Roberta Flack’s ‘Ballad’ for the Stonewall generation
The Nervous Set. Adapted from an unpublished novel by Jay Landesman, the musical (also written by Landesman) follows a wealthy publisher navigating a dysfunctional marriage set in the Beat Generation-era of New York City.
The musical was far from a success, closing its Broadway run after around 23 performances. But several of the songs from the production, including “Ballad of the Sad Young Men,” written by lyricist Fran Landesman (Jay’s wife) and composer Tommy Wolf found a second life.In its original form, “Ballad of the Sad Young Men” had a typical campy musical theater arrangement as it highlighted the nihilistic and self-destructive habits of the post-World War II and pre-Vietnam America young generation in a satirical fashion.
Dame Shirley Bassey’s rendition is as close to a musical theater style that’s out there. However, when Flack got ahold of the song, recording it for her album “First Take,” she breathed soul, sadness, and new sentiment into its lyrics as an ode to the Stonewall Generation and the fight for LGBTQ+ rights“All the sad young men, sitting in the bars, knowing neon lights, and missing all the stars” the lyrics go.
In another part, the sad young men are “drifting through the town, drinking up the night, trying not to drown.”It’s a poignant scene that could touch anyone who has ever felt adrift by life.
