Hedwig and the Angry Inch "Origin of Love" Rosie O'Donnell Show 1999

[@alisaishere]

I still remember seeing this song in the movie version in college. I went to a super conservative, Christian college and my philosophy professor put it on when we were studying Plato. I fell in love with it. I asked him if I could borrow it to watch the whole movie that day. I got close to him after that and he opened up about his true identity. It still breaks my heart that he picked a job that paid well even though that meant he could never live his authentic life. When he passed away, the school wrote about him as if he was a monk, because he never had a woman in his life.

[@jaymzcarter5458]

Awe that made me sad, maybe he didn't take it for money, maybe he took it tobe there for ones like you

[@mccarthy5825]

That is a very moving comment. Thank you for sharing. It must have meant a lot to him that you were so accepting and eager to learn that he opened up to you. The hypocrisy of these institutions really sickens me. The way they turn who you are and what you feel into an 'evil' thing is so wrong. I'm glad you were there for your professor. Loads of ♥ ☀ ✌️ From 🇮🇪

[@kz689]

Thank you for sharing this story 💕

[@stephansong]

Intense story.

[@MantasticHams]

That prof was extremely based and double-gay.

[@ourtravelingzoo3740]

You never forget when you saw this show or movie for the first time. I remember I got up in the middle of the night because I couldn’t sleep. I worked for a cable company and we got everything free. I had missed the very beginning but when this song came on I was mesmerized. I didn’t know what I was watching just that I loved it and cried and laughed. There have been some talented people who played Hedwig after but no one does it like the original.

[@zaasfromparis]

This movie changed my life . I have even have a tattoo of the graffiti in the origin of love

[@LordThree]

Amen. I was having work done on my house back decades ago and this was on, “on demand” for free. I watched it again again again. Such a weird perfect film.

[@sfbuck415]

winding down after a night of partying, just chilling in the late morning with some cannabis and someone brought artisan chocolate to share. as fun as the night was this movie was the most memorable part. and I wish the chocolate wasn't so hard to find because it was the best.

[@lauravazquezgonzalez8207]

I saw it for casuality once. And Noé everytime it ' s play it on tv; I simply can't stop watch it!!

[@RyanOuellette89]

Rosie put this on TV in 1999 - that shit was brave as hell

[@KnivingDispodia]

If someone did this today Ben Shapiro’s head would explode.

[@GallowglassVT]

@@KnivingDispodia we can live in hope.

[@candide1065]

@Gankatron 5000 transphobe bigot

[@pleaserewind295]

I was alive then, and it wasn't actually that crazy to see this on TV in 99. You would be surprised how much interesting stuff used to be on TV.

[@KaceyRepublic]

@Superb Media Content Creator So sorry to learn that happened to you sweetheart. You deserve so much better. We all do.

[@indiahaire165]

It could be because it was one of Hedwig's first performances, but JCM sings this song with such conviction; it's mesmerizing.

[@lorangrishow-schade5803]

India Haire seeb

[@29jduza]

Your mesmerizing

[@mccarthy5825]

JCM was playing Hedwig since 1994 and by this time the Off Broadway show was well established and the album recorded.

[@AdrianLabs]

Almost 20 years, this is timeless, no one better than JCM, love Hedwig!

[@devildoll641]

Agree completely. Love the play and movie.

[@randomhuman4623]

I don't know if you could compare them, as they all have their own interpretation of the character, but JCM's Hedwig is quite beautiful here :)

[@cattycakes64]

John Cameron Mitchell just takes that song to a whole other level here. I just wait for the breaks where his voice soars and I go with him on that journey to a place of truth and beauty.

[@Seers2you24]

Never gets old, it has its own beautiful energy ❤

[@rustbeltprogressive3968]

No one today can even imagine how many lives this show seriously saved just by being so damn good.

[@ronneyrendon]

This song is art.

[@zazuzazz5419]

As Hedwig, John Cameron Mitchell’s presence is at once so vulnerable and so fragile that it reaches into and touches an indestructible part of my heart. His command of the stage (along with his kickass band) frames this unforgettable tableau - this tender, melodic song… a plaintive plea of this wonderful, improbable creature just wanting to be loved. Long live Hedwig and The Angry Inch! ❤️‍🔥

[@adampatricktandy]

Every time life gets hard I always think “if Hedwig can get through this, so can I.” This is such a gift to everyone. Thank goodness for Hedwig. I’d never have gotten this far without her.

[@GothBoyUK]

21 years later and it's New Year's Eve 2020. This still makes me cry like it did back then. 🖤

[@spookyboots32]

It’s NYE 2024 now and same. Same same same. 🖤

[@dani_is_terrible1198]

JCM is the true Hedwig in my opinion. Not just because he was the first it’s because it’s my favorite Rendition of the character, he honestly amazing. Beautiful.

[@theOGofREDS]

Dani_Is_Terrible 1 is it his personal story?

[@dani_is_terrible1198]

Frederick Dominguez No the actual story is made up but he brought life to the character made it feel real.

[@mars-nf9cj]

Personally I thought nph sang this particular song better but I love them both

[@HaunaMyKiki]

@@theOGofREDS It's not his personal story, but he "workshopped" the show in various drag shows and punk clubs for years, and basically built Hedwig's story from the ground up. He _knows_ Hedwig better than anyone else.

[@herpderp4202]

@@mars-nf9cj NPH is talented for sure and his version of the song is good but JCM really makes you feel it more.. In my opinion anyways

[@SickTwistedQueen]

Hedwig never skipped leg day. Legs for days. Legs that won't quit.

[@stephansong]

Wow. Before the movie. That's so great. Stephen riffs hard. Great band. Just perfect.

[@rannierunsfast]

It's a sad story how we became lonely two-legged creatures.

[@GullibleTarget]

But we were connected back to back. Never to look into eachothers eyes. Loneliness is the price we pay in the search of finding the part that is missing. But when we eventually find it, we'll see eye to eye.

[@vizerakth7073]

Fun Fact: The song is actually about one of the speeches in Plato's Symposium where different characters attempt to describe and define love. :D

[@Venixian]

Pay attention to Tommy's version of wicked little town, OP. our missing piece is within us all waiting to be discovered and awakened.

[@smilesheepish9705]

that's what this movie is trying to say but where do we go after this

[@vigwig]

Half my user name is dedicated to Hedwig. Love JCM

[@gpeddino]

I love that that excerpt at 5:30 was actually used in the movie.

[@RaniiGo]

Gui Porto hmm?? I don't remember this in the movie. where was it?

[@eunseo_is_good]

😍

[@chloem6506]

Da-eun Kim i don’t remember exactly where, but i believe it’s during that part where Hedwig is gaining more popularity, and they use that clip

[@preciousreyes420]

HAHAHAHAHA YES!!

[@connormcleod6504]

I remember that it’s just before hedwig a lament

[@lauravazquezgonzalez8207]

I love her! I mean John Cameron Mitchell could be a 70's rock star!! It's simply awsome! Bravo, bravooo!! 👏👏👏👏👏

[@yostich69]

Trask and Mitchell need to do something like this again. What a friggin' team. This song should have gone #1 PLATINUM across the WORLD!

[@jakebrantley8889]

I'm sad that it took me so long to find this show.

[@hillaryparness3123]

Jordan, I agree...but I'm obsessed now. I saw it twice with Michael C Hall and he was amazing. I recently saw JCM performing a Hedwig tribute at Town Hall and it was amazing to see him, I had seen him a million times in the movie version.

[@blue-ev1mm]

Me too ㅜㅜ

[@KikiikiKb]

A masterpiece

[@marissablank7561]

This is sexy as hell. Such a great show. Would have loved to see JCM but at least I got to see it on Broadway. The movie is infinitely rewatchable

[@jaylowe2203]

I watched Hedwig & The Angry Inch for the first time a couple of months ago and was automatically drawn to it. I now own this masterpiece and watch it at least twice per week. The songs and lyrics are sheer perfection! Likewise, the actors and the screenwriting, direction in this movie are amazing! Wigs off to John Cameron-Mitchell, Stephen Trask, and Miriam Shor!

[@KnivingDispodia]

It’s such a good film and story. As soon as I first saw it I said “Where the fuck has this been all my life?!”

[@mccarthy5825]

Get the original Off Broadway recording. It's the best by far. My ma got me a copy for like a pound back before the euro because of the cover... A few months later the movie came out.... But my god I knew every single second of that soundtrack. The movie one is nowhere near as good and the revival ones aren't either.the original songs are all available on YT too.

[@wendyadams929]

JCM is the most wonderful and beautiful Hedwig -- off Broadway and on! We're so lucky to have him.

[@nalabees]

After blowing out my cigarette adapter I wore out out my little discman attached to the tape deck driving around endlessly in a '95 civic listening to the album and skipping back 5000x a night to track 2. Good times.

[@justinestes6400]

Not bragging, I read about the film coming out in a local free paper in Indianapolis, IN, and went alone to see it the weekend it opened and was blown away. I had the soundtrack on CD. I saw a stage version of it several years later. He wasn't JCM, but you could feel his connection to the material. I'd go again for sure.

[@_hhh444]

Hedwig is such a beautiful character, I adore her

[@franciscagil836]

omg john cameron mitchell is pure gold, he's a geniussSSSSSSSSS! this song give me chills

[@newsbrian]

Good on Rosie for putting this on TV in 1999...

[@lanceprime3003]

These lyrics are fucking amazing. Like masterpiece type lyrics. :)

[@StoptheInsanityofRegressivism]

Plato's Symposium set to Rock Music. Nice.

[@nicolediazsilhouettes4615]

I knew this movie when I was 12, now with 32 I'm still in love with the performance of JCM

[@4021971]

I can't believe I saw this 20 years ago in NYC. Time flies.

[@Exiled.New.Yorker]

I will never stop regretting I didnt take a night off work to see it before everyone else figured out how awesome it was.

[@SweatyOracle]

This really is the definitive recording of this song.

[@marksinger2360]

While Cheater is good, the movie soundtrack has Bob Mould, who pretty much defines "definitive."

[@douglasstephens6693]

All the songs from this show are so amazing

[@mishmishm7847]

Johnny jaw knee 🤩 As always, you show your talent right out front. This touching hymn is ever so true, each time you sing it . I love it. No matter how strong we are, remember that we are fragile. ⚡ Mish mish

[@bowieaddict3178]

Such a great song!

[@loveinthemidst5841]

Wow. I’ve never seen this particular performance. Brilliant song. Great performance JCM. 💜

[@magnificentfailure2390]

Mad props to Miriam Shor How did I not ever see this before?

[@Laladust]

Exactly, so many of John's performances on youtube either singing with Lena or Rebecca. Warms my heart to see Miriam.

[@diggerhoward4078]

Rosie brought so much Broadway to the entire country!!!

[@archerc4828]

I like this performance too much.

[@alpacaofthemountain8760]

Saw this recently, fantastic musical

[@Erickchicas]

Amazing song, my favorite from hedwig and the angry inch!

[@jhonm6347]

Amazing vocals and such a beautiful song.

[@kmichele66]

I knew John from the neighborhood and saw this show twice! Such an amazing soundtrack...i can't believe it was 20 years ago.

[@gregorygibson3287]

Daytime TV 1999; thank you, Rosie, JCM!

[@tuhsiaofu]

inspiring lyrics and touching voice

[@Polynikes808]

I loved Hedwig and the Angry Inch when it was performed locally in a small theater in Portland, Oregon. I didn’t know anythingabout it, totally floored me. Later watched the movie and loved it too.

[@davepastern]

the original cast rocks! That said NPH is absolutely brilliant too imho!

[@KendricStern]

Ty needed that short hand.

[@giulia2503]

This wonderful piece is so underrated

[@asby11]

Still holds up

[@jquintana9462]

Pure magic! Please make another album! Your voice is so damn good! Hedwig’s future had to be amazing!!!!

[@magnificentfailure2390]

"You was looking at me, I was looking at you..." Poetic licence for the win

[@nightofshanghai]

incredible performance !

[@Tinto4]

been trying to learn this for a while and really enjoyed seeing this performance with the guitar closeups. Beautiful song.

[@nnjxandcf]

这首歌简直太好听了，这个版本是听过的最好的版本，没有之一！！！！！！赞赞赞！

[@geekthegirl6961]

You are a genius JCM. And a shout out to the fantastic Miriam Shor! Yitzhak!

[@danweaver8983]

I never see Trask get enough attention for his sizable contribution to this show.

[@Laladust]

Miriam was the best Yitzhak, and I wish she stayed with the role longer.

[@craiger2399]

JCM has flawless "I hate you, now screw me" face.

[@sullivansmith7574]

Bloody beautiful

[@tarync6539]

I was a closeted 12yo when i discovered this and i would watch in secret cause 20 years ago school was brutal even if you denied being gay they still made your life miserable but kids don't understand and i dont hold it against any of them it was a diffrent time a diffrent life

[@TheBrsl]

👏👏👏👏👏 It s the fiestas time I watch this live performance. I love It!!! Hedwig 😍😍😍😍

[@NRD1985]

Still love this, so much.

[@robertmaynard4265]

I love 💖💖 you Rosie

[@huemann3416]

Thank you.

[@brianbrenton1025]

One way or the other, she is the mother of us all.

[@Obbe79]

What an exceptional performance!

[@DontDoSadness91]

Funny she talked of the movie and the end was in the movie!

[@robertmaynard4265]

We need love

[@ppy7531]

Fabulous!

[@Vaerah]

Awesome. I really like Lena Hall's performance too, even though I know this is the age of "no, that one sucks!" even though there's no intent to compare.

[@GullibleTarget]

Hedwig got so angry over that word, I remember. ' the Cyrus' i need to see the movie again

[@GullibleTarget]

@Sparrow Heart that was Hedwig's whole problem. She sung Osiris and the rest was like ' and the Cyrus. ' and she lost it. It wasn't until I remembered the legend of Osiris and Isis and now understand the significance. Osiris was tricked by his brother and murdered and cut into many pieces. Isis spent eons finding all those pieces and put her Osiris back together. She brought him back to life but there was one piece missing: Osiris penis. It was somewhere in the Nile, perpetually inseminating the land and making it fertile. Hedwig was also looking for love and (s)he was cut into pieces and she never got back what she had given: love.

[@zazuzazz5419]

Osiris.

[@tanaka1544]

I found this video now. Thanks for KZbin algorithm...

[@yourloveriswild7533]

Yessss!!!! Give it to me!!!!😻😻😻😘😘😘😘😘🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿🤞🏿

[@IamLeezie]

always the original is the best!!

[@hyeinkim1073]

Jihyun Lee couldn't agree more

[@laurawesoff5732]

Jihyun Lee For Hedwig, yes.

[@randomhuman4623]

For me, NPH was the original, as it was the first version I listened to. However, I can't say he or JCM is the best, as they have their own flare and interpretation. Neither is better, both wonderful on their own :)

[@utamasatu2739]

Lyrics When the earth was still flat And clouds made of fire And mountains stretched up from the sky, sometimes higher Folks roamed the earth like big rolling kegs They had two sets of arms They had two sets of hands They had two faces peearing out of one giant head So they could watch all around them as they talked while they read And then never knew nothing of love It was before, oh The origin of love The origin of love Now there were three sexes then One that looked like two men glued up back to back They called them children of the sun And similar in shape and girth Was the children of the earth They looked like two girls rolled up in one But the children of the moon was like a fork shoved on a spoon They was part-sun part-earth part-daughter part-son Oh The origin of love Now the gods grew quite scared Of our strength and defiance and thor said "I'm gonna kill them all with my hammer Like i killed the giants" But zeus said "no, you'd better let me Use my lightning like scissors Like i cut the legs off the whales Dinosaurs into lizards" And then he grabbed up some bolts And with a deep mighty laugh Said "i'll cut them right down the middle Gonna split them right up in half" And then storm clouds gathered above Into great balls of fire And then fire shot down from the sky in bolts Like shining blades of a knife And they ripped right through the flesh Of the children of the sun and the moon and the earth And some indian god sewed the wound up to a hole Pulled it 'round to our belly to remind us of the price we pay And osiris, and the gods of the nile gathered up a big storm To blow a hurricane To scatter us away In a flood of wind and rain A sea of tidal waves To wash us all away And if we don't behave They'll cut us down again And we'll be hopping 'round on one foot Looking through one eye The last time i saw you We'd just split in two You was looking at me I was looking at you You had a way so familiar, i could not recognize 'Cause you had blood in your face I had blood in my eyes But i could swear by your expression That the pain down in your soul was the same As the one down in mine That's the pain That cuts a straight line down through the heart We call it love We wrapped our arms 'round eachother Tried to shove ourselves back together We was making love, making love It was a cold dark evening such a long time ago When by the mighty hand of job It was a sad story how we became lonely two-legged creatures The story of the origin of love That's the origin of love The origin of love The origin of love That's the origin of love

[@clintstewart5545]

THANK YOU

[@brunoreis1096]

Sempre linda! Inesquecível canção. 🇧🇷😘😔

[@chrisridenhour]

Tenacious D really needs to cover this song

[@tanzanite2687]

I got wonderboy vibes from this

[@tuezmoi]

I love Miriam soooo much!

[@emilypomykala3399]

JCM is the only Hedwig. Truly.

[@LuisFernandez-zx1tt]

Que buena version.....poderoza hedwing

[@helyanwesexton5508]

Love it!

[@twelvestepcorky]

Fantastic

[@ぬっくんぬくぬく]

I love

[@인간-x3z]

BLILLIANT

[@craigrobinson3069]

Still better than so much of what is offered today.

[@luisgem]

It waaas before, the origin of love!

[@huemann3416]

Beautiful song!!!!! And she’s amazing with the vocals!!!! When is the next album coming out?

[@Laladust]

I've seen several of John's performances, but none with OG original and best Yitzhak, Miriam Shore. Lena and Rebecca are great, but Miriam and John are the true Hedwig and Yitzhak. Yitzhaks costume has also NEVER looked as good as Miriam's version does.

[@activistmalpractice]

I couldn't be more heterosexual, yet I love this.

[@nejimtroncoso7312]

💚💛🧡❤💙💜🖤

[@juanc.fuentesurra8926]

WOW

[@joanjettboy]

💖

[@archerc4828]

That boy/girl can sing

[@archerc4828]

Fierce

[@Yun-d3j]

진짜 미치게 좋음

[@tspan9634]

real rock

[@ActuallyNotMyName]

Did Cher ever sing this? Because Cher needs to sing this.

[@lilith2598]

this song is so sad

[@diogogomes7244]

Muito foda ❤️