“An Evening with Alan and Marilyn Bergman” at this year’s Chicago Humanities Festival was a total delight. Award-winning lyricists, the Bergmans received their first Oscar for writing “The Windmills of Your Mind” (from the 1968 version of The Thomas Crown Affair), but they are best-known for their work with Barbra Streisand. As moderator Michael Kerker (aka “Michael from ASCAP“) reminded the audience, “The Way We Were” (from 1973) continues to be one of the most popular love songs of the twentieth century. Music punctuated their individual and joint recollections of career highpoints. Alan sang from his newly-released CD Lyrically, Alan Bergman (accompanied by pianist Andrew Ezrin) & Lari White wowed the crowd with what she graciously conceded was her “shiksa version” of a medley of songs from Yentl.
I had the chance to interview the Bergmans in their suite at the Talbot Hotel before the program. On our way up the elevator, I told Alan that of all their songs, my own personal favorite was “It Might Be You” from Tootsie (1982). He laughed and told me that he and Marilyn were always surprised when people asked their permission to include it in their wedding ceremony. “It MIGHT be you?” he marveled. “How can you play THAT at your wedding?” Mostly however, we discussed Yentl. Look for details of my interview next year when the 25th anniversary Collector’s Edition of Yentl is released on DVD.
For more information, visit the Bergman’s comprehensive website.
