Songs written for one thing and used for another.

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 11:34am

Recently, I was reminded that the song "Maybe This Time" was written for Kaye Ballard and used later in the film version of "Cabaret". It got me wondering how often this has happened. For example, "Say A Prayer For Me Tonight" was, originally, in "My Fair Lady" (Eliza sang it to Higgins' servants, right before the ball); but it was cut during out of town tryouts. Let's see how many we can recall.

[ElTico68]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 12:14pm

I believe "Invocation to the Gods and Instructions to the Audience" was originally written as the opening for "...Forum".

[AndyHardy]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 12:55pm

Rogers and Hammerstein wrote "Boys and Girls Like You and Me" for Oklahoma! It was dropped from that show and bought by M-G-M producer Arthur Freed for Judy Garland to sing in Meet Me In St. Louis. It was filmed and cut.

Since Freed owned the screen rights, it was next to be used in Take Me Out To The Ballgame sung by Frank Sinatra. It was filmed and cut. Finally it was re-worked as a waltz and can be heard (in part) in R&H'S "Cinderella".

It was later used in the stage production of Meet Me In St. Louis.

Such a pretty song. Sadly, it never "fit".

[timote316]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:01pm

If I remember correctly, 'Music of the Night' wasn't written for Phantom.

Also, I believe "Real Nice Clambake" was written for Oklahoma, but was altered and put into Carousel instead

[WOSQ]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:21pm

Loneliness of Evening was written for South Pacific and turned up when Cinderella was remade for TV in 1965 with Leslie Ann Warren.

Maybe This Time, witten for Kaye Ballard, was also recorded by a young Liza Minelli on her first album called Liza Liza on the Capitol label in about 1963. It took another decade to turn up in Cabaret.

[AndyHardy]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:23pm

Feodor -- "Say A Prayer For Me Tonight" is such a lovely song. I can almost hear Julie singing it.

There was a spunky Johnny Mercer/Harry Warren tune called "Hayride" written for the film "The Harvey Girls" it was recorded but not filmed. The lyric was TOTALLY reworked and it became "The House Of The Singing Bamboo" in Pagan Love Song. From a film about the Wild West to a film about a tropIcal island...

Talk about not wanting to throw out a good melody!

[judy_in_disguise]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:36pm

I don't know about this one, but just wagering a guess....
"Evening Star" is in one of the versions of the Wizard of Oz. It was written by Harold Arlen but does not fit the plot AT ALL. It seems like it was just a pretty song he wrote and they decided to throw it in the show or something.
Anyone know?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:36pm

Andy--would you like to expound on the history of "Get Happy" leading up to Judy's version in "Summer Stock"?

I know you can.

Updated On: 1/11/05 at 01:36 PM

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 1:36pm

Julie did sing it on her television show "The Julie Andrews Hour" where she mentioned her displeasure at it being cut. She claimed it was such a lovely moment for Eliza in the show.

[AndyHardy]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:02pm

Feodor - that is very interesting about Julie. What a lovely moment that would have been.

PJ -- I'll try to answer the "Get Happy" question but I'm at work so this is off the top of my head -- and perhaps off topic.

It was written by Harold Arlen for 9-15 Revue in 1930 (I believe). Arlen had been fooling with the melody during dance rehearsals and someone told him that it would be a great song. Ted Koehler wrote the lyric and Ruth Etting intoduced it. I believe the show lasted under ten performances!!

As far as I know the song just sort of became "popular". I know Benny Goodman recorded it and in the biopic "With a Song In My Heart" they imply that Jane Froman sang it.

Judy performed it in Summer Stock in 1950 because she opted out of the Heavenly Music hillbilly number w/ Gene Kelly and it was felt the film needed another Garland number. Thank goodness...

Love hit songs that came from flops -- but that is another thread.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:11pm

"Hot, Wet Orgasm" was originally written for Terrence Mann to sing in 'Cats' but it was cut, and eventually used by Elaine Stritch in the 90's revival of 'Showboat'. With no transposing.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:13pm

I don't know why they cut "Say A Prayer for Me Tonight" from MFL. It makes no sense in Gigi. Particularly when she's singing it to that obviously drugged cat.

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:23pm

Not to mention the lyric "pray I'll be Wellington not Bonaparte", which seems strange for a French girl to sing and perfectly logical for an English girl to sing.

[AndyHardy]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:26pm

ShbrtAlley -- LOL!! Yes that cat had (hopefully) seen better days. I like it in Gigi especially at the end when she opens the bedroon door in her evening gown and the melody swells. I am assuming this is how it was envisioned in MFL.

Of course in Gigi it sounds more like a virgin getting ready to be thrown to the wolves as opposed to Eliza just hoping to make good.

[ShbrtAlley44]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:27pm

Definitely.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:45pm

AndyHardy, you never disappoint.

[ckeaton]

Posted: 1/11/05 at 2:46pm

No one ever laughs at my Stritch jokes.