Playlist For Sunday, March 11, 2018: Meet The Merm!

I have been waiting for this show for a long time. I have wanted (AND threatened) to play an Ethel Merman edition of 2 On The Aisle for over 5 years, and now it has come to pass. I may lose my listeners, I may lose my mind, but Ethel deserves a tribute. Now is the time.

That said, let's make it easy on all you non-Mermanized fans! And we'll do that in 2 (on the Aisle!) ways:

1.) We'll bring in Klea Blackhurst (or at least her CD!). Klea's "Everything The Traffic Will Allow" live-recorded cabaret act of 2002 is a damn homage. Klea sings songs of Ethel, Klea tells tales of Ethel (so I don't have to), so that we might better understand what made Ethel "tick" and the theatre-of-the-day's love affair with her. And in between, around, and through, I'll embellish those renditions and stories with the real thing, the unique if loud sounds of Ms. Merman.

2.) And that ain't all...we'll take breaks (whew!). With Honeymoon In Vegas, The Unsinkable Molly Brown, and even some testosterone-y men in a ...well, I guess you could call it a Man Set. There you go. So it won't be wall-to-wall Ethel. No one could face that.

But I'm very excited. Join me for (not quite 2 hours...maybe an hour forty...possibly less) of the lady who has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the Musical Comedy Stage"... All Hail! :)



There's No Business Like Show Business (Ethel Merman, There's No
      Business Like Show Business)
Johnny One Note/I Got Rhythm (Klea Blackhurst, Everything The Traffic Will
      Allow)
You're The Top (Klea Blackhurst, Everything The Traffic Will Allow)
Anything Goes (Ethel Merman, Anything Goes)
Make It Another Old Fashioned Please (Klea Blackhurst, Everything The
      Traffic Will Allow)
Make It Another Old Fashioned Please (Ethel Merman, Panama Hattie)
I Ain't Down Yet (Tammy Grimes, Ensemble, The Unsinkable Molly Brown)
My Own Brass Bed (Tammy Grimes, The Unsinkable Molly Brown)
Keep-A-Hoppin'/Leadville Johnny Brown (Harve Presnell, Ensemble,
      The Unsinkable Molly Brown)
Ridin' High (Klea Blackhurst, Everything The Traffic Will Allow)
Sam And Delilah (Klea Blackhurst, Everything The Traffic Will Allow)
I've Still Got My Health (Klea Blackhurst, Everything The Traffic Will Allow)
I Got The Sun In The Morning (Ethel Merman, Annie Get Your Gun)
Physical Fitness (Male Ensemble, All American)
The Man I Used To Be (William Johnson, Pipe Dream)
Man (Patrick Wilson, John Ellison Conlee, The Full Monty)
Mr. Livingston (Ethel Merman, Happy Hunting)
Just A Moment Ago (Klea Blackhurst, Everything The Traffic Will Allow)
I Love Betsy (Rob McClure, Honeymoon In Vegas)
Out Of The Sun (Tony Danza, Honeymoon In Vegas)
Higher Love (David Josefsberg, Ensemble, Honeymoon In Vegas)
Heat Wave (Ethel Merman, As Thousands Cheer)
You're Just In Love (Ethel Merman, Russell Nype, Call Me Madam)
Ethel Merman and Sunset Boulevard (Christine Pedi, Bryan Batt,
      Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back)
Some People (Ethel Merman, Gypsy)
Rose's Turn (Ethel Merman, Gypsy)