In 2007, Pink Martini released the album HEY EUGENE!, featuring the eponymous title track and fan favorite, “Hey Eugene.” A comedic, yet heart-wrenching ballad about a fleeting dance, a phone number exchange, and the call that never came. A haunting alternate version has emerged from the original studio sessions and given new life.
When asked how this spare, eerie composition came to be, China Forbes recalls, “It happened spontaneously, as so many things do in the studio...the kick drum came in slow and steady and I just started goofing around singing “Hey Eugene” in this melancholic and reflective way. Next thing you know, Thomas joined in and played a spare beautiful chord on the piano, and then Phil entered on bass at that perfect moment when something needed to happen. Everyone kept it simple and it became this rare moment of beauty that was totally different from how we normally play the song. It was magic.”
Thomas Lauderdale unearthed the take and presented it to choreographer Nicolo Fonte for consideration for Never Stop Falling (in Love). The program ran this past October as part of OBT25, celebrating Oregon Ballet Theatre’s 25th year.
