STEPHEN FRY

Aww I love Stephen's reaction to the song in the HIGNFY episode. He's so cute when he get's embarassed. ^_^

I remember disucssing this song on the Fry Control forums (feels like eons ago). Someone had a go at translating some of the lyrics on a site and came up with this:

Where is Stephen Fry going?
Nobody knows his whereabouts
Nobody knows where he has been or where he’s going to
If Stephen runs away, they'll get him, and if he stays, they'll get him, too

It sounds a bit creepy that last line.

This isn't the only song that mentions Stephen Fry. According to Wikipedia:

Fry is mentioned in the underground cult single "Thou Shalt Always Kill" by the duo Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip. The song — a list of commandments, many of which are tongue-in-cheek — features the advice "thou shalt not question Stephen Fry".

Then there's this which someone linked on imdb fairly recently. It's by a band called The Bobbed-Haired Bandits. I can't really make out all the lyrics on this one.

Zeca Baleiro interviews Stephen Fry.

It's slow loading so I've pasted it here for those who can't get the page to load:

Zeca Baleiro Finds Stephen Fry

WHEN ZECA BALEIRO wrote a sentimental song simply called “Stephen Fry” (1995) and after that, when he released his first album in 1997, also titled Where is Stephen Fry Going To? (Por Onde Andará Stephen Fry?), he would never realized that this very brilliant Britsh actor and writer could have apprecited this sort of Brazilian homage, until the moment they could really knew each other better as it happened in that interview produced by the UpToDate team.

SO HERE YOU HAVE what we could mention as a journalistic effort, a classical encounter between the creator of a piece of work, Zeca Baleiro, and the one who became part of the reason of his inspiration, the terrific actor and writer Stephen Fry. Whithout any kind of distinction, movies, music and literature become part of that menu between this two artists.

WHITHOUT ANY KIND OF previous rules or marketing intentions, hardly ever an episode such as this one would happen again that way in the arts history. A young Brazilian songwriter writes a song and album in homage to a Britsh actor and then they end up talking to each other in a interview. Many faxes an phone calls between São Paulo and London were scheduled to the realization of this interview. And after this endeavour, it seems that it’s just a beginning of a very nice friendship between them.

Walter de Silva


Zeca Baleiro Interviews Stephen Fry

NICE TO MEET YOU / FROM THAT EPISODE TO MUSIC


Zeca - In February 1995, I read an article in a Brazilian newspaper called Folha de S. Paulo in which they reported an episode that you were supposed to be missed, or might have travelled whithout letting know your destination, after receiving a not so good review from a Britsh newspaper on a particular performance you've done in a play.

Then, immediately I took my accoustic guitar and lightly wrote a song moved by this episode and by the sound of your name, Stephen Fry. After two years, when I recorded this album and I had to choose the title of the CD, someone suggested me to put on it the first line of the "Stephen Fry" lyrics that says / Where is Stephen Fry supposed to be? /. Because it probably could have some appeal on the history of the song, your history, and also on the album's contents.

But everything was so lightly done that I dindn't expect to get that attention. However, all of sudden, the title of the album, as well the brief comment I've written into it on your episode, roused a curiosity on both Brazilian press and people, and it ended up reaching you, something that I couldn't imagine. My question is, what do you think of becoming a title of a song, in a country like Brazil, by the hands of a Brazilian composer, and also become a title of a CD?

Stephen Fry - Well, it’s a very extraodrinary feling. On the one hand, I feel tremendously honoured and flattered, on the other it is rather a strange thought that there are people with copies of it all over Brazil, joining in the chorus and singing my name along with you. I suppose it is a bit like the feeling native tribes used to have when they first had their photographs taken...


STEPHEN FRY OPINION / HIS MUSICAL TASTE

Zeca - I would like you feel comfortable enough to tell me how did you like the "Stephen Fry" song, specially, and what about the CD as a whole work? What's your impression?

Stephen - This is what makes the feeling I expressed in answer to the first question such a pleasurable one. I think “Stephen Fry” is an absolutely terrific song. I really love it. I’ve found myself going about the place humming it and singing it to myself. You have a very gentle and attractive voice, and there’s no question my name fits very well into the tune - if I had been called Oliver Flutterwick or something similar it would hardly have made much a song, would it? As for the CD in general, I really admire it very much. I haven’t heard any of your work before. I love the variations in rhythm and style throughout. Congratulations.

Zeca - Do you like to listen to popular music? In general, what have you been listening to?

Stephen - I listen to a lot of music, I suppose. The current “Britpop” sensation is quiet very hard to ignore, and I do like Oasis, Pulp, Blur, The Verve and so on.

Zeca - What are your references to Brazilian music?

Stephen - I have to confess that I don’t really have any. Like most westerners, I think of Latin rhythms more than anything else. Bossa Nova that kind of thing, and I know most of this is Spanish-South American rather than Portuguese-South American. I do love the rhythmic excitement.

CINEMA & OSCAR WILDE

Zeca - Now, speaking about you, the first movie in which I saw you acting was Peter's Friend (1993), in which you've played a very touching positive HIV character. After, I've read that particular new in a Brazilian newspaper which inspired me to write the "Stephen Fry"song. Since then, I became very interested and curious to see all movies you were in. I should say I became your fan. But my attention was called by the fact that you always seem to play an English character even when the action of the movie takes place in America, like in "IQ", for example, (which Brazilian title was "The Theory Of The Love"). How do you explain that?

Stephen - I think people cast me as Britsh wherever or whatever I’ve been doing because I give the impression of a very typical Englishman (God knows why)... I’ve just done movie Wilde which is due to open in Brazil sometime in this year I believe. I hope you manage to get to see that and enjoy it. And I went to the United States to do a small part in a new John Travolta movie called ‘A Civil Action’. Still playing an Englishman I’m afraid.

Zeca - Is criticism or review a necessary evil?

Stephen - Yes, I suppose that’s about the best way of describing it.

Zeca - You play the role of Oscar Wilde in the Brian Gilbert's movie called "Wilde", your most recent work in cinema. What in this character have appealed to you the most?

Stephen - I think it was the chance to put the record straight about him. That he was a man of great kindness, sweetness of nature, generosity, dignity and courage.

WILDE & LAURIE

Zeca - Do you think it's part of the artist's function to break moral and cultural barriers like Oscar Wilde did?

Stephen - Very much so...

Zeca - I've heard many good comments on your performance as a comedian. And I have also read enthusiastics reviews on your performance in "Wilde", which is a dense and dramatic movie. Which one of these kind of acting registers do you prefer?

Stephen - I try not to make a distinction between them. I try to see the spectrum of human emotions from laughter to tragedy as a continuum - hope that doesn’t sound too pompous!

Zeca - What's the importance of the TV programme "A Little Bit of Fry and Laury" into your career, into the complex of your activities?

Stephen - I still see Hugh Laurie regularly and we hope to do another series soon...

HAVING BRAZILIAN TEA

Zeca - Americans are becoming more and more obese. Brazilians more and more poor and happy. And what about English people?

Stephen - I think there’s a good deal of optimism in England at the moment. A new government (at last), a great deal of cultural activity and a new spirit of fun and possibility in the air.

Zeca - Do you have plans to visit Brazil? Just in case, if you happen to come, please, let me know because I'd like you to go to one of my concerts as my special guest. I'd be glad to see you in the audience.

Stephen - If, by any lucky chance, the film Wilde opens in Brazil at the same time that I’m available, then I’d love to visit, absolutely love to. And of course I should love to go to one of your concerts.

STEPHEN INTERVIEWS ZECA

Zeca - OK, now it's your turn. Would you like to ask me something?

Stephen Fry - Yes, are you from São Paulo or Rio or Brasília, or from somewhere else in Brazil?

Zeca - I was born in São Luiz, the capital of Maranhão, the Brazilian Northeastern state. That Northeastern region is to Brazil, more or less, like what Ireland is to the Britsh people. But I live for seven years in São Paulo.

Stephen - Did you receive any musical training or is all your talent natural? Are you specially connected with any style of music that has a specifc Brazilian origin or name?

Zeca - I’m absolutely intuitive. My musical background goes through popular culture, religious rites and through the radio, by which I used to listen to Bob Dylan, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Bee Gees and lots, lots of Brazilian music.

STEPHEN CONCLUDES THE INTERVIEW

Stephen - How old are you?

Zeca - I’m 31 years old, but I seem to be 29.

Stephen - Any plans to visit UK?

Zeca - Yes, I’ve got plans. This year, I should go on a small musical tour through Europe with my band Mandabala.

Stephen - Have you worked as a composer on filme or TV soundtrack?

Zeca - I’ve always had a strong desire of making music for movies, but just recently I was invited to write a soundtrack for a short-length one called ‘Impressões Para Clara’ (Impressions For Clara), directed by Joel Yamaji, an young moviemaker in São Paulo. I also had a song, “Bandeira” (Flag), of this album included in a TV soap opera soundtrack called ‘Por Amor’ (For Love), from Rede Globo de Televisão.

Then there's this which someone linked on imdb fairly recently. It's by a band called The Bobbed-Haired Bandits. I can't really make out all the lyrics on this one.

X-D Wow...um...

Hello! I know it is a quite old topic, but dispite my bad english, I just thought my "knowledge" would help, so here I am!

The last line of this song is actually a brazilian proverb: "se correr o bicho pega, se ficar o bicho come", which means "if you run the beast catches you, if you stay the beast eats you". It's used in those bad situations when you have no escape.

You may not believe it, but the first thing I ever heard about Stephen Fry was this song, many years ago. And because of it I learned a little of his history and I became more tolerant with my own problems. It always reminds me of my weird teenage years, but in a non-suffering way. Like a pleasant sadness...

If someone is interested, in this site you can hear all of Zeca Baleiro's songs, clicking "Jukebox":
http://www2.uol.com.br/zecabaleiro/

Thank you for explaining that line Turquoise. That's made things clearer now. That makes sense, if you're running from yourself, the feelings in your head. That urge to run away as far away as possible but what do you do when you get there?

Another song about Stephen Fry:

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/songs/Stephen+Fry/

I'm sure many of you will have come across this by now. It's by Weebl Stuff.