Episode 157. Forgotten Broadway I
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Today I begin Forgotten Broadway, a new miniseries within my summer series “Musical Life in New York City 1950-1975.” This wildly eclectic (some might say chaotic) program, the first of three, concerns itself with several different aspects of “forgotten” Broadway: forgotten songs, forgotten shows, and forgotten performers; as well as all imaginable combinations of the above. For instance, many might not remember the show Drat! the Cat! but will remember quite well the song “He [originally She] Touched Me.” Everyone remembers Ethel Merman and Angela Lansbury, but I would bet that fewer remember their less successful shows Happy Hunting and Dear World. This episode includes songs by Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne, Bob Merrill, Wright and Forrest, and Comden and Green, as well as lesser known composers and lyricists such as Claibe Richardson, Bill and Patti Jacob, and Ervin Drake, sung by such stalwarts as Leslie Uggams, Barbara Cook, Alfred Drake, and Barbra Streisand, as well as such blazing (but less remembered figures) such as Alice Playten, Dolores Gray, Mimi Hines, and June Carroll. Such recently departed figures as Micki Grant, Kenward Elmslie, Sally Ann Howes, and Donald Pippin also receive airplay. Part II will be published in two weeks, and Part III will soon be available as a bonus episode for my Patreon subscribers.
RECORDINGS HEARD IN THIS EPISODE
Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, orchestrated by Peter Matz: Being Good Isn’t Good Enough (Hallelujah, Baby!). Leslie Uggams, Orchestra conducted by Buster Davis [1967]
John Williams, Marilyn Bergman, Alan Bergman: Make Me Rainbows (Fitzwilly). Nancy Wilson, Orchestra conducted by Jimmy Jones [1968]
Claibe Richardson, Kenward Elmslie: Beauty Secrets (Lola). Barbara Cook, Orchestra conducted by Bruce Coughlin [1985]
Tommy Wolf, Fran Landesman: Ballad of the Sad Young Men (The Nervous Set) Daniel Gundlach, Lloyd Arriola [live Berlin 18.IV.2014]
Ervin Drake: Something to Live For (What Makes Sammy Run?). Sally Ann Howes, Orchestra conducted by Lehman Engel [1964]
Micki Grant: Questions (Don’t Bother Me I Can’t Cope). Micki Grant and Company [1972]
Murray Grand, Elisse Boyd: Guess Who I Saw Today? (New Faces of 1952). June Carroll, Orchestra conducted by Anton Coppola [1952]
Jerry Herman: Kiss Her Now (Dear World). Angela Lansbury, Orchestra conducted by Donald Pippin [1969]
Sheldon Harnick: Garbage (Ben Bagley’s Shoestring Revue). Beatrice Arthur, Dorothea Freitag, Liza Redfield, Ralph Roberts [1955]
Harold Karr, Matt Dubey: Mr. Livingstone (Happy Hunting). Ethel Merman, Orchestra conducted by Jay Blackton [1956]
Moises Vivanco: Najala’s Lament (Flahooley). Yma Sumac, Orchestra conducted by Maurice Levine [1951]
Hugh Martin, Timothy Gray: Home Sweet Heaven (High Spirits). Tammy Grimes, Orchestra conducted by Fred Werner [1964]
Jule Styne, Betty Comden, Adolph Green, orchestrated by Philip Lang: If You Hadn’t But You Did (Two on the Aisle). Dolores Gray, Orchestra conducted by Herbert Greene [1951]
George Forrest, Robert Wright: Elena (Kean). Alfred Drake, Orchestra conducted by Pembroke Davenport [1961]
Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim: Take the Moment (Do I Hear a Waltz?). Sergio Franchi, Orchestra conducted by Frederick Dvonch [1965]
Bill Jacob, Patti Jacob: I Only Wanna Laugh (Jimmy). Roslyn Kind, Orchestra conducted by Lee Holdridge [1969]
Bob Merrill: Nobody Steps on Kafritz (Henry, Sweet Henry). Alice Playten, Orchestra conducted by Shepard Coleman [1967]
Jule Styne, Bob Merrill: The Music that Makes Me Dance (Funny Girl). Mimi Hines, Orchestra conducted by Richard Marx [1966]
Ira Levin, Milton Schafer, arranged Don Costa: He Touched Me (Drat! the Cat!). Barbra Streisand [live Philadelphia 1966]
