Roger & Holly: Remembrances of Hits Past

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"One dance before I go? ...
C'mon, it's our Nation's Birthday, and I happen to know how you feel about Aretha".
Roger to Holly, Cliffhouse, July 3, 1993.

Theme Songs: Roger and Holly, being the non-coupled supercouple that they were, never had a single identifiable theme song throughout the years. But that didn't keep their tortured fans from identifying plenty on their own to associate with their tempestuous relationship. And the show itself occasionally came through with one to add to the repertoire. In this section, we compile our own soundtrack of Roger and Holly musical memories. Please feel free to email us at rogerandholly@michaelzaslow.com with your own selections. And if there's a special Roger and Holly memory that you attach to a song or lyric, or a particular reason why it reminds you of them, tell us about it, and we'll add it to the collection.

Three songs were played when Roger and Holly were at Cliff House. They danced (and almost kissed but were interrupted by Michelle) to Aretha Franklin's "Try A Little Tenderness", they kissed the first time while Bette Midler's "The Rose" played, and they made love to Aretha's beautiful, haunting, and absolutely agonizing "Sweet Bitter Love":

Sweet, sweet bitter love
The taste still lingers
Though through my helpless fingers
You slipped away

Sweet, sweet bitter love
What joy you taught me
What pain you brought me
In so short a stay

My magic dreams
Have lost their spell
Where there was hope
There's just an empty shell

Oh sweet, my bitter love
Why have you awakened
And then forsaken
A trusting heart like mine?

Here are some additions to this collection of musical memories:

*From Teresa, Friday the 13th, October 1995:

I'm sending along my masochistic collection of Roger/Holly songs. They don't all "fit" perfectly, but I've associated each of them with R/H at one time or another:

-SIDE ONE:

1. "Believe In Me" -- Dan Folgelberg. This is a "Live" version, which I prefer over the one that's been played on the radio forever, because it has more emotion, and it's not as slow ... and, naturally, it's very sad!

2. "Can't Cry Hard Enough" -- The Williams Brothers. Actually, this ISN'T a R/H song, really. I just love it, and it's plenty sad and mournful enough to make me think of R/H everytime I hear it. However, the line "for no reason why" should be our slogan for why R/H were destroyed, as in "for no reason why, except that Michael Laibson is a clueless, talentless jerk ..."

3. "You" -- Bonnie Raitt. Way back in the Summer of '94 (remember, last year, when R/H were together?), this was one of my "driving to the beach" songs, the one I kept hearing over and over, and at that time, it seemed like such a wonderful "Holly to Roger" song. But Holly's screwed all that, so now when I hear "No one could hurt me like you do", I imagine Roger saying that to Holly instead. This is a BEAUTIFUL song, and it reminds me of the way they were.

4. "I Wonder Why" -- Curtis Stigers. First it reminds me of Roger and Holly confronting their past that night in Acapulco. But I also think this song fits the way their relationship was S-L-O-W-L-Y but surely evolving when they were together, learning to live together (but with SEPARATE bedrooms....yeah, right!) and trust each other again, last year.

Love is a hunger
That burns in my soul
But you never notice the pain
Love is an anchor
That won't let me go
I reach out to hold you
But you push me away
You always convince me to stay

And I wonder why
We hold on with tears in our eyes
And I wonder why
We have to break down to just make things right
And I wonder why
I can't seem to tell you goodbye
Yeah, I wonder why

I'm no angel
With my selfish pride
But I love you more every day
Love is an anger
That builds up inside
As the tears of frustration
Roll down my face
Why does love always have to turn out this way

I don't want to fight again tonight
About the little things, please baby
I just want to find my way back to love
And I'll meet you there, baby.

5. "The Story of My Life" -- Neil Diamond. This IS the story of their lives, and this song takes me back to that Christmas night in 1993 when a feverish, badly wounded Roger revealed himself to Holly, who came to terms with her love for him when she thought she'd lost him forever. This song is devastatingly, so sadly perfect for them.

The story of my life is very plain to read
It starts the day you came and ends the day you leave
The story of my life begins and ends with you
The names are still the same and the story's still the truth

I was alone
You found me waiting and made me your own
I was afraid
That somehow I never could be the man that you wanted of me

You're the story of my life, and every word is true
Each chapter sings your name, each page begins with you
It's the story of our times and never letting go
And if I die today, I wanted you to know

Stay with me here
Share with me,care with me, stay and be near
And when it began I'd lie awake every night
Just knowing somewhere deep inside
That our affair just might write

The story of my life
It's so very plain to read
It starts the day you came
It ends the day you leave.

6. "I'll Stand By You" -- The Pretenders. OK, listen to this one in the context of how Holly defied Springfield and stood by Roger in 1994, the things she said to him all that year, and the way she should've stood by him after she knew he didn't betray her, because she always said she would, as long as he told her the truth. So, really, this song makes me mad all over again ...and all of the words do fit. ... (I especially like the line, " ... 'cause I've seen the dark side too").

-SIDE TWO:

7. "Runaway Train" -- Soul Asylum. This became my personal choice of theme song for Roger after the Cliffhouse. Remember, I believe it was writer Nancy Curlee, referring to Roger and Holly being on a "runaway train"? This song came out at around that time, and I see a runaway train as a metaphor for Roger's life. I also associate this song with his post-Cliffhouse "rollercoaster" of emotions -- frenetic, impassioned, desperate, distraught ..."This time I have really led myself astray ...." I think it's the story of HIS life. ALSO: Roger Thorpe = Runaway Train !!!

8. Don't Know Much -- Linda Ronstadt and Aaron Neville. I thought this was the perfect Roger/Holly song years ago, and then what happens? GL used it the first time Josh & Harley "did it". Really. I particularly love the line, "Look at this man, so blessed with inspiration, look at this soul, still searching for salvation ..." for Roger.

9. Think Twice -- Celine Dion. Think of the words to this one within the context of the wonderful Roger and Holly scenes --- The Last Ones Ever!!! --- last December, Engagement Night, before The R/H Fan World Ended! It's the PERFECT theme song for THAT night, when he was hesitant to leave, before he made the right choice. Remember the incredibly touching way she told him, "You are so sweet" ? .... there's a line in the beginning of the song: "You've been the sweetest part of my life for so long ..." OK, well, that's depressing, so enough thinking about this song. Moving on ....

10. Human Touch -- Bruce Springsteen. I love this for R/H because of these very appropriate lyrics, Roger to Holly:

Oh girl that feeling of safety you prize,
Well it comes with a hard hard price
You can't shut out the risk and the pain
Without losing the love that remains ....

11. Have A Little Faith In Me -- John Hiatt. A beautiful song, and very Roger-to-Holly appropriate. (Although now I think he's the one who should have trouble ever trusting her again ...) I discovered this song and John Hiatt when it was played before Josh & Reva's Cross Creek wedding in July 1989. Ironically, at the same time, Roger was having his "first date" since being back in Springfield, with Josh's ex-wife, Sonni!.

12. Sweet Bitter Love -- Aretha Franklin. OK, it's perfect, and here it is on my list, but I can't listen to it ... ever!

* From Pat, October 26, 1995:

Got your crying towel ready? It's amazing how we think alike when it comes to "The Roger and Holly Legend and Its Music"! This is really only a partial list of my R/H heartbreakers ...

1. "After All" -- Cher and Peter Cetera. To me this is the definitive R/H song - I defy anyone to find a better lyric than this to describe their 20+ year relationship!

Well, here we are again
I guess it must be fate
We've tried it on our own
But deep inside we've known
We'd be back to set things straight.

(Her)I still remember when
Your kiss was so brand new
Every memory repeats
Every step I take retreats
(Them)Every journey always brings me back to you.

After all the stops and starts
We keep coming back to these two hearts
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
And after all that we've been through
(Her)It all comes down to me and you.
(Him)I guess it's meant to be
Forever you and me
After all.

(Her)When love is truly right
(Him)This time it's truly right
(Her)It lives from year to year
(Them)It changes as it grows
(Her)And oh the way it grows
(Them)But it never disappears.

After all the stops and starts
We keep coming back to these two hearts
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
And after all that we've been through
(Her)It all comes down to me and you.
(Him)I guess it's meant to be
Forever you and me
After all.

(Him)Always just beyond my touch
Though I needed you so much.
(Her)After all what else is living for?

After all the stops and starts
We keep coming back to these two hearts
Two angels who've been rescued from the fall.
And after all that we've been through
(Her)It all comes down to me and you.
(Him)I guess it's meant to be
Forever you and me
After all.

[Written by: Tom Snow & Dean Pitchford]

2. "Sometimes When We Touch" -- Dan Hill and Rique Franks. I love duets - so much better for expressing the emotions of both characters. I went bananas over this song after Cliff House -- "the passion flares again" !!

3. "I Love You" -- Mike Walton. I was gonna ask: in what R/H love scene did you hear this song? But then of course, every R/H addict remembers EVERY love scene, having watched each one 100 times minimum (+50 times more in slo-mo!) This was very brief ( AS WERE ALL THEIR SCENES AFTER THE BIG REUNION -- GRRRR!) but VERY effective - no dialogue - Holly just walks into Roger's room and gets into bed with him. SO sexy!!! ... Mike Walton wrote lotsa music for GL a few years ago. His songs are very simplistic, but good background stuff, since they never overpower the visuals.

4. "The Rose" -- Bette Midler. Sure, you probably have it, but I had to include this other great background song. I'll never forget that fade-out on July 6! Left us counting the minutes until the next day when we knew they were finally going to DO IT!!!!! ...

5. "You're The One" -- Michael Bolton. Almost all Michael Bolton love songs make terrific R/H themes.

6. "The One" -- Elton John. OK, so I'm hung up on "One" songs! I love U2's "One" for R&H too! ...

7. "Born to Give My Love to You" -- ... I always thought of Holly saying these words to Roger. (I'd say "sing them to Roger", but I don't think MG sings!).

8. And now the Grand Finale! You thought nothing could hurt more than "Sweet Bitter Love"? Well, BRACE YOURSELF!!!! This song can only be played when you're ready to drive your car off a cliff!

"She Used To Be Mine" -- Michael Crawford. Guess no explanation is necessary, except that this was an absolutely gorgeous song, both melodically and lyrically, until last December! Now when I listen to this tape, I hear the heartbroken, but still gallant Roger passionately revealing that his love for Holly is so deep and so complete that he is willing to give her up to someone else:: "Take care of her for me - she used to be mine."

Enter Your Own Roger & Holly Soundtrack Selections Here!
rogerandholly@michaelzaslow.com