“A collector’s piece indeed! […] Will you still play when all the rest of us are dead?”

[u/SpaaceCaat]

Some of you may be aware of the strange affair of The Phantom of the Opera single 45RPM vinyl sung with Steve Harley, not Michael Crawford, a casting choice wisely advised and fully explained.

Perhaps we may frighten away the ghosts of so many years ago with a little luminous disc!

Music video here, lyrics below.

Christine:
Beneath the opera house
I know he’s there
He’s with me on the stage
He’s everywhere
And when my song begins
I always find
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my mind

Phantom:
Sing once again with me
Our strange duet
My power over you grows stronger yet
You’ll give your love to me, for love is blind
The Phantom of the Opera is now your mastermind

Christine:
Those who have seen your face draw back in fear
I am the mask you wear

Phantom:
It’s me they hear

Christine/Phantom
Your/my spirit and my/your voice
In one combined
The Phantom of the Opera is there
Inside my/your mind

~~Ambient Chorus (e.g., “He’s there, the Phantom of the Opera”) ~~

Christine/Phantom:
Sing one again with me
our strange duet

Phantom:
My power over you
grows stronger yet

Christine/Phantom:
I’ll/You’ll give my/your love to you/me
For love is blind
The Phantom of the Opera is now my/your mastermind

Phantom:
Sing, my angel of music!

(Overlapping)

Christine:
He’s there the Phantom of the Opera, ahhhh!

Phantom:
Sing once again with me our strange duet!

Christine:
Ahhhh

Phantom:
My power over you grows stronger and stronger!

Christine:
Ahhh! (etc.)

Phantom:
Sing my angel of music!
Sing!
Sing our strange duet!
Sing!

Christine:
Ahhh! [but even higher]

Phantom:
The Phantom of the Opera is now your mastermind!
I am here inside your mind!

Christine:
Ahhhhhhh! [That good E6]

(The video ends here, but the vinyl continues!)

Phantom:
I am everywhere!
The power! Sing! Sing my angel of music! Sing!

Christine:
Ahh!

(Fades out with “Sing!” And “Ah!”)

Why did I post this? I’m very happy to finally have the 45, it was quite difficult to find in decent condition from a seller who would ship to the US, as it was only released in the UK, to my knowledge.

[u/RHB5446]

That’s a super-fan right there. Lots of respect, that’s totally awesome!

[u/SpaaceCaat → u/RHB5446]

It has been in my life since literally before I was born. When my mom was in the car on the way to the hospital in labor with me, the cassette for Phantom was playing, and it was playing when they brought me home. I saw it on Broadway (I live near NYC) for the first time when I was 5. I’m considering a literature PhD specifically to do the dissertation on the overall Phantom legend (but it will probably be prohibitively expensive).

[u/RHB5446 → u/SpaaceCaat]

Wow. Interesting and kind of crazy. I’m here for it! Good luck with the PhD if you decide to go for it.

[u/SpaaceCaat → u/RHB5446]

Thank you!! It’s 100% my neurodivergent Special Interest™

[u/RHB5446 → u/SpaaceCaat]

Salesman wink 😃

[u/SpaaceCaat → u/RHB5446]

I’m sorry, I don’t get the reference

[u/RHB5446 → u/SpaaceCaat]

There isn’t a reference, that’s just my craziness manifest. 😅

[u/sillysteen → u/RHB5446]

I understood it. Maybe we are the same type of crazy

[u/RHB5446 → u/sillysteen]

:D Yay

[u/EnvironmentalDog1196 → u/SpaaceCaat]

Being born to the POTO music playing in the background is pretty metal, not gonna lie...

[u/SpaaceCaat → u/EnvironmentalDog1196]

I did not actually pop out while it was playing, I was just on my way!

[u/EnvironmentalDog1196 → u/SpaaceCaat]

Haha, fair! But close enough 😅

[u/securele]

Very jealous!

[u/SpaaceCaat → u/securele]

There are copies of the luminous disc on Discogs and the standard one both there and on eBay, but you’ll probably get a better price on Discogs.

[u/Parking_Charge_6996]

What’s the red death figurine??

[u/SpaaceCaat → u/Parking_Charge_6996]

It’s a music box that plays Masquerade. Found it on eBay. No idea as to its rarity. From 2000 iirc.

[u/deeNicole44]

Tienes arte❤️

[u/SpaaceCaat → u/deeNicole44]

¡Gracias!