A Broadway Kind of 4th of July

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 9:30am

Posting some patriotic songs, Broadway style.


Judy Garland singing "American the Beautiful":

http://youtu.be/AaPkkOYg4cQ


Irving Berlin (himself!) singing "God Bless America":

http://youtu.be/Vmc-pEyUHTs


Joel Grey singing from George M (in NY Harbor on July 4, 1985):

http://youtu.be/3htDxc3wvBs


Joel Grey performing from George M on the Tonys:

http://youtu.be/ralkVHCSdmo


Sammy Davis Jr. performing "Yankee Doodle Dandy":

http://youtu.be/lw6GMQHvPSM


Ethel Merman singing "Everything's Coming Up Roses" at Ronald Reagan's inauguration, January 1981:

http://youtu.be/Q_nHCffVe5s

[NYadgal]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 9:53am

What a wonderful collection!

Thanks, PalJoey - and Happy 4th of July to you!

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 10:54am

And to you!

Liza Minnelli singing "New York, New York" on July 4, 1986, at Giants Stadium in celebration of the Statue of Liberty's 100th birthday.

http://youtu.be/rgusCINe260

[Addison D.]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 10:56am

Nicely done. I have turned your selections into a playlist for the drive out of town.

Happy Independence Day, everybody...

Updated On: 7/4/12 at 10:56 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 12:07pm

To PJ:

MWAH!

[ACL2006]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 12:09pm

That was probably the best version of New York, New York. such energy & the crowd loved it!!

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 1:07pm

Two stirring favorites that bespeak the Ellis Island experience and feel very 4th to me:

The stunning Charles Strouse overture to RAGS.

"Ladies Maid" from TITANIC.




"Ladies Maid," Titanic

Updated On: 7/4/12 at 01:07 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 1:25pm

The sense of foreboding in the "... Roses" lyrics brings a kind of David Lynch quality to Merman's song for Reagan.

"Clear the decks! Clear the tracks!
You've got nothing to do but relax.
Blow a kiss. Take a bow."

Honey, Ethel presaged his entire presidency with that performance.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 4:31pm

To balance out Merman singing for Reagan, here is Diana Ross singing "Gold Bless America" (with the rarely sung introductory verse!) at President Clinton's 1993 Gala:

http://youtu.be/_CNh3SEPkP0

[Mildred Plotka]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 4:52pm

I made a little playlist (some with suggestions from this thread, so ty) for the 4th, thought I'd share:

1. Overture from Rags
2. The Old Red Hills of Home from Parade
3. America from West Side Story
4. Lady's Maid from Titanic
5. The Lees of Old Virgina from 1776
6. Melt Us from All American
7. Wheels of a Dream from Ragtime
8. A Normal, Healthy, American Boy from Bye Bye Birdie
9. The Real American Folk Song is a Rag (Crazy for You Recording)
10. Another National Anthem from Assassins
11. Rock Star from Bloody, Bloody, Andrew Jackson
12. But, Mr Adams from 1776
13. Hitchhiking Across America (Make Me a Song Recording)
14. A Wonderful Guy from South Pacific
15. Typical Self-Made American from Strike Up the Band
16. Ol' Man River from Show Boat
17. Oklahoma! from Oklahoma!
18. Rat-Tat-Tat from Funny Girl
19. Seventy-Six Trombones from Music Man
20. The Flesh Failures/Let the Sun Shine In from Hair
21. Yankee Doodle Dandy (George M! Recording)
22. God Bless America (Stage Door Canteen Recording)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 5:14pm

That's FABULOUS, Mildred!

Here's Judy Garland singing "Yankee Doodle Dandy" (briefly):

http://youtu.be/StDpLge_ITM?t=3m19s

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 9:46pm

"Our Favorite Son" from the Will Rogers Follies:

http://youtu.be/K9-1XutZfPY

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 9:48pm

Mitzi Gaynor's disco "Yankee Doodle," choreographed by Tony Charmoli:

http://youtu.be/XVxnhrBYZ64

Updated On: 7/4/12 at 09:48 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/4/12 at 10:04pm

Seconded sentiments; Mildred's list is stellar and encyclopedic.

[Jon]

Posted: 7/5/12 at 2:30pm

Rags had a great overture, but it also had the perfectly awful song "Yankee Boy" sung by Larry Kert in a rooftop 4th of July scwene featuring the worst "fireworks" lighting effects ever. Only to be topped by trhe worst stage depiction of the Triangle Shirtwaist Co. fire ever. The 1980's were a sad era for special effects, other than Phantom.