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The original 1978 Broadway cast recording of Stephen Schwartz's Working has long been awaited on CD, and this great-sounding 2001 release proves it was worth the wait. Surely one of the more unlikely sources for a musical was Studs Terkel's 1972 book that compiled interviews of American working people discussing their jobs and what they liked and disliked about them. Schwartz transformed these interviews into a series of songs written by himself, Craig Carnelia, Mary Rodgers and Susan Birkenhead, Micki Grant, and pop singer James Taylor, and accordingly the variety of songs is as great as the variety of the workers featured. There's the lyric beauty of "The Mason," the rueful "Just a Housewife," the retiree's wry "Joe," the waitress's lilting "It's an Art," Taylor's pop-country "Brother Trucker," and the powerful emotion of "Fathers and Sons," realized by a compelling cast that features David Patrick Kelly, Joe Mantegna, Bob Gunton, and Lynne Thigpen, among others.

Six bonus tracks include a new version of the grocery checker song written for the 1999 L.A. Theatreworks production, Carnelia and Grant performing their own songs (unfortunately, Grant's track comes from a poor-quality audio source), and Schwartz's moving performance of "Fathers and Sons" from 1999's The Stephen Schwartz Album. Also welcome are 2001 notes from Schwartz paired with 1978 notes from Terkel, and a detailed listing of the composers and performers of each song. Working was filmed for American Playhouse in 1982. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Welcome Release on CD for a Superb Show
The musical Working was (and is) a powerful revue. This new release on CD of the original cast album (plus a generous selection of extra goodies) is a welcome addition from Fynsworth Alley. The album does not capture the full power of the show and the songs (by different composers) do not feel as integrated as they do while watching the show (an experience everyone should be honoured to have). As a performer, Lynne Thigpen, shines the brightest in her two numbers, Cleanin' Women, and the rather sad song sung triumphantly, If I Could've Been (both by Micki Grant and they make up for her song Lovin' Al earlier on the CD). James Taylor scores with Millwork (the most powerful song on the album), Craig Carnelia with Just a Housewife and The Mason, and Stephen Schwartz with Fathers and Sons (particulary in the bonus section where he gets to sing it himself). The other songs on the album are hit and miss but this is still a treasure to finally have on CD.

Wonderful! But there are some mediocre songs.
I really love the music to this show. I think that the best of the songs are the ones written by James Taylor and Steven Schwartz, though I love almost all of them. The ones that stick out as being bad are the annoying "Neat to be a Newsboy" and the yet-to-move-me "Nobody Tells Me How." The only bonus tracks I really like are "I'm Just Movin'" and "Hots Michael at the Piano." But the incredible performances of the songs "Millwork", "Fathers and Sons" (gave me goosebumps), "The Mason", and "Un Mejor Dia Vendra" will stick with you forever, and make you want to listen to this wonderful CD again and again. P.S- Lyrics or a description of each charachter singing the songs would have been nice in the CD booklet, but I guess it's too late to ask for that now.

Keep Working!!!
I had the privilege of seeing a production of this wonderful musical at L.A. Valley College in May 2004. I quickly fell in love with the songs and the entire premise of the musical. Now, with this CD, I can finally sing along to all the brilliant songs over and over again, belting them out like there is no tomorrow.

What makes Working so special is that anyone can relate to the lyrics, they are powerful, beautiful, touching, and extremely real. Anyone who has ever worked a day in their life will feel the lyrics hit close to home. Whether you're a housewife, a valet parker, a fireman, a millworker, a teacher, a cleaning woman, or even a hooker, this musical has a place for you, no matter what job you do.The emotion, sincerity, and love expressed in the songs are amazing, and they are all extremely unique and a pure joy to listen to.

All the songs are fantastic but the stand-outs have to be "All the Live Long Day," "Just a Housewife," "If I Could've Been," "It's An Art," "Father's and Sons," "Cleaning Women," and "Something to Point to." I also have a soft spot for "Brother Trucker" and "I'm Just Movin" from the 1999 revival, which I am so grateful is included in this CD. This is a terrific, feel-great album everyone should listen to. Give Working a chance, it's worth it.

a good, if obscure CD
i admit that this is an obscure musical, but nevertheless i found myself in a production of WORKING as Grace, the millworker. upon listening to the cd, i found that each song characterized the character well. the newsboy song is NOT annoying and my favourite songs are "its an art", "cleaning women", "if i could've been" and "lovin al". I would only recommend this CD for a real musical theatre afficionado, as those who don't appreciate the beauty of a musical won't understand these songs.

off the beaten path
I had never heard of this show until I stage managed a musical revue that included "If I Could've Been." That song grew on me, and I finally had to check out the rest of the soundtrack. All of the music on this CD is fantastic, and the lyrics feel sincere, creating beautiful moments for each character. Stephen Schwartz's best decision with this show was collaborating, allowing different composers to bring their own talents and specialties to the music, thus making it more real and less "Broadway." My only criticism is that the liner notes are slim. ... Read more

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A vibrant tribute to MGM's legendary confluence of brains, talent, hard work, ambition--and dare we say it?--massive egos, Singin' in the Rain long ago took its rightful place among the first rank of the studio's dizzying catalog of film musicals. This double-disc, 46-track 50th-anniversary edition features all of the film's familiar songs, as well as numerous outtakes and extended versions, many culled directly from the film's original recording masters. Its second disc also chronicles the film's clever--if studio imposed--self-referential musical gambit of recycling a slate of Arthur Freed/Nacio Herb Brown songs from Metro's first decade by including 14 of the originals, including performances by Jeanette McDonald, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, and Freed himself. Featuring a dozen previously unreleased recordings and an illustrated booklet containing the insightful reminiscences of the film's original writers, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, it's the ultimate musical companion to one of cinema's magical, enduring masterpieces. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (4)

~Moses supposes his toses are Roses~!
This cd is a fabulous addition to a spectacular movie. This cd comes complete with the original recordings and unused songs from the movie. (it also comes w/ the tap sounds). Complete w/ this cd is interesting information on the making of the movie and is sure to delite any fans of Singin' in the Rain!

Does this version have the TAPS???
I am making a request of any one who has heard this new release of my favorite musical, "Singin' in the Rain". Does this new version have the taps? It wouldn't be the same without it, and I would like to know before I buy it. If anybody knows, please tell me (on the review, please). THANK YOU!!

The greatest movie musical of all time now is a superb CD!
Rhino has outdone themselves with this new SINGIN' IN THE RAIN double CD set. They have dramatically improved the sound since the last single CD, and added many tracks that weren't on their first issue. Secondly, someone wisely re-programmed the tracks so that some of the less interesting underscoring cues were moved to a "supplemenary section" on the 2nd disc, so that the listening experience of Disc One is a real treat.

As for the music, it is of course, without peer. You get the great performance from the most beloved movie musical of all time. In addition, Rhino provides the ORIGINAL versions of all the SINGIN' IN THE RAIN songs, including 4 never-before-released tracks from BROADWAY MELODY OF 1936, and an obscure rendition of BEAUTIFUL GIRL sung by someone named Sam Ash (could he be the same guy that owned the music stores???). In any case, for fans of the movie, this is the quintessential soundtrack album. For MGM musical afficianados, this release is a dream come true.

Wonderful!!
I absolutely loved Singin' In The Rain, so to have all of the music in one place was a dream come true. I listen to it over and over, whenever I can! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not to be confused with Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire's 1958 version nor with the Dutch one that briefly played Broadway in 1994, this musical take on Edmond Rostand's classic tale opened on Broadway in 1973. Christopher Plummer plays the titular man with the nose, while Mark Lamos (who'd go on to become a celebrated stage director) and Leigh Beery complete the love triangle at the heart of the show. It's easy to see why this Cyrano, by composer Michael J. Lewis and lyricist Anthony Burgess (yes, the novelist), doesn't get revived much. The songs aren't that memorable. Except, that is, for Beery's splendid "You Have Made Me Love," which should be picked up more often by adventurous cabaret singers. More interestingly, the CD documents almost the entire performance, meaning you get huge chunks of dialogue in addition to the songs. This should be of particular interest to theater students interested in studying Plummer's impressive take on an iconic part. --Elisabeth Vincentelli ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Wonderful!
I first heard this cast recording in 1974.I fell in love with it, and made a taped version.Up til now that old cassette tape has had to make due.I had no idea that they would release this wonderful recording in CD.It just goes to show that good things are worth waiting for.

It is my opinion that this is the best of all musicalizations of Cyrano de Bergerac.The melodies are beautiful, the story line is fun to hear, and Christopher Plummer is a treat as Cyrano.He won the Tony award for his role in this show.

The show did not run long on Broadway, and it is a good example of a score outliving the show. I recommend this CD to anyone who loves the story and enjoys some story line as well as songs on a cast recording.

A Nose By Any Other Name
This is one of my favorite musicals. While it is not a plus to put songs into "Cyrano", this is probably the best example of a nobel try. "Cyrano" as a play is so musical in it's wonderful words that the addition of music is not nesessary. Of course much depends on the translation - I prefer the Burgess version to the familiar Hooker one.There has never been a really successful musical version of "Cyrano". It would take a rare genius to provide one, but any of those would realize that the play really stands on it's own and would only need background music not actual songs. However, this is an excellent way to introduce the original Cyrano to those who would go to a musical but not a straight play. After hearing the CD with some of the scenes acted, it could easily wet the appitite for the original work.

This said, the CD is wonderful, first of all, there is Christopher Plummer, probably the best Cyrano ever (he won a Tony for this role) - evcn better than the famed versions of Jose Farrer. He may not be a great singer (after all he was dubbed in the film "Sound of Music") but there is a lot of the dialogue from the show featuring his electric performance.(Example, the "nose" number) Leigh Berry is a ravishing Roxanna (or Roxanne). What a marvelous voice. (I was lucky to haver seen her in a tour of "Kiss Me Kate" with Robert Goulet). Her numbers alone are reasons to have this recording.

This is not the greatest musical on CD, but it is certainly an enjoyable one. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

It's ok...
I LOVE the musical Once Upon a Mattress, having played Princess Winnifred myself, but Sarah Jessica Parker just doesn't cut it for me. Of course, being a much more recent performance, the sound quality is much higher on this CD than on the original Broadway soundtrack, and some of the orchestrations are better too, but if you want to hear a REAL Princess Fred, buy Carol Burnett's recording. Parker's voice is too sweet and girly to be Fred. Burnett had the part down--wild, belting, exuberant, and bordering on obnoxious. Parker just seems to want to sing pretty--and while she does have a beautiful voice, having a beautiful voice isn't necessarily the top requirement for a Fred. I also don't really like some of the changes in the new Broadway version. Some of the songs really were better before they were "fixed;" they should have been left alone. Anyway, overall, this CD was at least worth my money, and I enjoy listening to it occasionally, but I prefer the original Broadway soundtrack, bad sound quality and all. So, go ahead and buy this CD, but make sure to buy the original too.

Excellent
With gorgeous orchestrations, lovely voices, and Sarah Jessica Parker at her very best, this recording far outshines the original. The entire score is featured here, all done tastefully. It is also worth mentioning that some of the lyrics and orchestrations were updated and sound more contemporary giving the show a greater Broadway feel. Don't waste any more time and BUY this CD. You won't be sorry.

a fine recording; Sarah Jessica Parker tries her best
This cast album to the 1997 Broadway revival of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS is quite enjoyable, though the production itself met with mostly-negative reviews and it quickly shuttered.

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS and the lead role of Princess Winnifred are still largely identified with the legendary Carol Burnett. In this revival, Sarah Jessica Parker gamely attempts to crawl out from under Burnett's shadow, though she doesn't really succeed. Burnett had a seemingly-effortless belty singing voice, wheras Sarah Jessica Parker's light soprano is pretty but not substantial enough for the songs of the boistrous, bombastic Winnifred.

Parker especially struggles with the long, sustained phrases in "Shy" and "Happily Ever After", though her "Swamps of Home" is quite charming. Mary Lou Rosato is perfect for the role of Queen Aggravain, and David Aaron Baker is a fantastic Prince Dauntless.

Jane Krakowski (GRAND HOTEL, NINE) is a breathtaking Lady Larken, ably-partnered by Lewis Cleale as Sir Harry. Their duet of "Yesterday I Loved You" is sublime. The cast also features Heath Lamberts (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST), Lawrence Clayton, Tom Alan Robbins and David Hibbard.

A fine recording but it pales beside the peerless original Broadway cast album with Carol Burnett, Jane White and Joe Bova.

A Great Musical Score for All
Although some may think that Sarah Jessica Parker and her voice is annoying in this musical I don't think anyone else could have done it better. She has that quality that keeps you listening because it is humorous and her voice adds charm to her character. "Shy", "Normandy", and "Happily Ever After", "Spanish Panic" are among my favorites. The entire company has done a marvelous job in this recording of Once Upon a Mattress. I only wish this musical version was out on video. This is a great musical and would be enjoyed by all!!

Sarah Jessica Parker CANNOT sing!
I'm sorry to rate this so low but SJP is horrible. I cringe every time I hear her bark her way through "Shy." Please take my advice and get the old recording with Carol Burnett. She far surpasses SJP in talent, both musically and artistically. ... Read more

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Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, who were protegés of Frank Loesser, composed and wrote lyrics for only two hit shows of their own--The Pajama Game was the other. (Ross died in 1955, shortly after the opening of Damn Yankees.) But what great shows they were, in sensibility and subject matter entrenched in their Eisenhower era, yet eminently revivable today--and as much more than period pieces. Damn Yankees, which was based on Douglas Wallop's novel The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant, neatly combined the national obsession with baseball and its dominant team with the Faust legend. The Devil himself (Ray Walston) offers a middle-aged fan of the Washington Senators the chance to turn into a Mickey Mantle-esque ballplayer (Stephen Douglass) to help his hapless team against those Bronx Bombers. The fan accepts, but with an escape clause in the interest of story-line complications. What makes the plot problematic is not its proven fantasy level; it's that the leading lady, Lola, the Devil's temptress assistant, doesn't appear until way into the first act, and then she is required to dominate the show with just two solos and a couple of duets. Only a star with the guts and stage-holding ability of Gwen Verdon could have managed this in the first place, even though her solos are the estimable "A Little Brains--A Little Talent" and the near-standard "Whatever Lola Wants." Bebe Neuwirth, as Lola, was never able to seize the stage--or the recording--of the 1994 revival, and ultimately that show became about Jerry Lewis as the Devil, for God's sake. Verdon's and Walston's amazing original performances are preserved in the movie version (Tab Hunter took over the ballplayer's role), but this recording is the one to have. The show's breakout hit song, sung by ballplayers and fans, was and is "(You Gotta Have) Heart." Damn Yankees and all its songs have just that. --Robert Windeler ... Read more

Reviews (10)

One of the better 50s musicals
The 50s were arguably one of the best decades in terms of musical theater; it seems like every show to debut during the period is now a standard. Well, maybe not. But Damn Yankees is certainly one of the most consistently popular shows to come out of the era. The show is dumb but fun - the story doesnt make any sense at all, but its great to watch. The score is not really groundbreaking; musically its not very interesting; but it is consistentl;y catchy, bouncy, and brassy, just what's required. I am no fan of The Pajama Game, which makes it all the more surpriseing that Adler and Ross came up with this terrific score so soon after. And let there be no doubt; this is the recording to have, not the revival, which although possessing better sound quality totally lacks the presence of great characters. (Incidentally, if you start to hate a show just because the orchestra scores are difficult, you would find yourself with very few left to like; even a trashy show like Adler & Ross's own Pajama Game has a ludicrously difficult score to play. Believe me.) Anyway, I should point out one more thing. IT always seemed to me like this songwriting team's music often seems highly reminiscent of the work of others. In Pajama Game, for instance, the New Town song near the beginning sounds exactly like the far superior Lonely Town from On the Town. And here, Goodbye Old Girl sounds EXACTLY the same as Joey, Joey, Joey from The Most Happy Fella' - right down to the lyrics! But in any case, this is a terrific bit of broadway nostalgia, and a definite must for any collection.

"Six Months Out of Every Year......."
So begins one of Broadway's most delightful (and successful) musical offerings of the early 50's, DAMN YANKEES, based on the popular novel 'The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant' by Douglass Wallop.

With its immortal, zippy score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, the musical starred the legendary triple-threat Gwen Verdon (in her first leading role following her debut in CAN-CAN) and also featured Ray Walston as the snide 'Devil in Disguise' Mr Applegate.

The cast includes Stephen Douglass (THE GOLDEN APPLE) as well as Rae Allen, who sings the show-stopping "Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo.". Gwen Verdon, in the role of scene-stealing seductress Lola, gets several choice numbers including her now-legendary "Whatever Lola Wants", as well as "A Little Brains, A Little Talent", "Who's Got the Pain?" and "Two Lost Souls". Shannon Bolin (PROMENADE) sings the plaintive cry for attention, "Six Months Out of Every Year".

Although immortalised on screen as well as being revived for Broadway in the 90's, nothing can ever top the original 1955 cast album of DAMN YANKEES in terms of perfection and excitement. Highly-recommended.

Revenge of the Washington Senators
Musical based on a story of a diehard Washington Senator fan, who sells his soul to the devil (with a catch) for a chance to beat the hated NY Yankees. Great music! Will play over and over again.

There Is Nothing Like The Original
One can't go wrong with this one. A classic, which according to the well written liner notes was recorded 3 days after opening night. And, a pit orchestra that sounds like a pit orchestra...before the days of electronic music.

Gwen Verdon and Ray Walston at their Broadway Best
Douglas Wallop's novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant" was turned into the successful musical "Damn Yankees" by the creative team that had produced "The Pajama Game." Featuring music & lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross, both hits were directed by George Abbot and Choreographed by Bob Fosse. For good measure, one of the producers was Harold Prince. All of the above won Tony Awards in 1956 when "Damn Yankees" was named Best Musical, along with Gwen Verdon as Lola for Best Actress, Ray Walston as Mr. Applegate for Best Actor and Russ Brown as Van Buren the Manager for Featured Actor. For Verdon this was her first featured role on Broadway (and second of four Tony Awards), while the devilish Applegate was Walston's signature role for most of his career until he returned to the public's consciousness as Judge Henry Bone on television's "Picket Fences" (The less said about "My Favorite Martian" the better).

"Damn Yankees" combines the Faust myth with the reality of baseball in the 1950s, which meant the New York Yankees where always winning the pennant (they had just won five World Series in a row) while the standard joke about the Washington Senators was that "Washington was first in war, first in peace and last in the American League." Disheartened Senators fan Joe Boyd makes a deal with Mr. Applegate: in exchange for his soul he is transformed into 22 year old Joe Hardy, who will lead his team to the pennant. However, since he is a real estate salesman, Joe works an escape clause in the contract: before September 24th he can change his mind and get his soul back (a whole new meaning to the Trading Deadline I suppose). Applegate sends the lovely Lola to seduce Joe to seal the bargain, and when her attempt fails Applegate has to take more desperate measures to make sure he keeps Joe's soul. The conclusion offers a fair amount of twists and turns before we get to the requisite happy ending.

My major "complaint" about this album is that you if you are not seeing Gwen Verdon strut her stuff when she does her signature song "Whatever Lola Wants," you are simply being shortchanged. Same thing with "A Little Brains--a Little Talent." The woman came alive on stage. Thankfully her performance in this legendary role is captured on film. The score has its fair share of fun tunes, from the well-known "Heart" to "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal, Mo." and "Six Months Out of Every Year." Of the more sentimental tunes, only "Two Lost Souls" stands out. I am always surprised Walston does not have more numbers than "Those Were the Gold Old Days." Applegate is just too good of a character to have only one song. "Damn Yankees" is a fun musical but not a great one, where the performances of the two stars get everything they can from the material and more. Final Notes: Jean Stapleton has a role as one of the Baseball Fans and the film version of "Damn Yankees" is somewhat unique because with the exception of Tab Hunter replacing Stephen Douglass as Joe Hardy the Broadway cast shows made it to Hollywood. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Put them together and you have FALSETTOS...more or less
A few perceptive critics sang the praises of William Finn when MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS opened in 1981. Ten years later the sequel, FALSETTOLAND came along winning more praise for teh composer (and truth be told, his musical talends seem to have developed a lot in those intervening years.) DRG recorded both shows with their off-Broadway casts, and repackaged them in this 2 CD set when the revised Broadway production, FALSETTOS opened to rave reviews in 1992.

These Cds do not fully represent FALSETTOS. There were quite a few lyric changes in the first part (MARCH OF THE FALSETTOS) and the song "I'm Breaking Down" from IN TROUSERS was added. Still, the cast on this set is about as perfect as one could wish for, and DRG offers all the lyrics in the booklet to follow along.

Not all the music is pretty. Some is quite hard to take at times. But it all works in telling a unique story. And the show has not been forgotten: it still gets staged by community theatre groups regularly. It's a shame some people shy away from this one feeling it is a show for "gay" audiences only. It's not. The themes (Live, love, death and other unscheduled events) are universal. You don't have to be gay or jewish to appreciate this wonderful show.

Much fun
These two works are some of the best work written for the American musical stage in the past thirty years, and absolutely are worth listening to again and again. Of the two, "March of the Falsettos" fares better overall than "Falsettoland": the latter has its moments, but is fairly sentimental (although understandably so given the subject matter), and the character of Trina vanishes somewhat from the foreground. But the whole thing is still a joy: the lyrics are almost painfully witty, and the whole thing is filled with tremendous zest and spark.

The cast is terrific, and all the adult male actors have become almost forever associated with their superb performances here. The two Trinas, Alison Frasier and Faith Prince, are quite different, although both are absolutely wonderful in their own fashion: Prince is particularly hilarious in "Year of the Child," and Frasier almost steals "March" from the rest of the cast (which is no small feat). Just listen to the latter on the marvelous little intro to "Please Come to Our House" to see how remarkable this actress can be.

seriously worth all the stars in the world!!
Ever since I recently purchased this CD, this has become my favorite musical theatre piece ever. William Finn's work is an undiscovered gem (by me, at least!) that deserves all the publicity in the world. If you are a musical theatre fan and have a very open mind, you just have to buy this CD and give it a chance. I think this will especially appeal to Sondheim fans, as they seem to write a little similarly. the melodies are BEAUTIFUL and ingeniously crafted, the lyrics seem carefully handpicked, witty, and genious, and the wacky story line is hilarious at first, and then subdues itself into a more somber touching piece in falsettoland. every actor/actress in this cast is phenomenal! alison fraser is amazing!! just get the CD! please!

Thank God... (and William Finn/James Lapine) for this!
How can I tell you how much I adore this musical? It's impossible to put into words how delightful this musical REALLY is! All the lyrics are tinted with a certain taste of raw emotion, sarcasm, wit, irony, and many devices blatantly lacking in some of the Thoroughly Mediocre productions we now have currently playing in theatres everywhere. Young musical writers should look to ingenious Mr. Finn for how to write a great musical. A friend once told me not to buy this saying... "Oh, It's really only for homosexuals." As a straight man, I can't comprehend this! It's such a movie musical... both the story of Jason and his father, and the sorrowful tale of the loss of Whizzer. This musical (two in one actually...) has everything a musical should have: a steady and believable plot, unforgettable characters, humor, pathos, catchy yet intelligent music, and heart.

Powerful musical theater
These two shows are essentially character and relationship studies told through song. There is little plot other than the establishment of four or five key characters. The music is wonderful, but the lyrics are amazing. They are so dense with wit and pathos that I think attending this show live without the libretto you would miss much of what was packed in those lyrics. Sitting in my living room with the (very small print) libretto was a fantatastic experience. While some have said the second show, Falsettoland, is a bit weaker, from a musical perspective I think it is stronger with several outstanding melodies. These are not musicals to play as background music. If you like setting aside an hour and sitting down and and having a completely involving musical experience, buy this. ... Read more

Reviews (18)

The best musical you've never heard of
This show is the longest-running off-broadway musical, and I can't believe I'd never heard of it before. I saw it live at the Edinburgh Festival by the National Student Theater Company and went back twice more. It's funny, clever, and touching without the slighest hint of corn. Love, dating and romance are hardly new topics for musical theatre but the melodies are so memorable and the lyrics so fresh that it will speak to you if you've ever had any kind of experience with love. My favorites are the achingly yearning "I Will Be Loved Tonight," and "We're Married -and We're Gonna Have Sex" which will have you falling out of your seat with laughter. If you love musical theater, get the CD, then get yourself to New York to see this fab, fab show!

A gem!
While living in Westchester County, I happened across this show one night off Broadway. It's a hoot! As the advertisements said, "It's SEINFELD set to music."

THE SHOW:
I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE is a series of songs and sketches (mostly comic) about the interpersonal relationships of life. Act I is about the common and not-so-common mishaps of dating; Act II is about marriage, raising kids, divorce, remarriage, and a number of other topics. Obviously, Act I works as a cohesive whole much better than Act II. The cast is comprised of two women and two men, and the accompaniment is provided by a pianist and a violinist. (When I saw the show, the two instrumentalist were of opposite genders, which they highlighted in a "Battle of the Sexes" rendition of the Entr'acte.)

THE DIALOGUE:
Some sketches are weaker than others. Luckily, the worst sketch, right near the beginning of the show, where a man and woman on a blind date decide that, due to their busy schedules, they will skip some of the traditional awkward moments of the dating process, is not included on the CD. Unfortunately, we don't fare as well with "Satisfaction Guaranteed," which is quite offensive, and is the only completely spoken sketch included on the recording. In my opinion, a better choice for inclusion would have been the poignant soliloquy by the divorced woman at the video dating service....or perhaps the singles club meeting held at Attica State Prison.

THE MUSIC and THE RECORDING:
Of the 19 tracks on the CD, 17 are comedic. Most of the music is fantastic, and the cast members have good voices and great comedic timing. My favorite number has to be "Always A Bridesmaid," a lament by a frequent wedding witness whose hideous gowns have longer lifespans that the marriages to which they were worn. ("For Tabatha, I wore taffeta. You should never: people laugh at ya.") Other favorites include "Single Man Drought," about two women on dates from hell, "Tear Jerk," in which a macho guy gets dragged to a 'chick flick' movie, and "I Can Live With That," the musical conclusion to a great scene where two elderly people flirt at a funeral.

Nothing like it
Oh my gosh! I saw this play at a small theatre in Tennessee. I fell in love with the play. It is one of the best plays of all time. The way the actors here did it I think worked better than the CD cast. The cast on the CD's voices just don't mix as well as they needed to. But non the less it was a awsome show and soundtrack.

There's no need to change this
This is one of the most inventive shows to come to Broadway, with its fabulous soundtrack backing it up. I saw this production over 2 years ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. The songs are just so brilliantly written that you really don't mind having them stuck in your head.
The honesty of the topics that the production shows is mirrored in it's hilarious, witty, and even touching lyrics. Songs like: He Called, Always a Bridesmaid, and Shouldn't I be Less in Love with You, you will be reminded of the lighter sides to dating and, whether or not you are or aren't, marriage.
This is a show that anyone who's ever dated can relate to. It's fun, hilarious, and will put a huge smile on your face!

soo funny
the songs are basically the entire play...so having this CD is just like having the whole play including dialouge ... Read more

Amazon.com

If ever there were a bigger-than-life American figure whose biography seemed custom-written for the Broadway musical stage, it was the legendary showman Phineas T. Barnum. That 1980 musical arrived during one of the Great White Way's most serious, pre-Webbermania doldrums, but its innovative circus-ring staging and buoyant songs helped point the way to the future, garnering 10 Tony Award nominations, winning star Jim Dale the Best Actor Tony for his riveting, tour-de-force performance in the title role and showcasing co-star Glenn Close on her way to Hollywood stardom.

The show's buoyant songs include romantic drama ("The Colors of My Life," "I Like Your Style"), shameless hucksterism (Dale's verbal gymnastics on "Museum Song," a tune whose brisk syllabic gymnastics one-ups even Gilbert and Sullivan), and infectious crowd-pleasers: "Come Follow the Band" and "Join the Circus." This last pair are also featured in previously unreleased demos by composers Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart. Among the other bonus tracks are Coleman's demos for "At Least I Tried" and "So Little Time," songs that were cut before the show's bow on Broadway. This edition includes new notes by star Jim Dale and reminiscences by Coleman. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (9)

One of my favorites
I have a love of obscure musicals, and this has got to be the best show that noone has ever heard of (next to maybe Assassins). I did get to see a community theatre production that, frankly, blew me away, and I instantly fell in love with the character and the show.

You have to see the show to truly appreciate this score. The DVD with Michael Crawford is wonderful, but it really doesn't do it justice; live on stage, it's an incredible infusion of energy and in-your-face theatrical magic. The only show that I've seen that is as magical as "Barnum" is perhaps "Wicked," which benefits from more than two decades of technological advances. It's not really fair to compare the two.

I personally think that "The Colors of My Life," while rather trite, is a wonderfully simple way of showing the contrasting relationship between Barnum and his down-to-earth wife Chairy. The lyrics are very Sondheim-like in their simplicity and symbolism. (See Sondheim's "Sunday in the Park with George" for an example of what I mean; Sondheim is a master of saying mountains with just a few words.)

While that song is nice enough, it's really Jim Dale, the con-man incarnate, that sells it to you. "There Is a Sucker..." is perhaps the gem of the show, but there's plenty more to love. Glenn Close gives a joyfully heart-filled performance in "One Brick at a Time" and the ensemble just sparkles in "Join the Circus" and "Come Follow the Band," which just might be the greatest Act II opening number ever. You'll be singing it for weeks. As if that isn't enough, all of the "specialty" numbers ("Thank God I'm Old," "Bigger Isn't Better," and "Love Makes Such Fools...") are tremendous.

I could probably go through this soundtrack track by track and write why I love each one in particular; that's how great this CD is. However, I have to add a caveat; if you haven't seen the show, it might not mean as much to you as it does to me. If you're thinking about buying it, just buy it; don't worry about thanking me.

If you happen to be a Cy Coleman fan, enjoy the bonus tracks, which are more interesting for historical reasons than musically. Still fun to listen to.

Just like the man: A lot of flash and a bit of humbug
Jim Dale makes this score work. Listen to him sell a "There is a Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute" with a conman's confidence that comes across even on a CD, or check out the verbal gymnastics on the "Museum Song," as quick a bit of patter as you will ever hear in the theater, and you realize that his performance was the reason to see this show.
There are a number of highlights here, Terri White (as Joice Heth George Washington's nanny, one of Barnum's first humbugs) is dynamite singing "Thank God I'm Old," and Leonard John Croffot has fun as Tom Thumb (Bigger Isn't Better"), but it's Dale's contributions that you'll remember.
Unfortunately there are a fair amount of duds in this show as well. Despite Dale's claims to the contrary "Colors of My Life" in any of its variations is syrupy and forgettable, the pseudo-opera of "Love Makes Such Fools of Us All" is almost unbearable and poor Glenn Close gets stuck with almost every other weak song in the show. Luckily she can sing and you'll be able to work your way through the dross to get to Dale's next razzle-dazzle number. BARNUM doesn't have a great score, but it is enjoyable bit of humbug and worth the purchase for fans of the show or anyone who likes to hear a performer at his best.
An interesting extra: Some of Cy Coleman's original demos- a great add on for Broadway fans.

A Nice Musical
When Barnum first opened in 1980, it was acclaimed as the best musical of 1980, the musical amazement. Some critics expected it to sweep the Tony Awards, and it might have if "Evita" hadn't appeared. When the Tony awards were over, Barnum was left with a disappointing three Tony Awards for Best Actor, Best Scenic Design and Best Costumes. Without the Best Musical award it was also left to fall into musical obscurity. This is a shame because it is actually a respectable musical. The musical is definately not perfect. The book was weak and it depended significantly on its star Jim Dale. The reason that you should buy this CD, however, is because the music is actually very good. Cy Coleman provided a strong score that was enhanced by the orchestrations of the incomperable Hersh Kay. Yes, it's true that you can hear stars Jim Dale and Glenn Close strugling to harmonize on some songs, but the energy of their performance is beautiful.

The original recording is very difficult to find and a lot of people end up making the mistake of buying the vastly inferior London cast version with Michael Crawford. It is nice to see that the Broadway version is available again.

a gorgeous score
Cy Coleman and Michael Stewart's BARNUM is one of the most joyful and exciting of all Broadway musicals, which provides a wonderful account of the life of P.T. Barnum, showman extraordinaire.

Jim Dale, as Barnum, is a revelation. He offers a touching rendition of "The Colors of My Life" (the score's singular hit), as well as an energetic "Out There" when he has to decide between a life with his wife or an affair with singing star Jenny Lind.

Glenn Close (in the role that got Hollywood knocking) is a delight as Charity "Chairy" Barnum, the put-upon wife who knows what is best for her husband and tries to steer him along a path that will see him put his dreams aside. She offers her own glowing rendition of "Colors" as well as the jaunty "I Like Your Style" in a duet with Dale; and the show-stopping number "One Brick at a Time" is ably-led by her soaring voice. In 1993, Glenn Close returned to Broadway to star in SUNSET BOULEVARD. Play this recording back-to-back with SUNSET and you will be amazed at the difference in her voice.

Marianne Tatum is given the beautifully-written role of Jenny Lind, the "Swedish nightingale" who steals Barnum away for a torrid affair. She is given the gorgeous "Love Makes Such Fools of Us All", and sings it for all its worth.

Terri White, in her dual-roles of Joice Heth and the leading singer in "Black and White" is given ample time to display her amazing belt. In Joice's number "Thank God I'm Old", she slightly restrains her voice, but in "Black and White", watch out! She lets her voice climb to the rafters and you will be a fan forever.

All-in-all, this superb recording of BARNUM is a must.

Overdue CD of a Great Show
Barnum was the first Broadway show I ever saw and my LP is practically worn out from playing it. I had given up on there ever being a CD and was wonderfully surprised when I decided to try searching again. As another reviewer stated, the wonderful physical nature of the show cannot be translated. It should be noted that the cast included members of the Big Apple Circus and that part of the show included tightrope walking across the stage! The spectacle of the show only lasted as long as Jim Dale kept the title role, unfortunately, and revivals, such as the one with Michael Crawford, are doomed to failure. As such, hearing the CD and picturing Jim Dale and future stars like Glenn Close and Terrence Mann (Les Miserables' Javert) brings back wonderful memories. I am sure that, even without having those memories, anyone will enjoy the music and energy that the soundtrack presents. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Maltby and Shire's ode to impending parenthood Baby follows three expectant couples: unmarried college students (Liz Callaway, Todd Graff), empty nesters (Beth Fowler, James Congdon), and thirtysomethings who have been trying desperately to conceive (Catherine Cox, Martin Vidnovic). As the couples explore their different reactions to their situation, the songs alternate between humor and heart-tugging drama. In "I Want It All," the women weigh what they want out of their pregnancies and subsequent lives, while the men express their pleasure in the funky "Fatherhood Blues."In the emotional centerpiece of the show, "The Story Goes On," Callaway reacts after feeling her baby kick for the first time, while "The Ladies Singing Their Song" takes a gentle poke at well-meaning advice givers (Sondheim's ladies who lunch at a different phase of life). This long-awaited reissue of the 1983 original Broadway cast recording captures Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations of shimmering strings and sassy brass and also includes Fowler's solo "Patterns," a gem cut from the original production. Leading the strong cast is Callaway, who was nominated for a Tony (as was Graff and the show, score, book, director, and choreographer) and who later went on to star on Broadway as Grizabella in Cats, perform voiceovers for animation (Anastasia, the Aladdin sequels), and rerecord "The Story Goes On" as the title track of her 1995 solo album. This Baby is a most welcome arrival. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Baby on Broadway.
This Original Broadway Cast recording of the 1983 production of 'Baby' is a great listen. Having seen the show performed by an amateur company here, this album has been a favourite ever since. It's a pity it only ran for 250 performances when first premiered as it contains a wonderful score by David Shire and Richard Maltby. With a story revolving around three couples who are each expecting a child, the songs range from bright and catchy melodies delivered in a funky Broadway style to more reflective numbers. Highlights include "What Could Be Better", "The Story Goes On", the wonderful ensemble voices on "Baby, Baby, Baby", the dream of a Grammy and a baby in "I Want It All", the poignant study of "Patterns" and the joyful romp of "The Ladies Singing Their Song". A terrific addition to any CD collection.

Good, but not stellar
Okay, so I'll be honest: BABY, when staged, is a bizarre show. It waltzes breezily in and out of the lives of three multi-generational couples as they stumble down the road to parenthood. Oddly, the CD feels more lucid than actually watching the play, primarily because of the excision of various odd bits of dialogue and very odd scene changes.

The music here ranges from soaring torch-songs (Story Goes On) to rock ballads (I Chose Right) to touching duets (With You) to well-written comedy (Ladies Singing Their Song) to down-right badly written numbers such as Fatherhood Blues (which, despite the title, has not one ounce of bluesy feel, which may have well been the point, but was not carried across, and instead plays like one long song from a bad episode of Barney).

The cast is good, but not great; then again, this is a show from one of the transitional seasons on Broadway (when shows started moving away from crooners toward smaller voices) and it shows. Breakouts include Liz Callaway, who has gone on to garner a bit of fame on her own, and Todd Graff, both of whom were nominated for a Tony for this show (though listening to the CD, you won't understand why). Other members of the cast are okay, despite the total lack of vocal emotion of one cast member in particular.

This is a good CD to have simply because of the odd subject matter and presentation (the show starts out with a "Look Who's Talking"-esque sperm-meets-egg sequence). Those who are looking for under-appreciated music would also enjoy this CD as almost all of the above songs deserve a better (or SOME) reputation in musical theatre circles. But one might look for Maltby & Shire compilation discs instead as some of the performances here are mousy, despite the fun, if rather dated and schmaltzy, orchestrations by Broadway guru Jonathan Tunick.

Overall, I'd recommend this CD to die-hard musical buffs, but not to those who still think My Fair Lady starred Audrey Hepburn.

Liz Callaway and the cult Broadway musical
BABY is one of the better musicals of the early 80's, with a superb score by David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr. It was the Broadway debut of powerhouse belter Liz Callaway, and also featured prime turns from Todd Graff, Kim Criswell and Beth Fowler (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, THE BOY FROM OZ). The score is best-remembered for the ravishing "The Story Goes On", though also includes the achingly beautiful "Patterns". The story follows three couples and their experiences during the trials and trevails of having a baby. Such a crime that the original production didn't run longer than it did. One of Broadway's most unappreciated musicals and worthy of a revival.

Closer than never.
This isn't BIG.
This isn't CLOSER THAN EVER.
This certainly isn't STARTING HERE, STARTING NOW.
Liz Callaway soars. Although the ballads are nice (especially 'The Story Goes On'), songs like 'Patterns' and the woman that performs them just break my ears. This certainly isn't the Maltby and Shire I was expecting.
But, hey, it's up to you.

What Could Be Better?
Baby is an underappreciated musical theater gem from the 83-84 season. The songs by Maltby/Shire are tuneful and fun, and the orchestrations bright. Numbers such as What Could Be Better?, I Chose Right, The Story Goes On, The Ladies Singing Their Song, and Two People In Love are some of the best American musical songs of the 80s. This CD is also a must due to it being the first major role for Liz Callaway, one of today's best singers and actors in theater. She shines and Liz and Todd Graff obtained Tony Award nominations for this show. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

This is the RENT experience without the experience....
This CD is a great CD...of course any CD with La Vie Boheme on it is great!...but this CD is more what I'd call 'the experience without the experience.' It's like when you go to a sushi bar for the first time with a friend and order the Kappa Maki (which is a cucumber roll) because you don't want to try real sushi...you're getting a sushi roll, but not the 'real' stuff...the experience without the experience. In the same way, this is only a taste of the true beauty of RENT. If you're skeptical about buying the 2-CD full version of RENT...don't be. But if you're very skeptical and still want to buy this CD (which is great), I still support it. But in the same way as the sushi example, this isn't the 'real' RENT...it's just the Kappa Maki-or a cheaper version of the original. No, I'm not saying this CD is cheap by any means (nor that it's sushi...)...It's awesome! It has some of the best songs from RENT. But if you want even better, spend the extra money for an even more wonderful RENT! Enjoy! (LISTEN TO LA VIE BOHEME OVER AND OVER! )

A little more RENT, please!
I love RENT. The Best of RENT is well recorded, well sung, great cast, et cetra, et cetra. The complaint I have, as I believe many other do, is that some of the best songs were cut. No Happy New Year, none of the voicemail or tune-ups. I would recomend springing for the entire CD. You'll end up buying it anyway when you discover your favorite song isn't included on the Best Of...

Not what i expected
Being a total RentHead, I looked up RENT online. "The Best of RENT" came up. I checked it out, and I found that it is not the "best of Rent." Yes, there are some good songs on this CD, but some of the songs aren't that great, in my opinion. There are some of the greatest songs missing, such as "Goodbye, Love", and there are some songs that should not be on it, such as "Will I."

I'm not saying it's bad or anything, I'm just saying that it's missing some key elements that make RENT so incredible.

Forget regret or life is yours to miss
after one of my friend basically forced me to buy this cd. i basically fell immediately in love with the catchy tunes. songs like "tango maureen" and "today for you" will have you up and dancing. my favorite songs include "life lines" and "la vie bohem" my parents did not like the show, so its more towards a younger crowd, id say children of the 80's, but other then that id still recomend it to anyone.

Great, except...
Great, except for there's no contact. Also, what about 'You okay Honey?' Oh well... Go buy the 2 disks... Lyrics... Pictures... (Squeggie man!) ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Molly Gallagher Levi?
Well, fellas, RCA Victor has given us the "Broadway Deluxe Collector's Edition" of "Hello, Dolly!" and its almost a "wow." The new remastering is a slight improvement over the original CD release, but the small error in "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" hasn't been fixed. I suppose after 39 years the mistake is part of "Dolly!" cast album mystique. However, it shows the lack of attention to detail that mars this new edition. (Sony has it all over RCA in this respect.) On page 10 of the album's new booklet the title character of the musical is identified as Molly Gallagher Levi. Adding insult to injury, the "M," the first letter of the first word of the paragraph, is about four times larger than the other letters. Yes, it's fun to hear the Mary Martin, Pearl Bailey and Ethel Merman tracks, but they are hardly rare recordings. What about the "lost" "Dolly!" songs, tunes that were discarded from the show on its rough road to Broadway smashdom? "Hello, Dolly!" will always be a five-star cast recording and the highlight of this new edition is the brand new -- and totally captivating -- Carol Channing interview (tracks 20-26). The 1964 original cast recording (on LP, original CD and now deluxe CD) remains a five-star achievement because you can't improve on its "opening night" freshness and energy. However, I had hoped this new "Deluxe Edition" would be a bit more deluxe. It demands color photos and an interview with the great Jerry Herman!

The epitome of 1960s Broadway
HELLO DOLLY! is not the best musical Bradway has ever produced. It was not even the Best musical of the 1960s - but it has that brassy broadway sound that many people associate with the Great White Way.

This remastered original cast album sounds just fine, but then so did the previous Cd release. The "Bonus Tracks" provide welcome samples of Pearl Bailey, Mary Martin and Ethel Merman in the role, but the part still belongs to Carol Channing.

Jerry Herman's score remains a delight and the cast delivers the songs with gusto.

The packaging is awful!

WHY would RCA Victor resort to such ugly, generic packaging for this product which has been a best-seller for them for 40 years now. A cheap cardboard sleeve with a 16 page booklet glued in. The boolet for the most part simply reprints the liner notes from teh previous CD release. The disc sits in a tray opposite the booklet. This is not a good way to store Cd's at all.

It is the packaging that reduced this from a 5-star item to 4 stars.

Happily, nothing can dim Carol Channing's performance.

A single CD that is a collector's delight!
This CD is a special treat for those of us who love classic Broadway musicals like "Hello, Dolly!" The CD contains all of the songs on the original LP and CD. The cast sings with all their might and the result is a wonderful recording; the CD has excellent sound quality! I got goosebumps when listening to the title song with Carol Channing! GRIN "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" and "Elegance" are rousing numbers; "Ribbons Down My Back" is a beautiful tender ballad.

There are quite a number of wonderful extras: a 10 minute interview with Carol Channing; two songs performed by Mary Martin in the 1965 London production of this stage musical; and two more songs performed with Pearl Bailey when "Hello Dolly!" was done with an all black cast in 1967 on Broadway. Of special note are two recordings of Ethel Merman singing songs written specially for her when she was picked to be the original Dolly (she turned down the part). Ms. Merman put these songs out on a 45 rpm record since she was not part of the original cast recording on January 19, 1964 (three nights after opening night on Broadway).

The liner notes are extensive and the listener is treated to some great photographs, too. (These pictures, though, are in black and white; and the notes could have been a bit more attractively packaged. I agree with the reviewer who notes that this CD could have had better packaging.)

All in all, this is an excellent audio CD recording of the original cast with splendid extras. A must for musical lovers and fans of the ladies who played Dolly over the years!

One of the top musical comedies
This recording is a very good example of what might be the best Musical Comedy ever made. David Burns does a good job with what little he has to sing. I remember Charles Nelson Reily from Match Game on T.V., and his performance is a truly great one. But the true star here is Carol Channing. Her performance glows back there in 1964. A few weeks ago,I was watching the 2004 Tony awards. Channing awarded someone with a popular rapper(cannot quite remember his name). They did a rap version of "Hello Dolly"
It was HILLARIOUS. Even 40 years cannot take away Carol's special something that made this such a great show. Get this and enjoy it until you wear it out!!

Channing Charms with Jerry Herman Musical
HELLO, DOLLY! is not really among the truly great American musicals--but that isn't to say that it doesn't offer a rollicking good time, as the original cast recording amply demonstrates. Based on the comedy THE MATCHMAKER by Thornton Wilder, the play is the story of professional busybody Dolly Levi--a widow of the early 20th Century who dabbles in private lives for both profit and pleasure, often working as a matchmaker for those whose love lives seem beyond all hope. On this particular occasion, she dabbles in a number of lives, making the course of true love run smooth... for both others and herself.

The Jerry Herman songs are jewels, and with the music tailored to her eccentric talents star Carol Channing works wonders with them. "I Put My Hand In" is a true delight, a near-patter song that Channing tosses off as if the complex lyrics were pure stream of consciousness, and on her lips "Before the Parade Passes By" becomes a classic show-stopper. Channing's performance of "So Long Dearie" is charmingly wicked--and one need hardly mention the wonders she works with the title tune.

But even though this is truly Channing's show from start to finish, she isn't the only talent in it--and the rest is quite fine. David Burns is appropriately blustery, and "It Takes A Woman" is a classic of comic musical numbers; Eileen Brennan sparkles; and Charles Nelson Riley, of all people, proves that his talent on stage far exceeded the stereotypes of his various television appearances.

The arrangements are bright, and although the state-of-the-art of this 1960s hardly compares to present recording technology, the soundtrack of HELLO, DOLLY! not only sparkles, it actually manages to convey the excitement you inevitably feel when the lights go down and the orchestra strikes up for what you know will be a good, old fashioned knock-out Broadway show. While it's really too much of a star vehicle to be considered in the same league with such classics as SHOWBOAT, THE KING AND I, and the like, it's just too much fun to ignore. Recommended.

GFT, Amazon Reviewer ... Read more

Reviews (21)

THE ORIGINAL RECORDING OF CHICAGO - BROADWAY'S BEST
TOO bad the film Chicago is not completely adhereing to the original show. Granted that was then and this is now. However, the original was brilliant - the music, dancing and story were perfect. I haven't seen the film but understand several very enjoyable numbers were omitted. Alas. The clever 'bleeding heart role was genius. This 'woman' Little Mary Sunshine did a wonderful song in a high pitched voice with ear piercing pathos and then we found the lady was 'a man'.. it was great theater. All the music had you excited and the dancing - what can you say when you say FOSSE FOSSE FOSSE? The revival of Chicago a few years ago of course was fine - but nothing like the BIG ONE. Then there was Chita and Gwen. Another glorious couple of dames. But, the music will stand and the story is great. JUST ENJOY - But pick up the ORIGINAL - I buying my third copy today on CD from Amazon.

From its roots ...
Of course, 'the show' has become extremely popular; more so than the first time around. While too young (alas) to recall the show clearly, I am spell-bound every time the Overture starts.

The London recording is an out-of-tune, vocal, pitch, tempo, and phrasing disaster.

The "Revival" (so-called 'original cast' recording) is much better than London - but more about that in a minute.

This is the recording that many 'old folks' know. Gwen Verdon, Jerry Orbach, and Chita Rivera are truly at the top of their form in this recording.

The Overture holds truer to the 'loose' sound that "Loopin' the Loop" was, and the entire recording is more of a vaudeville than the other two most readily available in the US.

As a previous reviewer stated, "Roxie" is surprisingly complete, due to the limits of vinyl. The Revival recordings include much more of the show; the unforunate part is that while much more of the 'story' is there, you must understand the show to understand the song. Additionally, the dynamic of the recording clearly states the influence the 'sleek lines and cool head' the Revival carries. It is a very crisp, tight production (well, usually), and it is reflected in the recording.

This recording also reflects the full scale of the original show. Not only is every number interpreted to perfection, it is a pure recording - sheerly for the enjoyment of the obviously talented performers.

'Cellophane', as heard on this disc, is probably the best recording out there. Barney Martin captured the character, and it is preserved for the world.

Razzle-Dazzle is terrific too - not so fast, like the 'revival' recordings. (The song is most effective slower.)

My only wish is that there would be a recording of Gwen Verdon doing the Me and My Baby 'strut', not just the ballad version.

Other than that, buy it - well worth it!

Terrific!
Wow, this is one incredible version of "Chicago!" Not only is it the original, but I LOVE hearing Chita Rivera sing. She is great! Her voice is quite the best for Velma Kelly. Gwen Verdon's voice wasn't quite as good, but she was wonderful as Roxi Hart. From what I have heard (I never got to see this on Broadway), her dancing is incredible. Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn? I never thought that the leading man on "Law and Order" was in musicals! But he has a great voice and is THE Billy Flynn! The rest of the cast is wonderful as well.

Doesn't Get Any Better Than This
I now have 5 different versions of this musical and I have to say this is still my favourite, with the movie soundtrack coming in close second.

Firstly Chita Rivera, she is electric and seems born to play this role(although I would say that of any of her performances), she seems to really relish in her role as the murderous vixen, you can hear it in the devilishly delicious way she sings And All That Jazz, My favourite would be When Velma Takes The Stand, I wish they hadn't cut that from the movie.

Next Gwen Verdon (another favourite of mine) I noticed her voice wasn't as strong as in Sweet Charity (although that was ten years before) and i heard she had a throat infection, even so she beats Anne Reinking out of the water with her performance. I love her laugh at the begining of Roxie, and her duet with Chita in My Own Best Friend. Like Charity, she is Roxie.

Jerry Orbach, Barney Martin, Mary McCarty and M. O'Haughey are great in their roles too, the perfect accompaniment. My only complaint with the OBC is the shortned versions of some of the songs, other than that perfect.

Quite simply, the best
As good as the recent film was, nothing captures Fosse's cynical vision/version of '20s Chicago like this original cast recording. Gwen Verdon had no great voice, but she put a song over in every role she ever played, and Roxy was one of her best. But then, you went to see Verdon dance! Chita Rivera's Velma is as "over the top" as Velma herself. And Jerry Orbach, a Broadway song-and-dance man long before "Law and Order" is a real razzle dazzler. If you liked the movie, and I did, treat yourself to the original. You will have no regrets. ... Read more

Reviews (30)

MIXED BLESSING
As much as I LOVED the sparkling, expertly updated production that this recording represents, the Cd itself is a mixed bag for GODSPELL fans. It features perhaps the best assembly of voices I have yet heard performing these songs; however, the hip, techno-pop arrangements do not translate with the same electricity they had in person; it does not have the same you-could-play-it-forever-and-ever listenability as the original cast recording and the film soundtrack. It has a harder edge, and the arrangements of Light of the World and the Finale in particular are heavy-handed. Stephen Schwartz' revisited lyrics for the song Beautiful City, which was written for the film, scan oddly in this version, a ballad now placed as a set-up for the last supper. And Tower Of Babel, while wonderful to have on the recording, again places new lyrics (to represent updated philosophers) into the already-written-for-other-lyrics music -- it feels like a misfit. However, for younger audiences just getting into the infinite pleasures of this pop classic theatre piece, you could do much worse than this CD.

Wow!
I own 4 recordings of GODSPELL. I have seen 3 productions of it. Without a doubt, this is my favorite of the recordings. I bought it at the same time that I bought the recent touring recording of the show. Let's go...song by song and compare which cast did which better -Opening: Only the touring cast included this song. -Prologue: Definitly the off-Broadway. So heartfelt and not so messy... -Prepare Ye: off-Broadway. LOVE the dialogue. -Save the People: Touring cast. I enjoy the orchestration. -Day by Day: The touring cast's cheesy up-with-people version did not win me over. -Learn Your Lessons Well: off-Broadway! What a fun rendition! The funnest since the original! -Bless the Lord: I don't really care for either rendition...sorry. -All for the Best: Touring cast. More tongue-in-cheek and fun. -All Good Gifts: Touring cast. The cello orchestration is gorgeous (Though the off-Broadway gets brownie points for the dialogue) -Light of the World: Touring cast. The off-broadway's arrangement is horrendous. -Beautiful City: Touring cast. While the off-Broadway's is done well, it cuts out a verse making the song too short to matter. -Turn Back, O Man: off-Broadway. The new arrangment for the tour sucks the fun and humor out of it. -Alas for You: Ooh...this is a toughie. I like the arrangement in the tour, but I like the emotional interpretation in the off-Broadway. You decide which is more important. -By My Side: Off-Broadway. Much more moving. -We Beseech Thee: Ooh, another hard one. Both are just so much fun! Tie on this one. -Day by Day (reprise): Only the tour has this song. -On the Willows: Off-Broadway. Very heart-felt and as usual I'm won over by the dialogue. -Finale: DEFINITLY the Off-Broadway. It is my favorite recording of the finale I have found yet. The tour's feels rushed and doesn't move me half as much. All in all, this is the recording I like the most out of the recordings I've heard. "Long live God"

Incredible Recording
I saw this cast during the off Broadway run. The approach to the show was fresh and the cast was solid from top to bottom. This is near the top of all the theater experience I have ever had. It was hilarious, sad, inspirational, and I'm not even Christian.

Listen to the energy of Prepare Ye into God Save the People of this recording and try to sit still - you can't.

If you have listened to the original cast album for 20 years or love the movie I can understand that the new take could be difficult to adjust to. Give it some time and you'll probably come to agree that this is the definitive recording.

Very nice version
This version added some freshness to the early seventies pop sound of the original Godspell, yet pays homage to it in some areas. In some ways I wish they had payed less homage to the 70s, but that's probably a matter of taste. Of all of the available Godspell recordings, this version has the nicest voices and also gives us some of the dialogue to go along with the songs.

There are two areas where I feel this CD falls short. First, when they had the opportunity to really modernize the sound they often didn't--particularly as compared with the 2001 version. The attempts at 70s nostalgia with "retro" versions of some songs are interesting but fall a little short (The "Shaft" style version of "Light of the World" gets old quickly).

All in all, it's a good CD, and still somewhat faithful to the original. If you're looking for a slightly more upbeat version of Godspell with some nice voices, you should like this. If you really want to hear a "modernized" version, try the 2001 CD.

Worth owning!
I read all the worst reviews about this CD before buying it and I must disagree with them. I have been in Godspell and am currently directing it and this CD is exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a recording that wasn't 20-30 years old but still kept the show accessible to the masses and this version is it. I also own the 2001 Touring as well as the original Broadway and Movie Soundtrack. This recording is actually quite good. The things that I like best is the band and the arrangements of the songs. They are fresh and new but still use an orchestration that can be reproduced by a community theatre. The 2001 was so far out there and "techno" that it is next to impossible to duplicate that in a smaller theatre without major sequencing. This CD feels new and updated without destroying the music that Schwartz wrote. I like it a lot. It is perfect for a director trying to get a feel for the music and wanting someonething new at the same time. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Save big bucks w/the 5 disc set!
This CD is great. It has both old and new Disney classics. But...for a little more money you can get all these songs and about 80 more. The 5 disc set sold here at Amazon has 99 Disney classics and sells for about the price of 2 CDs. The 5 disc set includes songs such as Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah from the no-longer released Song of the South, songs from the theme parks like the Electric Light Parade theme, It's a Small World from the NY World's Fair...it has them all! Buying the CDs seperately you probably spend twice as much + shipping; save some money--the 5-CD set is the way to go.

this cd is good
this cd is supercaligood i was happy when i bought this cd it has good songs some include: out there just around the riverbend supercalifraglexpialdocuis bibidi bobidi boo zip-a-dee-doo-dah etc i recomnd you get this cd also i got vol.2 it has good songs
to

magical memories from Walt Disney Magical Movies
Do you believe in magic? I do! If you don't, please hear this wonderful CD and enter in a world of real magical memories... the most beautiful memories you can imagine - Disney memories! Hear this album and YOU CAN FLY with Peter Pan, sing THE BARE NECESSITIES with Baloo, go JUST AROUND THE RIVERBEND with Pocahontas, just say the magic words, BIBBIDI BOBBIDI BOO and enter in a WHOLE NEW WORLD of Wonderful Disney Music.

I just don't have words to describe it... maybe just one

SUPERCALIFRAGILISTICEXPIALIDOCIOUS! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The neo-swing movement hit Broadway in full force with the December 1999 opening of Swing!, a high-energy song and dance revue celebrating the music of the '30s and '40s. The show combines swing classics ("Stompin' at the Savoy") and wartime standards ("I'll Be Seeing You") with originals from its cast members. Cabaret chanteuse Ann Hampton Callaway, Everett Bradley, Laura Benanti, Michael Gruber, and ukulele-toting Casey MacGill (fronting the Gotham City Gates) perform solos and duets as well as quintets arranged by Manhattan Transfer's Yaron Gershovsky. Callaway (whose writing credits include the theme song for the TV series The Nanny and Barbara Streisand's "I've Dreamed of You" and "At the Same Time") has a voice that can burn on a ballad, blare like a trumpet, or scat up a storm. Of course it's a shame not to be able to see director-choreographer Lynne Taylor-Corbett's high-flying swing and Latin dancers, but this cast recording is an enjoyable romp in the spirit of Broadway's 1981 Ellington tribute, Sophisticated Ladies.--David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (15)

It don't mean a thing if you do not have SWING!
SWING is by far the best CD that has touched the music of swing! It contains a superb cast that are all so talented. There is nothing else that really can be said. If you sow the Broadway show, this is just as good. You feel like you are there and it is a wonderful experience that you need to have. Ship this in a day; do not wait for the longer shipment. How could I ferget, after you hear the voices of Ann Hampton Callaway, Michael Gruber, Casey MacGill, Everett Bradley, and Laura Benanti, you will never want to hear another person swing swing music. They are the best!! It needs to be in your CD played now. You are missing something if you don't have that swing!

It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that swing
While I'm a dancer and actor, I've still been a little skeptical of dance shows on Broadway being considered musicals. I was even more wary of this show after seeing its performance on the 2000 Tonys, mainly because in two years, three Broadway dance shows included Sing Sing Sing as a number. However, when I saw Broadway on Broadway this past October and Ann Hampton Callaway's electric performance of 'Blues in the Night,' I decided to give Swing! another chance. Being a fan of swing music, I was familiar with almost all of the numbers. I found that the cast and orchestra gave WONDERFUL reneditions of the numbers, restoring them to the glory that they reached in the 30s and 40s. I've heard many of the songs played on the local Jazz/Swing station here, and my grandparents especially enjoy the album as they were around to hear the original versions. There is some fabulous dancer/musician interaction that must be seen on stage to carry its true merit, but the CD captures the energy and vivacity of the show beautifuly.

"Hit Me with a Hot Note..." again and again and again!!!!!
SWING! is a delightful Broadway revue which celebrates the new neo-swing era, as well as saluting the past. Ann Hampton Callaway, Laura Benanti and Everett Bradley are joined by a lively chorus as well as Casey MacGill and the Gotham City Gates.

Laura Benanti (INTO THE WOODS, NINE) brings her thrilling soprano to the proceedings with "Two and Four", which segues into an all-out performance of "Hit Me with a Hot Note", performed in stellar fashion by this promising young performer.

Ann Hampton Callaway brings a coy sexiness and cynicism to her numbers, including "Bounce Me, Brother (With a Solid Four)", "Bli-Blip" and "Blues in the Night". She also sings the bittersweet "I'll Be Seeing You".

Laura Benanti, Geralyn Del Corso and Caitlin Carter (CHICAGO) join together for the Andrews Sisters-esque "G.I. Jive", whilst Benanti brings down the house with "Cry Me a River" with Steve Armour on the trombone.

All-in-all, a great cast album of a stellar production in the tradition of AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' and SOPHISTICATED LADIES.

Swinging with Swing!
I saw this show OBC a couple of summers ago and WOW!!!!!!!!! I was so amazed, that I absolutely HAD to buy the CD while there! I am a little obsessed with musicals, and most students at my small college knows it! I am an R.A. in one of the dorms, and the girls on my wing constantly tease me about it. However, I think most of the girls have requested to borrow this CD because it's fabulous! All I have to say is that I am a permanent Anne Hampton Calloway fan, and her renditions of "I'll Be Seeing You," and "Blues in the Night" still blow me away! Every song is worth listening to, and thoroughly enjoyable!

swinging swingers!
Wow, what energy! I have not seen the show - don't feel I need to, its goin' on in my living room each time I play the cd! The most remarkable vocal performances are the ones by Liz Hampton Callaway - easily worth the price for her alone!!!

SngingWeasel ... Read more

Reviews (21)

1962 Off-Broadway Revival Original Cast recording
There are at least four versions available on CD of revivals of Cole Porter's 1934 "Anything Goes". This Sony release of the 1962 revival original cast production, starring Eileen Rodgers, is by far the best of the four that I know. It's important to understand, however, that this version retains only about half the songs originally written for the 1934 production, and adds several other Porter favorites in their place. The story line - such as it is - easily lends itself to song substitutions. Before buying any version, it's helpful to compare the different songlists, and listen to a few clips if possible. The 1987 Lincoln Center revival production, available on RCA with the original New York cast starring Patti LuPone, also substitutes some songs, but fewer than on this Sony album. The same Lincoln Center production is also available on a First Night CD in its 1989 London cast recording, with Elaine Paige replacing LuPone; despite the largely different casts, these two arrangements are identical, and the two recordings sound very much the same. I tend to slightly prefer the later Paige over the original LuPone. In contrast, EMI's 1988 London studio cast version with Kim Criswell attempts an exact reconstruction of the original 1934 score; this songlist, and probably also its overall presentation, will be the most authentic but not necessarily the most satisfying of these four CDs - it's the one I find the least interesting.

it's delightful, it's delicious, it's de-lovely
After I was cast in a recent school production of Anything Goes as Purity, one of Reno's Angels, I bought this CD and was pleasantly surprised at the score. Cole Porter is brilliant, and it shows in "All Through The Night", "Heaven Hop", "Blow Gabriel Blow" and the title song. I actually felt like I was aboard the S.S American. This CD is highly recommended.

Porter at his best!
Many people consider Kiss Me Kate(1948) to be Cole Porter's greatest musical, but in my opinion this piece, written 14 years before in 1934 and as such from a period in musical theater that has not turned out as many enduring hits as the decades that follow, is far superior, as it contains many more hit songs and is genuinly funny when seen on the stage. Indeed, this is one of the few musicals i know where the script could stand on its own and where the songs only serve to enhance the overall effect. I find it hard to believe that anything that has delighted audiences countless times in the years since its original opening, through many successful revivals and amateur productions could ever have been anything less then the result of long meticulous labour; it is mind boggling to think that it was in fact put together at short notice out of a completely different idea about a ship wreck. The original production must have been wonderful; I mean can you think of anyone who seems more suited to the part of Reno Sweeney than Ethel Merman. Yes, Eileen Rodgers. I have not had the privalige of hearing the 1987 recording so I cannot judge Patti LuPone's performance, but I can safely say to any prospetive buyer that the cast of this recording are of such a superior quality that one can overlook the fact that several of the songs have been ommited and others have been put in their place. The wonderful, Portery feel of the piece is not lost, as all the new additions are classic examples of his style that suit the piece perfectly. I simply cannot imagine Anything Goes without It's Delovely, Friendship and Take Me Back To Manhattan, and what would there be for the classic character of Bonnie if Heaven Hop and Let's Step Out were omitted? I love all the songs on this recording,(especially Blow, Gabriel, Blow and the title song) but my all time favorite has to be You're The Top. I believe I heard it at least 15 times in the week after I got the CD. Eileen Rodgers is of course wonderful, and I have a sneaking suspition that Hal Linden may have talent! Oh come on just buy it, it's glorious!

Anything Goes is so fun!!!
Hello! I would just like to take a moment to point out that Anything Goes is a great musical! My friends from Chittenango High School just did it for their spring musical and they were awesome! Sam, Chris, and Jiggs, you guys were awesome! So, I bought them this CD as a gift for doing such a great job. I also bought myself one too. And I have to tell you, I have listened to it everyday since I bought it. It really is that good. At first you might think that some of the main character's voices are annoying (like Bonnie and Moon) but they really grow on you after awhile. I have really come to love this CD and now I'll always think of how much fun it was to see my friends put on their version. And they will always have something to remember how much fun it was to do. So, I recommend this CD to anyone who likes Anything Goes or similar musicals and, if you haven't seen the show find out how you can see it because its just great. Its extremely funny. And I'm giving one last shout out to my Nango pals...you guys were the best! Chris...wonderful job playing Moonface Martin. Sam...the best singing and dancing I've ever seen. Love you to death! Jiggs...like I have told you, no one will ever play the bum better than you. Love you guys! I hope this was helpful and fun to read.

Anything goes is excellent
I purchased this disc in the early 80's and have listened to it over and over. I was surprised at how well Hal Lindin was. I would recommend this disc to anyone. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Not the best R and H, but darn good anyway.
No, this is not the best R and H score, not by a long shot. And yes, it is a little dated. But the songs are very good on their own merits, and definitly worth listening to. "You Are Beautiful" and "Love, Look Away" are beautiful ballads, "A Hundred Million Miracles," "I Am Going to Like It Here," "The Other Generation," and "Sunday" are all very charming, and "Grant Avenue" and even "I Enjoy Being a Girl," as delivered by the great Pat Suzuki, are just plain fun. The cast is fine, from the charming Myoshi Umeki to Suzuki, whose great voice in the best tradition of Mary Martin, Judy Garland, and Ethel Merman makes us forgive the sexism of "I Enjoy Being a Girl," to Juanita Hall, still going strong nearly a decade after "South Pacific," to whoever played "the father's first son," (Was that Ed Kenney?) to Arabella Hong, who gives a beautiful performance of "Love, Look Away." Not the greatest musical ever, or the best R and H show, but definitly under-rated and worth a look. In fact, a revival IS planned and has already opened in California, to reach Broadway next season.

A Hundred Million Miracles
While this is certainly one of the lesser works in the Rodgers & Hammerstein canon, it is still head-and-shoulders above the work of many other composers of its time. The cast is wonderful and there is hardly a sour note among them (even from the inimitable Juanita Hall who was eight years on from her best voice). This show has the distinction of sharing one of the composing duo's most lovely and one of their most banal songs. "You Are Beautiful" is, in my opinion, one of the finest ballads ever written for the Broadway stage. Its sentiment is beautiful, as are its melody and performance. Unfortunately, most critics agree that "Chop Suey" is arguably the worst song R&H ever wrote. Bad, bad, bad! Otherwise, the songs are pretty much par for the course for the talented men. "A Hundred Million Miracles," "I Am Going to Like it Here," "I Enjoy Being a Girl," "Grant Avenue" and "Sunday" are all songs that are well-written and well-performed, but none of them really seem to stand out. Don't get me wrong, I love them all. But the overall score here seems to be lacking a certain vitality. Some of it is probably due to the material R&H were working with, some of it due to having Gene Kelly as an inexperienced (at least on Broadway) director and some of it due to the fact that Rodgers had just beaten cancer and Hammerstein was fighting the same dreaded disease. Taking all of this into account, the score is lovely to listen to and, as another reviewer pointed out, is period, not dated. Listen to the album and enjoy the experience of being a newly arrived Chinese immigrant in San Francisco, circa 1958.

Sparkling cast album from Columbia Broadway Masterworks
Another example of how record producer Goddard Lieberson could elevate even so-so material and make it sound like a smash hit. The whole disc sparkles!

FLOWER DRUM SONG was NOT a smash hit. It got respectful though not terribly enthusiastic reviews and played out a successful run. The weakness was the book which borrowed too little of C.Y Lee's novel and is filled with weak (some say offensive) stereotype jokes. Hammerstein had a gem of a concept that is blown away in a few minor scenes...that the traditional immigrant parents want to hold onto tradition, while their americanized offspring want to follow modern local customs.
(FIDDLER ON THE ROOF would explore this theme much more fully.)

Still, the whole show was helped to no small extent by the songs and since that is all there is on the record, it actually makes for a highly enjoyable listen.

Miyoshi Umeki as the shy Mei Li contrasts nicely with brassy Pat Suzuki as nightclub singer Linda Low. There is less contrast between Ed Kenny as Wang Ta and Larry Blyden as Sammy Fong, possibly because the men get less of the score. The supporting cast, however, get a good share of the music: Juanita Hall leads the ensemble in "Chop Suey" and duets with Keye Luke lamenting the attitudes of "The Other Gereneration." Arabella Hong does a beautiful job with "Love Look Away" the show's standout ballad, though her character barely registers in the script. (In the novel, Ta's rejection leads her to suicide. In the musical she just disappears after her big number!)

There is a detailed synopsis in the CD booklet if you want to know how the plot ties all these songs together, but it is one of those cast albums where a synopsis is hardly necessary.

The book is in need of a re-write perhaps using more of the Lee novel as its source. The recent Broadway revival used a totally new story and re-allocated the songs. While the new version has its admirers, it is no more related to this FLOWER DRUM SONG than CRAZY FOR YOU relates to GIRL CRAZY..which is to say hardly at all.

The London cast (now out-of-print, but formerlly on Angel) is less impressive. However the movie sountrack (Decca Broadway) has some tasty new orchestrations and retains all but one song from the stage show, so that CD is worth getting...but start with this original cast disc first.

This one sneaks up on you
At first play, I thought this one was a dud. But the more I listened to it, the more I liked it, and now I love it. Hammerstein's lyrics are very funny and loaded with pop culture references. The music is sweet at times, like Cinderella, and sassy at times, like South Pacific. The real gems on this album though are "The Other Generation", two songs really, one version sung by the adults and the other by the kids. It not only sums up the show in a funny and poignant way, but it is also one of the most powerful melodies Rodgers has ever written.

You Are, Indeed, Beautiful
FLOWER DRUM SONG was a respectable hit on Broadway, running for six hundred performances, making a national star out of the gifted Pat Suzuki, and cementing the celebrity of Academy Award-winning actress Miyoshi Umeki. The two actresses just shine in their roles: Umeki was a noted Japanese singer before "discovered" in the United States for the film SAYONARA (for which she won the Oscar), and her rendition of "A Hundred Million Miracles" is so haunting and lovely that when FLOWER DRUM SONG was turned into a film she was allowed not only to sing the entire song the first time it is heard but also to reprise it several times.

The amazing Pat Suzuki, inexplicably, was not retained for the inferior film version of the musical, which is an incredible shame: her brassiness not only wins you over on the famous "I Enjoy Being a Girl," but transforms the musically mediocre "Grant Avenue" practically into a showstopper. Arabella Hong, as Helen Chao, sings a lovely operatic rendition of "Love, Look Away," an oft-neglected R&H song of tremendous beauty. Indeed, this is probably their most overlooked score, with two clear duds ("Chop Suey" and "The Other Generation") but with otherwise real winners, including the liltingly charming "Sunday" (which should have become a standard), and the hauntingly gorgeous "You Are Beautiful," sung by Ed Kenney here, which is among the finest love songs R&H ever wrote. This cast album has become something of a classic--and it deserves to be. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Forever Plaid is forever fun!!!
I saw it in 93 with my theatre group in CA. It was one of the fun experiences in my life. I got to meet the cast and I think that this production wasn't that popular yet and I'm glad to see in 99 it is still around. Thanks Amazon!!! Now I can buy this on CD again!!!:)))) I lost my tape years ago!!

And the guys are sweet too!
hey, I'm a theatre techie and I was the costume mistress for Forever Plaid (with 3 original members) in the fall of 2002 in Riverside, CA. What an amazing show. The guys couldn't have been sweeter to me and it was by far the show I'm most proud of in my career.

As for the cd.. the next best thing to hearing the boys! Be prepared to fall in love and never, ever get the songs out of your head :)

Love those boys in plaid!
A relative saw FP in the original off-Broadway production years ago, and purchased the tape after the show, making copies for us all. I've seen it twice in local productions and absolutely love it. The music of course is terrific as is the patter and interactions of cast and audience. The music is fun to sing along with, too.

Forever Plaid is Forever
I love Forever plaid even though it was a long time ago. But when i heard of them i thought they were heavenly good. I hope soome band like them will come back and sing. I just love Forever plaid even i saw a play of them. I would say im a big fan even though they probably not together but they sure make a good hit.

Thanks (fan of FP)

Laura

a GREAT show!!!
I just saw this show last night and I absolutely loved it! Its so funny, and fun to watch! The music is pretty good, but it isn't really good until you have the actors, (as well as all the people behind the scenes who make a show like this possible), and all the cheoreography that the music really comes alive. If you ever get a chance to see this show on stage, I would strongly suggest that you do! ... Read more

Amazon.com

In 1952 Fred Astaire joined Oscar Peterson and some of Verve's best sidemen to lay down jazzy, laid-back versions of songs he had made famous in his Broadway and film career. Those 38 tracks, originally entitled The Astaire Story, have been condensed into this collection, Steppin' Out: Fred Astaire Sings. While Astaire was not blessed with great vocal chops, the best American songwriters including George and Ira Gershwin, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter loved him for his unerring sense of rhythm and sympathetic treatment of lyrics, qualities that are well displayed here. Tony Bennett hit the pop mainstream with his 1994 album of jazzy Astaire standards. Here's the original. --David Horiuchi ... Read more

Reviews (8)

They can't take that away from me...
All of the other good reviews speak of the outstanding quality and musicianship of this album: Fred's amazingly subtle and expressive voice, the finest words and music by America's greatest composers, and the exceptionally hip and hot Oscar Peterson Ensemble. But there is more to it than that, there's the way this music makes you feel. For those of us who missed the Golden Age of Hollywood Musicals and the Golden Age of Jazz, it is a total treat. Musicals--especially those starring Fred Astaire--and jazz, are the two most important and uniquely American contributions to the arts. This album reminds us of that fact once again. Listening to these songs conjures up a time when America was so very different. A time when we didn't need to be titilated, grossed out, or offended to be entertained. The attitudes, manners, and mores that defined early and mid-twentieth century America can be heard in the music and the lyrics found in this collection. I prefer romance to raunch, glamour to grunge, and class to corruption. Listening to Astaire sing these songs makes me feel happy, and proud of America's past. I am grateful it's been preserved on film and on this disc.

At the top of his game - incredible
If you want to see Fred Astaire dance, watch the movies. If you want to hear him sing -- this album (or the much pricier "The Astaire Story" 2-disc set from which these songs were selected) gives Fred the chance to match his many years of experience on stage and screen with just about the greatest jazz backup band in existence at the time. Oscar Peterson on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Barney Kessel on guitar, etc. This is an all-star jazz band who give their utmost to back up a singing star they respect, and Astaire, with his inimitable stylism, is obviously "in heaven" because he sings better than I've ever heard him sing. There is a palpable sense of mutual love and joy and respect between the musicians who made this album.

To hear it is to love it. Not to knock the big band and orchestra arrangements over which Astaire sang many of these songs in his musical films, but this modest-sized jazz ensemble is obviously more suited to Astaire's singing, in my opinion. It is warm, intimate, and thoroughly enjoyable. Of course, if you like bombast, look elsewhere. If you love subtlety and the highest levels of technical improvisational musicianship, this is it.

Fred Astaire and Six Great Musicians Having Fun
This is my all-time favorite album, bought 10 years ago with the thought that it might contain the movie versions of the songs.
Instead, I'd say these are the "musical versions," with the Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, Kern melodies clearly intact, but expressed with such genuine feeling through Astaire's perfect timing and the musicians' obvious comraderie that it's hard to believe there were earlier versions (my apologies to Ginger Rogers). Flip Philips' mellow sax solo on S'Wonderful, guitarist Barney Kessel's wonderfully sweet introduction to They Can't Take that Away from Me, Charlie Shavers' point/counterpoint trumpet "talking" on Nice Work if You Can Get It, Ray Brown's understated bass work on all (That's why he was so good!), Alvin Stoller's drums and of course the great Oscar Peterson on piano as he brings the unexpected swing to Just the Way You look Tonight moves the "steppin" out of the ordinary and into the sublime. A thousand times heard -- easily standing the test of time.

Elegant Simplicity Provides Perfection
With the opening phrase of "Steppin' Out with My Baby" I was stunned by the quality of this recording... and remained stunned through the final bars of "Cheek to Cheek." Though recorded more than 50 years ago, the recording is clean and full... sublime.

Though his voice is often considered a weakness, Astaire's singing is the perfect match for these classics from The Great American Songbook, allowing the songs themselves to become the center of attention throughout his performances. And the precise, elegant, and intelligent piano playing of Oscar Peterson -- and the work of the other sidemen as well -- perfectly matches Astaire's stylish performances.

Though I expected -- and would have accepted -- recording quality well below today's standards, I was amazed that these recordings could not only stand alongside most of today's recordings but, in many ways, rises above them.

A Great American Songbook
In an album that contains many of the finest songs ever written by Berlin, Porter, Gershwin and others, Fred Astaire proves that it phrasing and timing, and not voice, that make a great singer. This is a truly remarkable CD in all aspects. The sound quality, considering it was recorded in 1952, is superb. Astaire is in incomparable form, with the songs sounding much better than some of his earlier versions. And the sextet supporting Astaire, including the marvelous Oscar Peterson at the keyboard, is as fine as any. Not to be missed for anyone who loves this genre. There is also a 2 CD, complete recording of this session on Amazon.com called The Astaire Story. ... Read more