John Barrowman - I Am What I Am

[@angusdunn474]

I am recovering from a nervous breakdown. This song means everything to me

[@ros8986]

it is a wonderful song brilliantly performed. I also love his performance of "From a Distance"

[@irenastanczyk8293]

Best version ever John!! Love it…

[@darrenm7064]

The emotive power is so vocally thrilling to hear, listen & admire

[@pianoman551000]

One of the greatest torch songs ever written!!

[@angelman51266]

Best ever version, John B.

[@molliecoyle]

this year,he was in la cage aux folles for about 3 weeks,i saw him in his second preforemance,it was one of the best things i have ever seen or heard,(and i have seen around 13 west end shows) this is only a fraction of how good it was live

[@adamps16]

Amazing Performance the power of his voice realy shines threw in that performance as well

[@b4k4chan]

@freakenproduction Maybe those 25 people are too jealous of his awesomeness.

[@claudial.1268]

Wow. That's how this song should be sung, with all the anger, the power and the verve!

[@sshowgirl933]

i agree

[@samiakhtar6896]

हम

[@alain6983]

Such a pity that the original singer is such a homophobe. Double pity is that she is a black person who suffered from discrimination, not for for what she did, but for what she was. She knew better, still... So sad.

[@Sahtumy]

He is so right: "There's just one life, and there's no return and no deposit".

[@bunkyman8097]

Sung by a man who walks the walk and talks the talk. Bravo John, you sing for us all!!! P.S. This is a stunning arrangement of this song.

[@Stump2502]

18 people need to watch which button their pressing, they missed the Like! I've loved Mr Barrowman for a long time just for the fact he lives as he is and doesn't feel the need to change. Inspiring.

[@OkayMaybe-vq4yr]

John is a very good guy. He gave me such a good strong hug at a con. It's sad-- he is a good guy!

[@geowynleda4641]

This man really knows how to sing, he gets into the song and understands it.

[@mc2.026]

I am what I am I am my own special creation So come take a look Give me the hook or the ovation It's my world that I want to have a little pride in My world, and it's not a place I have to hide in Life's not worth a damn 'Till you can say "Hey World, I am what I am." I am what I am I don't want praise, I dont want pity I bang my own drum Some think it's noise I think its pretty And so what, if I love each sparkle and each bangle Why not try to see things from a different angle Your life is a sham 'Till you can shout out loud I am what I am I am what I am And what I am needs no excuses I deal my own deck Sometimes the aces, sometimes the deuces There's one life, and there's no return and no deposit; One life, so it's time to open up your closet Life's not worth a damn 'Till you can say "Hey world, I am what I am."

[@Timhey0912]

My favorite performance of this song. John sang it for me and all of us, who have lived with the shame that was poured on us from truly ignorant people. No more ignorance, no more!

[@PABWECG]

And here I am, smiling and smiling...feeling so good about my life...thank you, AGAIN, John for bringing this good mood to my life!

[@michaellatoria9500]

The most talented man, he can do it all.

[@adenoidhinkel4172]

This song can relate to anybody who's ever felt different or out of place. A lot of people try to attach it purely to sexuality but truly this is just a lovely song about loving yourself, and deciding that nobody is going to change who you are, no matter what you are. Beautiful

[@romanromano4338]

True. I totally agree with you.

[@jasonbolding3481]

"Trying to attach to Sexuality" ignores that it is explicitly what the song is about

[@matthewlucas4990]

It's a gay anthem written by a gay author to be in a show exclusively about homosexuality. Its attachment to sexuality is put there by the author, not attached later by the audience.

[@james2578]

beautifully put hinkel

[@zyxw2024]

Obviously you're unaware that the song is about a homosexual man singing I Am What I Am. It's about his sexual orientation. It's about DRAG.

[@SouthernMusicMan1966]

If there was ever a PERFECT performance of this song, this one is it. STUNNING!

[@loserlikeme11]

Best version I've heard him do of this. Long live the captain!

[@joker3394]

I absolutely LOVE your version of this wonderful song! I wish it would be available on spotify..

[@johnpetry5321]

Trump, as usual, is mistaken about the Gay Anthem. This is the Gay Anthem, not YMCA. YMCA is a song played at heterosexual marriage reception parties.

[@bimba2021]

@Rao16026 - He's been a leading man in the musical theatre world in the West End - UK primarily for over twenty years, but also on Broadway. He's not just "Captain Jack" in Torchwood, this guy is a multi-talented entertainer.

[@WilliamPierce38]

This song brings tears to my eyes. Wish everyone felt this way. Just be yourself regardless of what you are

[@UncleDavesKitchen]

me, too

[@SennaLuna]

this could be the theme of anyone who isn't conforming to the norm, especially LGBT

[@tombritain515]

This is a good protest song, especially when sung with passion.

[@PABWECG]

I need to listen to this every day...it never fails to lift me up, and makes me want to stand up and LIVE my life. Thank you JB, for this incredible rendition.

[@Genq74]

I would say he is what he is and all that I could want in a man.

[@Hyouyuri]

I started crying because he's so perfect....

[@nickyredfern5481]

In every note there's a masterclass.

[@SocialAlchemyProject]

Just so beautifully magnificent. I love John Barrowman. Tyler Lord Hamilton

[@Tom6093]

I am a Presbyterian , A strait guy . But gay people are awesome !!!!!!!

[@coalwood7274]

Okay. I'm real and honest enough to proudly admit: this guy took this song to be Powerful. It wasn't about He/She S*it. Bravo.BRAVO

[@WildWildWest30000]

think I just fell in love lol

[@김상훈-k5c6k]

Tara LS I am sorry but he is homosexual...

[@hannahc-r2901]

Oh My Gosh, how can one person have so much talent??? John barrowman is awesome, he is the true JB, not justin bieber! I love how he really mean every word he says!!!

[@PadfootLivesFree]

He's so amazing!!! Scott's a lucky freakin man!

[@xxaichmophobia]

Oh, my God. I could practically /taste/ the emotion spilling from him in this one. I much prefer this performance to the one from The Sound of Musicals.

[@octogarden72]

the best thing Ive seen on y-tube. more please.

[@treadingtheboards2875]

I've seen this video a number of time over the past few years and used it to teach me how to sing it properly. I performed it at a stage musicals concert run by a new community theatre company a few weeks ago. I am fully straight but a couple of my gay friends in the audience said that I had them believing I was on their side.

[@charleshudson5330]

Great performance, of anthem song. One life. No return. No deposit.

[@PABWECG]

I love John singing...but this has got to be one of his VERY best!! Love this. He sings it with such authenticity.

[@bjam89]

tom cruise wishes he was this awesome

[@AlanWJDonald]

I could watch this on repeat far too many times. He has sung this endlessly and I've seen him do it live but for me this is his (and for my money THE) definitive version. I love the uncomfortable, shameful beginning full of repression and intensity that builds into anger before finally exploding into joyous showmanship at the end. Simply perfect.

[@sailorsally]

Happy #PrideMonth everyone ☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆.。.:*・°☆

[@81sabriel]

He actually has a scottish accent. He's bidialectual (his own word), which means he can switch on and off his accent when needed just like another language. He got made fun of for his scottish accent and taught himself to "speak american" I met him a month back and he told me about it. It's really cool, and i'm sure you could find a video of him showing others this since he's asked all the time :)

[@Sunnyrea37]

Holy shit the man has a fabulous voice and he can really project!

[@allisong6]

you know straight or gay who gives a damb! how many people can stand up and say hey deal with it. maybe if everyone listened to the lyrics and understood what they mean the world would be a bit kinder. john ur a ickle star we love you xx

[@Phoenix7813]

@LaBelleOfTheBall2 Amen. Some of my less tolerant friends can only see the 'gayness' in this song but.. it's so much more than that. It applies to every single person. I wish we all had the strength to be who we really are. It's sad to think how many people hide themselves from the world. I know I used to. No longer... hence the listening of this today. :D

[@fakechildhood]

ugh. i want to marry him. or own him. or hang out with him. or be a pair of his pants. something. just ... something.

[@lizzyway218]

i love this bloke. end of.

[@emmettmcintyre9607]

I just stumbled on these John Barrowman performamces. He is fabulous in Spring Time For Hitler. I met him and we spoke briefly at a Starbucks in Earls Court years ago. A real stunner.

He looks dead serious and a tad nervous at the beginning, then he really starts to get into it ;D

[@BruceSullivan5]

This is the best version

[@sebastianflash64]

talent ! hes got it allright.good on him.

[@irenastanczyk8293]

In my opinion, this is the BEST ever version of this song

[@harrypotterfantng]

This guy is my favorite person!

[@Loveboylove1989]

He's just awesome. Wow can he sing.

[@marcalexanderraison2724]

I've watched several versions of this song, pero dito ako sa isang 'to naiyak. 😢🇵🇭

[@americogomez6435]

PHENOMENAL!!!

[@knpeter9490]

Literal goose bumps.

[@specialkrj]

I've met him as well, and he was a complete sweetheart. People have bad days. Most people aren't expected to sign a bunch of things and take photos with fans even on their bad days.

[@Zugardad]

This I consider the most touching and humane performance of this song. This made my heart ache, celebrate and embrace my own personal life. Thank You very much Mr John Barrowman!!!!!

[@colinradburn7381]

he is NOT american!! He is Scottish! he moved to america when he was 7/8

[@GabrielleVmk]

if you don't like barrowman, i don't like you

[@fromme2y0u]

I like this version of "I Am What I Am." No, scratch that, I LOVE it. It has so much raw emotion, the words become so much more powerful. Pity it's not on Broadway any more. =/

[@Bruthole]

You can tell he's influenced by George Hearn's performance of the song

[@sch98]

John really knocked it out of the park!

[@dougulwick6111]

RIP Jerry Herman

[@irenastanczyk8293]

I love your rendition, John. Brilliant stuff...

[@jolan7991]

Think you ❤️

[@ZoryaTwist]

of all the great performers who have done this song somehow i find his version the most pleasurable i don't know why

[@mstricky1]

fabulous

[@KCMariePandell]

I love when he lets himself get in to it, full voice, full body. So spectacular to watch.

[@misstrillian]

I love his voice but the “hey” at 1:14 gets me every time 😂

[@Elphiyero10]

I have a deep undying love for this man.

[@GoogleUser-dwcy]

*I Am What I Am* - Lyrics as sung by John Barrowman I am what I am. I am my own special creation. So, come take a look, Give me the hook or the ovation. It's my world that I want to have a little pride in. My world, and it's not a place I have to hide in. Life's not worth a damn Till' you can say: "Hey world, I am what I am!" I am what I am. I don't want praise, I don't want pity. I bang my own drums, Some think it's noise, I think it's pretty. And so what, if I love each feather and each spangle? Why not try to see things from a different angle? Life's not worth a damn Till' you can shout out loud: "I am what I am!" I am what I am. And what I am needs no excuses. I deal my own deck, Sometimes the aces, sometimes the deuces. There's one life, and there's no return and no deposit. One life, and it's time to open up your closet. Life's not worth a damn Till' you can say: "Hey world, I am what I am!"

[@DSBthevoice]

excellent and singing an arrangement very similar to Dame Shirley Bassey's 1984 version as well .. Fab

[@TheGottaloveme55]

Hey Sarcastic person!!! Anyway he was a jerk that day. I'm not sure if that's how he acts everyday because I'm not gonna lie, I'm not the nicest some days as well. I was kinda mad since I had just come home from the convention and it ticked me off because some of my online friends said they didn't have a good experience either. But since I have a life and I don't feel like fighting with you forever, Okay!!

[@TheGottaloveme55]

Actually not really, he was there earlier than we were and he was seen a couple of times walking around backstage. By the way, I asked myself that a couple of times. I actually waited for longer than 5 hours but deducted the time that I understood (Like lunch and the average time running late, possibly if he had to take care of something). And I'm positive that if one of his family members had passed we would have either been told or something would be online. And yeah I know lol

[@Cptjackjacky]

maybe a 13 year old girl bugging him for a photo when he's a had such a bad day that's caused him to be five hours late, was not what he wanted. I've met him at a signing, and he's a lovely man, he even obliged when I asked for a kiss, which made my day, he is one of the nicest guys I have ever met, and I'm an 18 year old guy, because that's obviously so important to state, as you have demonstrated.

[@Mumsieish]

@GBEHNCP I don't want to speak out of turn here at all, but it has to be said that you have clearly missed the whole point about this song along with 22 others! Your opposing (top comment) argument now stands at 56 and you can you add me to that list. You are clearly looking for the ovation which rarely happens in the real world and sometimes banging your own drum ain't all it's cracked up to be but it needs no excuses if that is your choice !! We are what we are and therefore we are all equal!

[@Emrys91]

i sung this for my final performecn at acting college and i should stres that i am not a singer at all and iv never had training but when i herd john singing this song i fell in love with it and as ppl thought i was a bit wird cos i am diffrnt then the norm but this song ment the world to me as i ment every word yes i am diffrent and yes i have a med con but that dont define me I am who i am and if you dont like it then so wt I AM WHAT I AM and all ways will be :D

[@iamthestarlight001]

@drpicard same! he his such an insperation in a play i'm doing i'm playing a drag queen a lot like albin and i'm using john's perfomance of albin in la cage folles and baing on that coz this is gonna sound weird but i'm a girl playing a man whose trying to be a woman and i have no other idea of how drag queen act don't asked me to explian it too comipcated (sorry about spelling)

[@2HonestIam]

Not very good is he?as with most modern day musical singers,he is positively amateur sounding!If he wasn't gay and had screen hair and teeth he'd be in the chorus of the local theatre company,lucky for him the West End and TV is run by mostly gay men especially the BBC.Dr.Who/Torchwood/RussellT. Davies?I rest my case they leave any shit on the Beeb if its done by a gay man,its the same as sexism and racism in the workplace.This guy would never be good enough for a big band if he wasn't a name.

[@Limpandtotheleft]

The song may have been appropriated by the 'gay industry', I'm not sure it was meant that way. After watching the London show at the Palladium in the 1980s, and it was a stunning show, I was more of the view that it was more about cross-dressing than being gay. I s'pose you could also argue that Albin is hiding his gayness under a frick. But, again, if you think DSB doesn't sing this song with a great deal of emotion, perhaps you need to revisit a dictionary to check out what emotion means.

[@NotaFro]

Well, his version of Albin was very different. the entire play was different. Neither better, nor worse. I've decided I like Simon Burke - seems to be a nice bloke. John got the giggles halfway through 'cos there was this woman on one of the tables very clearly looking up the cagelles skirts (leaning on the stage and everything). I'm going to post a review at some point if you want to see that, I'll be able to go into more detail, obviously (I really won't be offended if you choose not to)

[@NotaFro]

Ah, well I was going through my Michael Ball phase, which is probably why I wasn't very interested in the others. It was only when I googled him that I found out he was (and is) an Aussie. I was rather surprised. If I only had £3 I would be devastated! I love London and would hate to be unable to go, especially to the theatres. I genuinely hope you find a way of seeing him in the role.

[@NotaFro]

Well, here's another essay. That's a real shame! Trips to La Cage are rapidly emptying my pockets too. I'll have to tell you what I think. Roger Allam has a superb voice and is great at playing an aging, OTT queen. I wasn't very aware of Philip Quast before I saw the show. I'd seen him as Javert in the 10 year anniversary concert, but wasn't paying much attention (Michael Ball). His range is amazing! My favourite bit of vocal work is when he's singing the La da da da bit in Song by the Sand.

[@gemzenaaa]

Saw him in la cage last week

[@Gambit4200]

The point is: You are a 13 year old girl, and he has his adult issues to deal with. Ask yourself WHY he came 5 hours late... for all you know, a dear family member had passed away and he had spent 4 and a bit hours trying to digest the information. Also: You're a girl... he's not into girls, no matter the age lol

[@Georgeofdajunel]

i just did a massive profomance infront of my entire school of a comedy act. and after i felt like i was on top of the world. that theres nothing i could tackle and then i read on facebook, someone commented on a status that i was shit. this song really sums up my feelings. but if i sang it now it would have a bunch of sobs in it.

[@NotaFro]

He managed to pull through it and it didn't detract from the performance because it happened during the audience interaction. Anyway, my review isn't very good. I'll upload it and maybe make a new one later. It wasn't that busy, but it was the Thursday matinee, so I didn't really expect it to be (explained in vid)

[@bimba2021]

What, Ecci? He's fully alive, and singing, acting, and preparing for his end of summer concerts and for a stint as Albin/Zaza in La Cage aux Folles in London's West End from mid-September 2009 until end of November 2009. Are you nuts posting this rubbish? Don't start rumors like this, it's NOT funny...

[@bookwormx221]

i love this song but there is another where he sings the same song much slower in some parts and faster in others. the timing is different. anyway i like that one better. in this one he seems angry in the other one he seems happy. i think this one is worse. take alook at the other one and you'll see what i mean.

[@deeplyconfused13]

Yeah timewitch, but I think that's only him acting scared. It looks like that's meant to be part of his version of the song, e.g. to start off scared and then become passionate and brave, to give the song more emotion. I cant imagine John actually being scared and showing it, because I've never ever seen him act like that before on stage at any point, he's far too experienced.

[@setamonkeytoy]

lol i think tom cruise wishes he was less like john barrowman

[@bhbarber12]

@LaBelleOfTheBall2, he said as many, not the same. i don't think gay men go through the exact same problems as other gay men do. i think that would be confining gay men as predictable and pitiable. i'm sure those are words that hurt more that the F word, or Q word.

[@Sethereth]

RESPECT Brilliant answer, first-class perception - you agree from me ne 1 with starlet! I would say EXACTLY this, Barromann wants to provide us with it! One is what one is and this is okay. And who does not manage with it is to blame just! Exactly SO it looks! Lg Sethereth

[@NotaFro]

(cont. after accident) Jason Pennycooke (Jacob - one of my favourites) are hilarious! Seeing the matinee on Saturday, which'll be the 6th time for me. I'm terribly sorry, this seems to have turned into quite an epic and pointless response. Basically, I'm agreeing with you.

[@MusicalBob]

I know what you meen.. i prefer the other one too But im guessing this one is supost to be more in the style of the actual musical its from, and the charactor would be angry in it.. but yeah.. i know what you meen.. i love this song.. mainly from his other performance!

[@riversong6000]

obviously you didnt listen to the lyrics.....this message/ the lyrics are very intelligent and its a wonderful saying the acceptance is a wonderful thing.....u think acceptance is stupid that is just sad.....no offense on your opinions but.....really?