George M. Cohan knew how to write 'em! When I was a kid, I always enjoyed watching "Yankee Doodle Dandy" with Jimmy Cagney playing George. And now, come to find out, George danced and "sang" pretty much the same way Cagney did. A street-wise tap dance, honed in alley ways on the East Side of New York...Cohan was "the man who owned Broadway," having created over 300 songs, and written, produced and starred in over 30 musicals. I should be playing more of them! And we'll start this week...with "Give My Regards to Broadway!"
My favorites in this Sunday's show have to be the ballads, performed by five wonderful "divas" of the musical theatre stage: Barbara Cook, Bea Arthur, Elaine Stritch, Bernadette Peters, and Lee Remick. I especially like Barbara's rendition of "Losing My Mind," from Follies...a haunting, almost Gershwin-like melody, but only Sondheim could write that lyric. And a listener sent me a "new" Elaine number! Her rendition of "Something Good" from the movie of The Sound of Music, is marvelous. Too short, but marvelous.
And as I researched our movie musical corner (On the Town), I found that because the "powers that be" dropped all but three songs from the original Broadway score, written by Leonard Bernstein, Lenny boycotted the movie! And wouldn't you have done the same!?!? Roger Edens (the musical director on the movie) said Lenny's songs were too complicated and operatic for a movie! Really? Who died and made you king, Rog? Well, we have 4 to sample...can YOU tell the Edens from the Bernsteins? Hmmmm....?
Enjoy your Thanksgiving! I'll be there on Sunday to share your leftovers. :)
Give My Regards To Broadway (James Cagney, Yankee Doodle Dandy)
We're in the Money (Ensemble, 42nd Street)
Dames (Lee Roy Reems, 42nd Street)
About a Quarter to Nine (Tammy Grimes, 42nd Street)
Shuffle Off to Buffalo (Joseph Bova, Carole Cooke, 42nd Street)
If My Friends Could See Me Now (Gwen Verdon, Sweet Charity)
There's Gotta Be Something Better Than This (Helen Gallagher, Thelma Oliver, Gwen
Verdon, Sweet Charity)
I Love to Cry at Weddings (Ensemble, Sweet Charity)
Big Spender (Ann Reinking, Ensemble, Sweet Charity/Fosse)
There is Nothing Like a Dame (Myron McCormick, Ensemble, South Pacific)
Happy Talk (Juanita Hall, South Pacific)
I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair (Mary Martin, South Pacific)
Some Enchanted Evening (Ezio Pinza, South Pacific)
Losing My Mind (Barbara Cook, Follies)
Where Do You Start? (Bea Arthur, Just Between Friends)
Anyone Can Whistle (Lee Remick, Anyone Can Whistle)
Not a Day Goes By (Bernadette Peters, Merrily We Roll Along)
Something Good (Elaine Stritch, Elaine Stritch At Liberty/The Sound of Music)
Company (Ensemble, Company)
Barcelona (Dean Jones, Susan Browning, Company)
Getting Married Today (Beth Howland, Steve Elmore, Company)
The Ladies Who Lunch (Elaine Stritch, Company)
Count On Me (Gene Kelly, Jules Munshin, Alice Pearce, Ensemble, On the Town)
Come Up to My Place (Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, On the Town)
Prehistoric Man (Ann Miller, On the Town)
You're Awful (Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, On the Town)
Lovely (Zero Mostel, Jack Gilford, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the
Forum)
Bring Me My Bride (Leon Greene, Forum)
Impossible (Michael Hordern, Michael Crawford, Forum)
Everybody Ought to Have a Maid (Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Ensemble, Forum)
No comments:
Post a Comment