Funny/Odd things you've heard on Cast Recordings

I am sure there is a thread on this somewhere, but I couldn't find it.

I was just listening to the 1957 West Side Story recording and noticed on the Finale at the 1 minute and 4 second mark you can hear what I am guessing is sheet music falling to the ground. I love it.

There was another time while listening to the recording of Whistle Down the Wind I noticed what sounds like bad dialog editing on Charlie Christmas. Candy is reading the riot act to Amos and you can clearly hear Amos has a line at the 6 minutes and 17 seconds mark, but it gets edited out. I've always wondered what he was supposed to say.

I was curious to know if anyone else knows of any odd or interesting things that can be heard on cast recordings.

At around 8:31 of "On the Balcony of the Casa Rosada/Don't Cry For Me Argentina" on the American Premiere Recording of EVITA, I SWEAR I can hear what sounds like a doorbell ringing. It drives me crazy because every time I listen to it I think someone's at my door.

I swear at 5:12 of Christmas Bells on the Rent Original Cast Recording Their voices blend together to say "**** New Hampshire" One time seeing it live I heard it too. Being from New Hampshire This makes me both happy for being mentioned and sad.

On the Wicked Original Cast Recording*, during Popular at 1:32 I swear I hear a cell phone going off. Gets me each time.

*Is that better BroadwayFan12??

Updated On: 4/12/12 at 08:01 PM

Turn up the volume on the original recording of A Chorus Line. At the very start of the finale, you can just hear one of the singers say "swap with me"

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?boardid=1&boardname=bway&thread=997458#4029772

This is the board you are thinking of!

I just listened and hear the New Hampshire thing, too funny!

In the old days, some labels released stereo and mono versions using different takes, Capitol especially. On FUNNY GIRL, for instance, the mono version of "Coronet Man" has Fanny ad-libbing the old line, "We're going home!", which is not on the stereo version. And the mono versions of the soundtrack LPs for OKLAHOMA!, CAROUSEL, and THE KING AND I are different from their later stereo releases. The re-release of GOLDEN BOY used a different finale along with some tracks later recorded by Sammy Davis in better voice. Then there are the two (basically) different releases of COCO.

On the original cast LP of NIGHT MUSIC, you can hear the actress singing Fredricka popping her gum during "The Glamorous Life". This has since been digitally removed. Ethel Merman's finger-snapping during "Some People" also seems to have disappeared, possibly due to an alternate take (like "Rose's Turn").

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Updated On: 4/11/12 at 09:14 PM

I find it odd that they left these flubs (like Carol or Angela coming in too early during a song) on the final cut of the recording. You would think they'd realize the mistake and do the song over again. What was the reason behind leaving the flub in? Did the producers just not notice it? Were cast recordings often done on time constraints or did they not have the funds to go back and fix any mistakes?

Whatever the answer is, I still love my cast recordings, flubs and all. In a strange way, I find the little things like it to be rather endearing.

Exactly, it's completely understandable that cast recordings of shows like "Anyone Can Whistle" and "Merrily We Roll Along" have a few goofs. The shows themselves didn't make any money, had very short runs, and were being made quickly and inexpensively. But "Hello, Dolly!" was a such a huge hit that you'd think they'd be more than willing to spend a little extra money and time to make the best possible album. Heck, they made several subsequent versions during the original run with Pearl Bailey, Mary Martin and a partial album with Ethel Merman- and that's not even taking into consideration the many covers done by artists like Bobby Darin, Louis Armstrong and Judy Garland, just to name a few.

The recording is still great though.

Updated On: 4/12/12 at 01:26 AM

Matt2, with all due respect, it's Bobby DARIN.

"On the Wicked soundtrack, during Popular at 1:32 I swear I hear a cell phone going off. Gets me each time."

Wicked doesn't have a soundtrack.

Updated On: 4/12/12 at 03:00 AM

Diana Davila's voice on the Original Broadway Cast Album of TWO GENTLMEN OF VERONA. You call *that* singing? It's friggin' grating!

Bernadette Peters' accent on the OBCR of SONG AND DANCE!!!

This could be all speculation, but part of the reason for not re-recording "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" with Carol's line flub may have many reasons.

I was once told that when recording cast albums, whoever is in charge usually likes to get the Ensemble and Company numbers out of the way first, and leave the solo's and duet's (with less people) 'til the end. That way, they don't have to pay everyone the same. "Put On Your Sunday Clothes" is a company number - and not a short one - and Ms. Channing's mistake happens right in the middle of the song. Perhaps they just didn't find it necessary to record again and take up more time.

Also - the early coming-in gives us something to write about on message boards 40+ years later! And it's charming.

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