes a spill, it's me and not you ♪ ♪ who told you you're allowed to rain on my parade? ♪ ♪ i'll march my band out, i'll beat my drum ♪

♪ and if i'm fanned out, your turn at bat, sir ♪ ♪ at least i didn't fake it ♪ hat, sir, oop, i didn't make it ♪ ♪ but whether i'm the rose of sheer perfection ♪ ♪ or a freckle on the nose of life's complexion ♪ ♪ the cinder or the shiny apple of its eye ♪ ♪ i gotta fly once, i gotta try once ♪ ♪ only can die once, right, sir? ♪ ♪ ooh, love is juicy juicy, and you'll see ♪ ♪ i gotta have my bite, sir ♪ get ready for me, love, 'cause i'm a comer ♪ ♪ i simply gotta march, 'cause i'm a drummer ♪ ♪ don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade ♪ ♪ ba da ba da ♪ i'm gonna live and live now ♪ ♪ get what i want, i know how ♪ ♪ one roll for the whole shebang ♪

♪ one throw, that bell will go "clang" ♪ ♪ eye on the target and wham! ♪ ♪ one shot, one gunshot, and bam! ♪ ♪ hey ♪ hey ♪ hey ♪ hey, world ♪ here i am! ♪ get ready for me, love, 'cause i'm a-comin' ♪ ♪ i simply gotta march, my heart's a-drummin' ♪ ♪ nobody ♪ nobody's gonna rain ♪ nobody ♪ nobody ♪ nobody's gonna rain on my parade ♪ ♪ rain on my parade

♪ ba ba da, ba ba da ♪ ba ba da, ba ba da ♪ ba ba da, ba ba da ♪ ba ba da, ba ba da ♪ it's not unusual to be loved by anyone ♪ ♪ ba da ba da ba da ♪ it's not unusual to have fun with anyone ♪ ♪ ba da ba ♪ but when i see you hanging about with anyone ♪ ♪ it's not unusual to see me cry ♪ ♪ oh, i wanna die ♪ it's not unusual to go out at any time ♪ ♪ but when i see you out and about, it's such a crime ♪

♪ if ever you should want to be loved by anyone ♪ ♪ it's not unusual ♪ it happens every day, no matter what you say ♪ ♪ you'll find it happens all the time ♪ ♪ love will never do what you want it to ♪ ♪ why can't this crazy love be mine? ♪ ♪ do do do, do do do, do do da ♪ ♪ do do do, do do do, do do da ♪ [ scat singing, imitating train ] ♪ the old hometown looks the same ♪ ♪ as i step down from the train ♪ ♪ and there to meet me is my mama and papa ♪

♪ down the road i look and there runs mary ♪ ♪ hair of gold and lips like cherries ♪ ♪ it's good to touch the green, green grass of home ♪ ♪ yes, they'll all come to meet me ♪ ♪ arms reaching, smiling sweetly ♪ ♪ it's good to touch the green, green grass of home ♪ ♪ grass of home ♪ yes, they'll all come to meet me ♪ ♪ arms reaching, smiling sweetly ♪

♪ it's good to touch ♪ the green, green grass ♪ of home ♪ da da da da da da, da da da da da da ♪ ♪ da da da da da da, da da da da da da ♪ ♪ i saw the light on the night that i passed by her window ♪ ♪ ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ i saw the flickering shadows of love on her blind ♪ ♪ ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ she was my woman ♪ da da da da da da ♪ as she deceived me, i watched and went out of my mind ♪ ♪ da da da da da da da da ♪ my my my delilah ♪ da ba da ba da ba da ba da ♪ why why why, delilah?

♪ da ba da ba da ba da ba da ♪ i could see that girl was no good for me ♪ ♪ but i was lost, like a slave that no man could free ♪ ♪ at break of day, when that man drove away ♪ ♪ i was waiting ♪ ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ i crossed the street to her house ♪ ♪ and she opened the door ♪ da da da da ♪ she stood there, laughing ♪ ha ha ha ♪ i felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more ♪ ♪ my my my delilah ♪ da ba da ba da ba da ba da ♪ why why why, delilah? ♪ da ba da ba da ba da ba da

♪ so before they come to break down the door ♪ ♪ forgive me, delilah, i just couldn't take any more ♪ ♪ forgive me, delilah, i just couldn't take ♪ ♪ any more "men aloud" comes to you through public television. more about that from your public television station. and when you come back -- ♪ but every now and then, i fall apart ♪ ♪ turn around, bright eyes ♪ all by myself what an amazing group. what a wonderful sound that is. now, they're well-known and they're very successful over there, but they're new here, and that's what we like to do at public television -- bring you this great, new music.

i'm mark simone, and with us in the studio, the music director, tim rhys-evans. tim, so good to have you here with us. it's great to be here, mark, thank you. i loved that medley. i am the biggest tom jones fan in the world. i have to beg to differ, i'm afraid. i think i'm the biggest tom jones fan, but we'll argue about that later. that fight coming up, although he's a welshman, so that might help him win. yeah, i think i'd trump you there. no, not necessarily, i love tom jones, and we've got act two and act three coming up. you're just going to love what's ahead, and we've got some great thank-you gifts. so we love bringing you these sort of programs -- great, new music -- new to you, but to do that, we need your help. it's not easy to get these programs and it's not inexpensive to bring you these programs, so i hope while you're watching you'll go to the phone, call that number on your screen, pledge your support, and if you do, we've got some great thank-you gifts for you. now, more with tim coming up. i love this show. watching "men aloud: live from wales," it just puts a smile on my face! i bet you feel the same way. i love their costumes, i love the choreography, and their song choices are just terrific.

it's a very uplifting show, and i like the fact that this program draws off of this centuries-old tradition of male choirs in wales and that they've sort of updated their style to fit today's audience. i think it's just brilliant. well, we'd love to share some of these thank-you gifts with you. i'm laura savini, and here at public television, we count on you and your gifts to give us the opportunity to continue providing the programs that you care about. so right now, if you make a call at the $60 level, we're going to send you a copy of a related cd of "men aloud: live from wales." you'll hear most of the songs that you've been hearing throughout this show, like "o verona," and "total eclipse of the heart" is a bonus track on there, and "band of brothers" and "the longest time" and many others that you're going to hear as we go through the show. we also have a dvd, a related dvd of the program, available to you when you make a pledge at the level of $75, and how about this -- if you would like to have both the cd and the dvd of "men aloud,"

we'll send them out to you when you join us at the level of $125, and we'll also send a bonus of "visions of wales," so you can see where this music began. public television is your front-row seat to the best in performing arts. we make top-notch performances freely available for everyone to enjoy music, theater, dance, and more. the financial support of donors is vital to produce and purchase programs of this caliber. call the number on your screen or go online to learn more about these featured items and others like them. invest in the finest arts and entertainment programs you will ever find, delivered right to your home. donate now. thank you. well, we're back with tim rhys-evans, music director of men aloud. so good to have you here. i know you're a big supporter of public television. absolutely, i think it's a fantastic thing that it's taking new types of music, and to have channels doing this, especially, i think is -- i wish we had something like it in britain. yeah, well, but one thing you have,

especially in wales, the choir sound is such an important part of your musical history over there. absolutely -- the male choir tradition in wales, well, it is a world-famous tradition, and it was something that was really important to me as a child. i come from the south wales valleys, the heart of the mining and industrial center of wales, and this was the only way i could really access live music as a kid was going to my local chapel and hearing these fabulous male choirs, which sprung out of the industrial tradition. you know, you could fit wales 11 times into the state of new jersey. it's a tiny, tiny country, but in the 20th century, wales was exporting more coal and iron than the rest of the world put together, so all these guys that were manning these coal mines and iron foundries needed a social activity, and the choir was it, it was a free way of socializing. usually a choir, most men in this country wouldn't think of joining a choir, but it's a very masculine sounding thing over there. yeah, it's amazing. i think a really beautiful thing about it is that

these men who had such physical jobs soothed their aching muscles by coming together and singing, you know? and it's something of which i'm really, really proud. hey, that medley you did, one of my favorite singers of all time, tom jones, of course, he's from wales, and you must have all just grown up idolizing tom jones. well, absolutely. my mum is a huge tom jones fan, and wales is very proud of -- we're known as the land of song, and we've produced some fantastic singers. you know, shirley bassey, bryn terfel...the list goes on and on and on and on, and that's definitely very important. i think it's in your blood, if you're a welshman, to just love to sing. we've got some great stuff coming up in act two and act three, but as you're watching, go to the phone, call that number on your screen, and show your support. tim and mark were talking about how the coal miners sort of started the tradition of the welsh choirs, and every village had a choir. and you think about it -- every village in america has a public television station, and that's where we count on you to become a part of that choir, be a part of the voice that says yes to the programs that you find here,

and you can do that right now. you can be a part of it, you can do your part, whether it's the bass part or the tenor part, you can do your part right now with a phone call to that number on your screen, and we've got some "men aloud" thank-you gifts that we're going to send you so you can enjoy this update on a tradition any time you would like. $60 pledge right now, we'll send you the related cd of "men aloud: live from wales," where you will hear lots of the songs that you're hearing during this program, plus you'll hear the men singing in welsh, which will be interesting for you to enjoy, and then at the $75 level, we have the related dvd to the show, which has some bonus tracks of the men singing in welsh, again, and the songs that you're seeing now with bryn terfel, he was really fun to listen to him, and "don't rain on my parade" from "funny girl," and many of the songs you're going to see coming up. at the $125 level, we're going to send you both the dvd and the cd, and we have got a "visions of wales" dvd for you as well. those are beautiful overhead shots of wales

from the pbs "visions" series, and you will have the opportunity to see where these traditions began and see the dramatic landscape of wales. it's a gorgeous program that'll be your bonus when you make that pledge at the $125 level. so make the call right now, the number's there on your screen, and we'll get these out to you. no single contribution or revenue source can support this station -- the funds we raise go directly into programming. this is your community-owned television station, and we are as strong as you enable us to be. your financial support is vital to produce and broadcast specials like this one. call the number on your screen or go online to learn more about these featured items and others like them. donate now. thank you. well, we're going back to the program in just a moment, and tim will be with us throughout the entire program, and we'll talk to you about how the group got started and all that -- now, coming up, "macarthur park," i love that,

that's one of the great, great songs of all time. oh, it's -- i've mentioned my mum a lot here, but that's my mum's favorite song in the world, and it was played -- the richard harris version was played when i was a child all the time on my parents' record player. so i think, as much as the male choir, that song is part of me, so the two coming together seems very natural to have a welsh male choir singing a jimmy webb classic. jimmy webb is a genius, and that's just one of the greatest pieces of songwriting ever, so that's coming up in the next act, also "bridge over troubled water," what a great song, what a powerful song. indeed, indeed, yeah, again, part of my parents' record collection. there's a theme here. well, some of this music is just universal, and we're so happy to bring you this special. act two is coming up, and we'll talk more with tim throughout the program, but as you're watching, it's so important that you call that number on your screen and pledge your support. it's those pledges that make these shows possible. think about how many times we've brought you new music from overseas, great new music, and you first heard so many great musicians here

and seen so many great programs here, whether it's news or britcoms or dramas. it's all here and it's all because of you, and it only happens because of those phone calls, those pledges, so as you're watching, makehat call. the number's right there on your screen, and coming up, we'll talk more with tim, and wait till you see act two. wait till you see all these great songs just ahead. ♪ hey, hey, hey, hey, world ♪ here i am! ♪ get ready for me, love, 'cause i'm a-comin' ♪

♪ ba ba ba ba ba ba ♪ spring was never waiting for us, girl ♪ ♪ it ran one step ahead as we followed in the dance ♪ ♪ ba ba ba ba ba da ba ba ba ♪ ba da ba ba ba ba ba ba ♪ between the parted pages and were pressed ♪ ♪ in love's hot, fevered iron like a striped pair of pants ♪ ♪ ba ba ba ba ba da ba ♪ ba ba ba ba da ba ♪ macarthur park is melting through the dark ♪ ♪ all the sweet green icing flowing down ♪ ♪ someone left the cake out the rain ♪ ♪ i don't think that i can take it ♪ ♪ 'cause it took so long to bake it ♪ ♪ and i'll never have that recipe again ♪

♪ oh, no ♪ ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ♪ ba ba ba da da da ♪ ba da da da da da ♪ ba da da da da da ♪ ba da da da ah ah ah ♪ ah ah ah ♪ there will be another song for me ♪ ♪ for i will sing it ♪ there will be another dream for me ♪ ♪ someone will bring it ♪ i will drink the wine while it is warm ♪ ♪ and never let you catch me looking at the sun ♪

♪ and after all the loves of my life ♪ ♪ oh, after all the loves of my life ♪ ♪ i'll be thinking of you ♪ and wondering why ♪ ba ba ba ba ba ba ♪ ba ba ba ba ♪ ba ba ba ba ♪ ba ba ba ba ♪ ba ba ba ba ♪ ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ♪ ♪ ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ♪ ♪ ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ♪

♪ ba ba ba ba ♪ ba ba ba ba ♪ ba da da da da ♪ ba da da da da ♪ ba da da da ba ba ba da da da ♪ ♪ ba ba ba ♪ ba ♪ macarthur park is melting through the dark ♪ ♪ all the sweet green icing flowing down ♪ ♪ someone left the cake out in the rain ♪ ♪ i don't think that i can take it ♪ ♪ 'cause it took so long to bake it ♪ ♪ and i'll never have that recipe again ♪ ♪ oh, no

♪ oh oh oh oh oh oh ♪ oh, no there's an interesting story with "macarthur park." last year, we were recording "macarthur park" in air studios, the great air studios, which was started by george martin, the great beatles producer. and our record producer, in the middle of our recording session of this song, went out into the lobby and he came back in and he said, "you'll never guess who's just outside -- jimmy webb's son." the songwriter of the song we were singing, who's from the states, was in the foyer of the recording studio we happened to be in, in london.

and he came in and met a few of us and gave us a really interesting insight into the song. and he was saying that his father, in his teens, in the '60s, was going through a pretty horrible breakup of a relationship and was walking through macarthur park in los angeles and, unusually for l.a., it was snowing and somebody had fashioned a cake with birthday candles out of snow in the park. and he was going through this relationship just falling apart and he saw this cake, that it'd started to rain and this cake of snow was just starting to melt all over the park. and he thought it was a great metaphor for his relationship and would he ever find a cake as wonderful, or a relationship as wonderful again? so isn't it strange how serendipitous moments like that happen in life? we're going to move, now, into another great american songwriter -- i talk of paul simon -- and one of the finest songs, in my opinion, of the 20th century,

and that's "bridge over troubled water." ♪ when you're weary ♪ feeling small ♪ when tears are in your eyes ♪ ♪ i will dry them all ♪ i'm on your side ♪ oh, when times get rough ♪ and friends just can't be found ♪ ♪ like a bridge over troubled water ♪

♪ i will lay me down ♪ when you're down and out ♪ when you're on the street ♪ when evening falls so hard ♪ ♪ i will comfort you ♪ i'll take your part ♪ oh, when darkness comes ♪ and pain is all around

♪ like a bridge over troubled water ♪ ♪ i will ease your mind ♪ like a bridge over troubled water ♪ ♪ i will ease your mind ♪ sail on, silver girl ♪ sail on by ♪ your time has come to shine ♪ ♪ all your dreams are on their way ♪ ♪ see how they shine, oh

♪ if you need a friend ♪ i'm sailing right behind ♪ like a bridge, bridge over troubled water ♪ ♪ i will ease your mind ♪ like a bridge over troubled water ♪ ♪ i will ease your mind ♪ your mind ♪ ease your ♪ mind

♪ ooh ♪ ooh ♪ ah ah ah ah ah ♪ ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

♪ ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪ ah ah ah ah ah ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i get a little bit lonely ♪ ♪ and you're never ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i get a little bit tired ♪ ♪ of listening to the sound of my tears ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i get a little bit nervous ♪ ♪ that the best of all the years have gone by ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i get a little bit terrified ♪ ♪ and then i see the look ♪ in your eyes ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i get a little bit restless ♪ ♪ and i dream of something wild ♪ ♪ turn around

♪ every now and then, i get a little bit helpless ♪ ♪ and you're lying like a child in my arms ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i get a little bit angry ♪ ♪ and i know i have to get out and cry ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i get a little bit terrified ♪ ♪ and then i see the look in your eyes ♪ ♪ turn around, bright eyes ♪ every now and then, i fall apart ♪ ♪ turn around, bright eyes ♪ every now and then, i fall apart ♪ ♪ and i need you now, tonight ♪ and i need you more than ever ♪ ♪ and if you'll only hold me tight ♪ ♪ we'll be holding on forever ♪ and we'll only be making it right ♪ ♪ 'cause we'll never be wrong, together ♪ ♪ once upon a time, i was falling in love ♪

♪ now, i'm only falling apart ♪ there's nothing i can do ♪ a total eclipse of the heart ♪ there's nothing i can do ♪ a total eclipse of the heart ♪ turn around ♪ turn around ♪ turn around! turn around! ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i know you'll never be ♪ ♪ the boy you always wanted to be ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i know you'll always be ♪ ♪ the only one who wanted me the way that i am ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i know there's no one in the universe ♪ ♪ as magical and wondrous as you ♪ ♪ turn around ♪ every now and then, i know there's nothing any better ♪ ♪ nothing that i just couldn't do ♪ ♪ turn around, bright eyes ♪ but every now and then, i fall apart ♪ ♪ turn around, bright eyes

♪ every now and then, i fall apart ♪ ♪ and i need you now, tonight ♪ i need you more than ever ♪ if you only hold me tight ♪ we'll be holding on forever ♪ we'll only be making it right ♪ ♪ 'cause we'll never be wrong ♪ together, we can take it to the end of the line ♪ ♪ love is like a shadow on me all of the time ♪ ♪ all of the time ♪ i don't know what to do, i'm always in the dark ♪ ♪ living in a powder keg and giving off sparks ♪ ♪ i really need you tonight! ♪ forever's gonna start tonight ♪ ♪ forever's gonna start ♪ once upon a time, i was falling in love ♪ ♪ now, i'm only falling apart

♪ and there's nothing i can do ♪ a total eclipse of the heart ♪ turn around, bright eyes ♪ but every now and then, i fall apart ♪ ♪ turn around, bright eyes ♪ every now and then, i fall apart ♪ ♪ and i need you now, tonight ♪ i need you more than ever ♪ if you only hold me tight ♪ we'll be holding on forever ♪ we'll only be making it right ♪ ♪ 'cause we'll never be wrong ♪ together, we can take it to the end of the line ♪ ♪ love is like a shadow on me all of the time ♪ ♪ all of the time ♪ i don't know what to do, always in the dark ♪ ♪ living in a powder keg and giving off sparks ♪

♪ oh, i really need you tonight! ♪ ♪ forever's gonna start tonight ♪ ♪ forever's gonna start ♪ once upon a time, i was falling in love ♪ ♪ now, i'm only falling apart ♪ nothing i can say ♪ a total eclipse of the heart ♪ ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪ ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪ once upon a time, there was light in my life ♪ ♪ now, there's only love in the dark ♪ ♪ nothing i can say ♪ a total eclipse of the heart ♪ turn around, bright eyes ♪ nothing i can say ♪ a total eclipse of the... ♪ ah ah ah ah ah

♪ ah ♪ ah ♪ ah thank you very much. evans: bonnie tyler! ♪ when i was young ♪ i never needed anyone ♪ and making love was just for fun ♪ ♪ those days are gone ♪ living alone ♪ i think of all the friends i've known ♪

♪ but when i dial the telephone ♪ ♪ nobody's home ♪ all by myself ♪ don't wanna be ♪ all by myself anymore ♪ hard to be sure ♪ sometimes i feel so insecure ♪ ♪ and love, so distant and obscure ♪ ♪ remains the cure ♪ ah ah ah ah ah ah ah

♪ all by myself ♪ don't wanna be ♪ all by myself ♪ all by myself ♪ don't wanna be ♪ all by myself anymore ♪ when i was young ♪ i never needed anyone ♪ and making love was just for fun ♪ ♪ those days are gone ♪ all by myself

♪ don't wanna be ♪ all by myself anymore ♪ ah ah ah ♪ ah ♪ ah ah ah ah ♪ ah ah ah ♪ all by myself ♪ don't wanna be ♪ all by myself ♪ don't wanna live by myself, by myself anymore ♪

♪ all by myself ♪ don't wanna be ♪ all by myself ♪ don't wanna live by myself, by myself ♪ ♪ anymore this comes to you thanks to your public television station and their members. more "men aloud" when you come back. ♪ they're called bui-doi ♪ ♪ the dust of life ♪ conceived in hell ♪ and born in strife ♪ and the rhythm of life is a powerful beat ♪ ♪ puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet ♪ ♪ rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street ♪ ♪ yes, the rhythm of life is a powerful beat ♪

"men aloud: live from wales" -- oh, they are so much fun. hi, i'm laura savini, and i kind of think of them as a male rockette group, right? i love the dancing and the song choices and the energy they put into this music. it really is a multi-dimensional performance. it goes beyond a choir. they've really taken that tradition of the welsh and just pumped it up and made it something that just everybody can enjoy. well, i hope you're enjoying watching this here. that last act was red-hot. boy, the pop songs in there were so much fun. we can share some of this music with you when you make a call and a pledge to this station right now. you can pledge online or you can pledge to the number there on your screen, and we are going to send you a related version of that dvd at the $75 level, we'll get that out to you as our way of saying thanks so you can enjoy the music of men aloud again and again, and we have the cd, actually, for you as well, a related cd,

at the $60 level, and here, this is a great package. if you can make a gift to this station to support the programming at $125, we've got the cd and the dvd of "men aloud: live from wales," and then you'll get "visions of wales," which is shot in hd from a helicopter. it's aerial footage of the country of wales, which is just so dramatic and compact. it may be small, but it is gorgeous, and you're going to love looking at this program and hearing where the music came from. so those are the ways we have of saying thanks. we've got the director of the choir with us, you'll meet him in just a moment, but in the meantime, go to your phone and make a pledge. no single contribution or revenue source can support this station. the funds we raise go directly into programming. this is your community-owned television station, and we are as strong as you enable us to be. your financial support is vital to produce and broadcast specials like this one. call the number on your screen or go online to learn more about these featured items

and others like them. donate now. thank you. well, i'm mark simone, and with us in the studio, we're so happy to have him here, the music director, tim rhys-evans. tim, i couldn't pick a favorite moment in that act. no, we're so lucky to be able to do what we love doing so much, and to take the welsh male choir tradition in a different route and all of those epic pop ballads -- you know, working with bonnie tyler and singing songs like "all by myself." a great eric carmen song. amazing, amazing song, but a bit of rachmaninoff in there as well. yeah, and of course you've got jimmy webb and you've got simon and garfunkel, three of our greatest songwriters ever. absolutely. you must have grown up listening to this music. all of that stuff was really, really important. i think it's just what unites them is the brilliant songwriting behind it, so i really hope people will pick up the phones and pledge so we can get more of it. simone: do that right now. the phone number's on your screen. it's pledges that make these shows possible. we'd love to bring you more music like this, more great musicians and singers from around the world. now, we'll talk more with tim in a moment,

but while you're watching, go to the phone and make that call. i'm fascinated by the way this program is keeping the tradition alive of the welsh choir and it's keeping that joy of music in that everyone can participate, and that's something we do very well here on public television. we keep traditions alive, the traditions of music, the tradition of solid journalism, and we make sure everyone can participate. it doesn't matter where you live or how much money you make -- you can be a part of public television. you just turn it on, you learn, you enjoy, and you give what you can, so we're asking you to give what you can right now. there's another part of this show i really liked is when they were telling the story about "macarthur park," they were sort of keeping the myth of that song alive, and, well, i'm not sure that story was exactly true. i happen to know the songwriter, and that's not exactly the way the song came about, but it's fun that it becomes and maintains a part of the popular culture, that "macarthur park" is part of our popular culture, that welsh tradition is becoming part of our popular culture with men aloud,

and all the wonderful programs you find here on this station where we think that the american culture is important and that we think the music and the journalism and the traditions all belong here in this station, where you can trust what you see, so we ask you right now to make a call to support this station with your pledge right now. $60 pledge, we'll send you a cd; $75, we'll send you the dvd. make the call right now. well, it's great to have tim rhys-evans in the studio with us, music director of men aloud. this sound, it's so unique in this country, this men's choir sound, but over there, it's so natural over there. you even have a tv show called "last choir standing," one of the most popular shows in great britain. we certainly did, and i'm very proud to say that we won it. it was a search to find britain's favorite choir, and hundreds and hundreds of choirs entered, and we won the entire series, so this was a -- how did that change things for you? massively, i mean, this year,

we're ten years old as a choir, and i started the choir because most men's choirs in wales now are aging. it's something that men seem to do particularly in retirement, especially as the coal-mining industry is no longer in existence. so i wanted to encourage younger men to sing, to be part of this what i believe is a really vital and visceral tradition, and i wanted to take it in a slightly different direction, and i guess the fact that people voted us as britain's favorite choir just shows that it's relevant and people are staying in their millions to watch a choir show. it's a big deal over there yeah, massive. interesting how sometimes television discovers more new music than radio. well, it was -- you know, i've been a classical musician ever since i left college, and i worked in opera, and men aloud was just a passion of mine and a hobby, but winning a reality tv show really can change your life, and now i get to do what i love as my living. and i could list for hours here the number of famous musical artists

that now fill concert venues all over america discovered here on public television. as a musician, it's fantastic that there is this platform for us to take music out to people, you know, that -- coming from wales, to have the opportunity to bring this because of public television is fantastic. and it's not just because of public television, it's because of you. it's those calls, those pledges. that's what makes all of this possible. we'd love to keep doing this and bringing you more shows like this, so go to the phone, make that call now. i love the fact that men aloud became such a huge success in great britain because of the viewers and the fans. it had nothing to do with judges or advertisers. the viewers and the fans are the ones who had them win that contest, and, you know, that's really what makes them perfect to be here on public television, because the more you scream and applaud and make your phone call right now, the more you'll see of programming like this here on this station, on public television, because we select our programming

based on what our viewers want. it's not about ratings, it's not about advertisers, it's about you, so if you are enjoying "men aloud," do your part right now -- make the best gift, give the best gift you can, and we'll send you out a thank-you gift, we'll send you a cd at the $60 level, we'll send you a dvd at the $75 level, and if you can pledge $125, what we're going to do is send you the dvd and cd and the bonus dvd of "visions of wales." what a beautiful program. you're going to love to watch that. so make the call right now, the number's there and we'll send you out these wonderful thank-you gifts and you will be one of the fans and viewers and supporters who keeps this station strong. public television is your front-row seat to the best in performing arts. we make top-notch performances freely available for everyone to enjoy music, theater, dance, and more. the financial support of donors is vital to produce and purchase programs of this caliber. call the number on your screen or go online to learn more

about these featured items and others like them. invest in the finest arts and entertainment programs you will ever find, delivered right to your home. donate now. thank you. well, we're going to go back to the show in just a moment, and we're so lucky to have the music director of men aloud, tim rhys-evans, here in the studio with us, and, tim, coming up next, you know, one of the great trade agreements ever worked out was the u.s. and great britain -- you take our music, we'll take your music, we mix them all together. next act is a lot of great broadway music. absolutely, it's been a huge influence on me musically, is the music of broadway, and singers like streisand, you know, have always been -- just something about the voice that really excites me, and i think in wales, we are very passionate directly about the voice itself, and if you go to a welsh wedding or a welsh funeral, you'll hear some fantastic singing. people really aren't afraid to just let rip,

but what i love about the whole broadway tradition and the way choirs work over here, particularly as shown with something like "glee," is that it's conceived as a show, it's not just standing there, and we do a lot of that in our work. but to young generations, a lot of this music is new to them -- "sit down, you're rockin' the boat, and you've got songs from "sweet charity," from "guys and dolls," and they may not know these great shows. and that's a great opportunity for us to be able to take this music to a new generation, but with shows like "glee" and the success of that in the u.k. as well as here, i think it shows that it's still as relevant and young people are really responding to it. that's all the more reason you should support a show like this. it's not just that we're bringing you new music, but sometimes we're bringing older music, your music, to your children, to your grandchildren, and that's one of the great things we love to do here at public television. i think it's fantastic that we can do this, and, please, yeah, do go to the phones and pledge and hear some more men aloud. well, act three is coming up, a great, great finale to this wonderful show,

and then we'll come back and we'll talk more with tim, but remember, we can't do these shows without your help. it's your pledges, your donations that made this possible, it's going to make more shows like this possible, so don't let us down. the phone number's right there on your screen. make that call. ♪ ease your ♪ mind

♪ they're called bui-doi ♪ ♪ the dust of life ♪ conceived in hell ♪ and born in strife

♪ they are the living reminder ♪ ♪ of all the good we failed to do ♪ ♪ we can't forget, must not forget ♪ ♪ that they are all our children, too ♪ ♪ like all survivors, i once thought ♪ ♪ when i'm home, i won't give a damn ♪ ♪ but now i know i'm caught ♪ i'll never leave vietnam ♪ war isn't over when it ends ♪ some pictures never leave your mind ♪ ♪ they are the faces of the children ♪ ♪ the ones we left behind