A Warning to Anyone Buying the Most Happy Fella OBCR online

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 5:13am

I hope this is appropriate for here...

On the recommendation from a good friend whose opinion about musicals I trust over anyone's, I was convinced to buy the OBCR of The Most Happy Fella--a show I've always felt I should own, but have always neglected. The Sony double CD is out of print (and goes for $40+ used on Amazon) but there seemed to be a cheap label reissue, so I went ahead and bought it.

Much to my disappointment, when it came I realized it was only one CDand got worried... Anyway, it's a cheap reissue of the *London* cast album on Pickwick/Hallmark but for some reason uses the Broadway artwork (which is only slightly different) and on the one leaf insert lists the Broadway cast. But it's definitely the London cast...

http://www.amazon.com/Most-Happy-Fella-Original-Broadway/dp/B004MLXR3U/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1325931018&sr=1-1

Is the one to avoid. There is a more legit version of the London cast album circulating and still in print at Amazon. This copy sounds mastered from vinyl--one part has a skip for a few seconds-- Annoyingly I can't even fault the Amazon seller I bought it from because *everything* on the CD says it's the original Broadway...

[best12bars]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 6:29am

The OBCR is a 2-CD set (or 3-LP), not 1 disc. Artwork is the same. I believe there was a "highlights" CD issued as well (1 disc), but it clearly said "highlights" on the front packaging, as I recall.

Sorry you got duped.

Updated On: 1/7/12 at 06:29 AM

[Gaveston2]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 1:59pm

I'm very sorry, Eric. The OBCR is a treasure and, yes, you should have the full, two-CD version.

[jpbran]

Posted: 1/7/12 at 2:04pm

Amazon's policy with their sellers is that if they don't make it right with you (via an exchange or refund), then Amazon refunds your money 100%.

Had that happen when I ordered a DVD years ago and it was a CD-R that was sent instead. The seller was unresponsive and Amazon just credited my $$ back.

[jv92]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 10:20pm

The original album's out of print now? That's a crying shame.

[justoldbill]

Posted: 1/8/12 at 10:52pm

NEVER buy a CD on the Hallmark label. They have the worst sound you'll ever hear. You may think you're getting a bargain. In truth, you're getting less than you pay for.

[jayinchelsea]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 12:19am

I have had a recording of the OBCR since I was a kid, when it was on a bunch of 45s and was only the highlights. The full 2-CD set (which Sony should never have let go out of print imo) captures the entire show, and it is amazing. It takes nothing away from GUYS AND DOLLS to say that THE MOST HAPPY FELLA is still the jewel of Frank Loesser's amazing musical output.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 1/9/12 at 1:34pm

The OBC is a must and I also highly recommend the 2000 3-CD studio recording with Emily Loesser. It's as much of a treasure as the McGlinn studio Showboat recording.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/10/12 at 6:49pm

Eric, it looks like Hallmark has done a transfer from the highlights LP. Columbia released MOST HAPPY FELLA complete on 3 records and also did a standard single Lp show album containing just the key songs. The complete recording is a must-have and I am shocked that Sony has deleted it - Maybe Masterworks Broadway will bring it back.

The London cast In EMI was also a single LP and that was recently issued on CD (again it's a transfer from LP) by Sepia. It is not nearly as good a performance as the Broadway version.

Updated On: 1/11/12 at 06:49 PM

[justoldbill]

Posted: 1/11/12 at 1:24am

The single-LP pressing has never been released on CD before. If indeed the Hallmark pressing is the single-LP version of the OBC, it would be nice to have (for a completist like me) for the alternate takes they did on some endings to accomodate a "single" album.

Updated On: 1/11/12 at 01:24 AM

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 1/11/12 at 5:18pm

It is mostly edits in the dance music for many of the cuts on the highlighs album. The only song that I can think of that has a re-done ending is "Warm All Over" because on the complete recording it segues into orchestral music for a dance sequence. The introduction to "Song for a Sumemr Night" also appears to be a different take (without dialogue laid over it.)