Playlist for Sunday, Jan. 19, 2014: Herman, as in Jerry!

A special edition of 2 On The Aisle awaits us this coming Sunday: A Jerry Herman Tribute.  He's the Hello Dolly, Mame, La Cage Aux Folles Guy...who's furnished us with so many big, brassy, bittersweet, and very Broadway songs, that you hum as walk out of the theatre, down the street, and all through your dreams.  We'll sample some of those iconic tunes, like With You On My Arm (La Cage) and Each Tomorrow Morning (Dear World), plus we'll add in some of the more eccentric Herman goodies, from Mack & Mabel, Miss Spectacular and Parade.

Jerry's bio says that he was first bitten by the Broadway Bug when he spent his summers with his entertainer-type parents in the Catskill and Berkshire Mountains' summer camps and hotels.  Another story says that it was when, as a teenager, he first saw Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun, and got "inspired!"  One thing is for sure, Frank Loesser came down from his Guys and Dolls "throne," heard some of young Herman's songs and said "Go for it!" Or words to that effect.  Aren't we glad he did?

My favorite has to be Charles Nelson Reilly (a Jerry Herman favorite!), singing "Confession to a Park Avenue Mother."  This was part of a very early off-Broadway revue that Jerry did, called Parade (1960).  Dody Goodman also starred.  It didn't last long, but indeed provided the fuel to skyrocket this composer/lyricist into the Broadway stratosphere from then on.  

One big YUM!


Each Tomorrow Morning (Angela Lansbury, Dear World)
Look What Happened to Mabel (Bernadette Peters, Mack & Mabel)
I Won't Send Roses (Robert Preston, Mack & Mabel)
Elegance (Charles Nelson Reilly and Ensemble, Hello Dolly!)
So Long Dearie (Carol Channing, Hello Dolly!)
And I Was Beautiful (Angela Lansbury, Dear World)
Dear World (Angela Lansbury, Dear World)
A Little More Mascara (George Hearn, La Cage Aux Folles)
With You On My Arm (George Hearn, Gene Barry, La Cage Aux Folles)
Miss What's Her Name (Deborah Gravitte, Miss Spectacular)
Where in the World is My Prince? (Faith Prince, Miss Spectacular)
The Man in the Moon (Bea Arthur, Mame)
Gooch's Song (Jane Connell, Mame)
Confession to a Park Avenue Mother (Charles Nelson Reilly, Parade)
The Best of Times is Now (Gene Barry, George Hearn, Ensemble, La Cage Aux
                             Folles)