Over the top, life-affirming, joyous Broadway, that's what Mr. Herman gave us. The 17 choruses (with glockenspiel), the tap lines, the "full of shine, and full of sparkle" infectious melodies that had us all leading parades. Whether real parades like in "Dolly" or the ones we march in our minds.
Photo: Joan Marcus
Some insights from the web:
Betty Buckley, who toured in that show said, “‘Before the Parade Passes By’ is like a pep talk to yourself. Dolly decides to come back full throttle to the world of the living. The lesson for me in doing the show — and I owe him a debt of appreciation — was that joy is a choice. It’s not something you wait to happen to you. You choose it, and you work really hard to sustain that commitment.” That's Jerry down to the hangnails.
New York Times theatre critic, Ben Brantley, admitted that "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" (also from "Dolly!") inspired him to leave his little "Yonkers" and move to NYC. He and his sister had pooled their allowances to buy the LP of "Dolly" and he found "Sunday Clothes" to be a siren call...Dolly was exhorting everyone "to dress up and get on the train." He did.
Not exactly but close.
Somewhere there is a photo of me in a blue quilted bathrobe
seated by this, my best Christmas gift.
I've told the story before about how I got a turntable for my 12th birthday, and immediately bought 2 albums...A Glenn Miller "Best Of" (to curry favor with my dad?) and "Hello, Dolly!" I memorized the liner notes and the lyrics, ogled at the photos of Carol and David and Charles and cute little "Minnie Fay" and played it to death. It was my second favorite musical at that point (I'd only heard 2!), right after "Peter Pan." So, yeah, I graduated to Sondheim. But my roots in Broadway were Herman...
Jerry mid-rehearsal for a revival of Mack & Mabel.
Photo: Steve Goldstein for the NYTimes
All this to say, thank you for the Shine and the Sparkle and the Roses. Because you DID send them, Jerry.
Hello, Dolly! (Carol Channing, Company, Hello, Dolly!)
Put On Your Sunday Clothes (Charles Nelson Reilly, Company, Hello, Dolly!)
Ribbons Down My Back (Eileen Brennan, Hello, Dolly!)
It Only Takes A Moment (Charles Nelson Reilly, Eileen Brennan, Hello, Dolly!)
Before The Parade Passes By (Carol Channing, Company, Hello, Dolly!)
Miss What's Her Name (Debbie Gravitte, Miss Spectacular)
Where In The World Is My Prince? (Faith Prince, Miss Spectacular)
Miss Spectacular (Debbie Gravitte, Miss Spectacular)
Show Tune (Company, Parade)
The Next Time I Love (Fia Karin, Parade)
Confession To A Park Avenue Mother (Charles Nelson Reilly, Parade)
Look What Happened To Mabel (Bernadette Peters, Mack & Mabel)
I Won't Send Roses (Robert Preston, Mack & Mabel)
Tap Your Troubles Away (Lisa Kirk, Mack & Mabel)
Time Heals Everything (Bernadette Peters, Sondheim, Etc.)
Marianne (Michael Feinstein, The Grand Tour)
No Other Music (Karen Morrow, Miss Spectacular)
You I Like (Michael Feinstein, Jerry Herman, The Grand Tour)
Bosum Buddies (Angela Lansbury, Bea Arthur, Mame)
My Best Girl (Frankie Michaels, Angela Lansbury, Mame)
If He Walked Into My Life (Angela Lansbury, Mame)
Mame (Company, Mame)
La Cage Aux Folles (George Hearn, Company, La Cage Aux Folles)
And I Was Beautiful (Angela Lansbury, Dear World)
I Am What I Am (George Hearn, La Cage Aux Folles)
Each Tomorrow Morning (Angela Lansbury, Dear World)
I'll Be Here Tomorrow (Jerry Herman, The Grand Tour)
The Best Of Times (George Hearn, Company, La Cage Aux Folles)
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