Best Gypsy cast album?

I've never fully listened to Gypsy and wish to, but man... the 5 major productions of Gypsy on Broadway were all starring equally talented women as Rose.

So, my question is what do you suggest, Lupone, Peters, Daly, Lansbury, or Merman for my first listen?

I alternate between Merman and LuPone.

The 2008 album with Patti Lupone, Laura Benanti, and Boyd Gaines is my personal favorite. I think that, that cast is probably the best. After that the album with Bernadette Peters is also enjoyable.

by far Merman! Angela and Patti are both very good as well. Imelda, Bernadette and Tyne each have their moments but leave something to be desired (Imelda's recording i appreciated for its new orchestrations)

I forgot about Imelda's recording! I will say it's more enjoyable than the disappointing filmed production.

I would probably rank the recordings:

Merman

LuPone

Peters

Lansbury

Staunton

Daly

Updated On: 9/23/17 at 11:27 PM

I like the Merman version a lot - it just has a special thrill. I've listened to some of the Lansbury version. The 2008 version irritates me although Patti is great. I have to admit though I'm not that big of a fan of Gypsy and have not listened to a lot of the versions so I'm no expert here, lol.

I recommend the hard to get Kay Medford studio recording.....just kidding. Possibly the worst GYPSY recording ever.

My vote is for Merman. However, Lupone's GYPSY includes cut music from the score. The additional songs include "Tomorrow's Mother's Day", "Momma's Talking Soft", "Nice She Ain't", "Smile, Girls", "Who Needs Him?" and "Three Wishes For Christmas." It's a welcome addition which gives us an idea of the Jule Styne songs we never got to hear. The Barnes and Noble release offers a 2nd CD which includes dialogue scenes, underscoring, musical scene change music, the entire final scene dialogue as well as the exit music.

Bernadette is my next choice with Daly (in poor voice), Midler and Staunton on the bottom of my list. Lansbury is fine but I rarely listen to it anymore. Once again, my first "go to" GYPSY recording is the OC with Merman.

Updated On: 9/24/17 at 11:53 AM

Merman. Merman. Merman.

The overture alone is my favorite musical overture of all-time. It is perfection in a musical time bottle.

'Let Me Entertain You' - Hearing Merm first deliver the now iconic line "SING OUT, LOUISE!" And now knowing the history (that it wasn't in the original scripted version. The line was hand-written by Merm. Her idea??).

'Some People' - Love the build up. Love hearing a very young Sondheim. Love Merm's "BUT NOT ROOOOOOSE!"

'You'll Never Get Away From Me' - An unexpected, softer, tender Merm.

'Everything's Coming Up Roses' - Perhaps the song most identifiable with her aside from 'Show Business.' My chill-worthy favorite part is her delivery of the line "momma is gonna see to it." You can almost see her pounding her upper chest with her right fist as she sings it..

'Rose's Turn' - Not the most emotionally powerful version, I'll give you that. All versions that followed delivered a deeper, more drawn-out "mama? mmmmm-ma-ma?" But I love her brassy "WHADDYYYA THINK OF THOSE EGG ROLLS MR. GOLDSTEIN?" and she nails everything from "SCRAPBOOKS full of me in the BACKround" on...

Updated On: 9/24/17 at 03:16 PM

jayinchelsea.....Since you state you've seen all the actresses who played Rose on Broadway could you please share with us any name celebrities you've seen in stock or other venues that have played the role?

My favorite was Ann Sothern and least favorite JoAnne Worley. Never caught Merman but did see all the others. I truly enjoyed Peters and for the first time understood why Herbie hung around for so long.

P.S. - Didn't mean to highjack the thread but it seems to be well covered at this point.

Updated On: 9/24/17 at 03:55 PM

Yeah, Merman for Merman, then Lupone for the whole ensemble and the quality of the recording itself, then Bette's. I like my Rose's who are big, brassy and belty. But, I love Tyne Daly's Small World...

Tyne Daly, without a doubt.

qolbinau said: "I guess what is difficult about the Merman recording for me is to my ears it sounds like a rather straight interpretation of the score. It seems like over time to play Rose you need to make her sound more desperate or angry or emotionally-heightened (not sure if that is even a phrase), whereas Merman seems to be from a different time where it was sufficient to just sing the score well as written without too much on top. I call this ‘on top’ acting butacknowledge some might call this over-engineered and over the top."

You're certainly not wrong, but that was the type of singing for which the show was originally written. And the question was "definitive", wasn't it?

ETA: My bad. The question was phrased as "best", not "definitive", so point taken. If one wants to hear Rose's notes as they are written on the page--including the triplets in "Everything's Coming Up Roses"--the best bet is probably (1) LuPone or (2) Lansbury.

Updated On: 9/25/17 at 03:01 AM