Beware that a number of years ago they reissued the Cast Album on a CD on a label called Razor. Some of them were alternate versions of songs & not as good as on the original cast album. There is a story behind this.
Davis had been out of the show with laryngitis during the out-of-town try-outs and his voice sounded raspy on the original recording. Later, he arranged to come back and re-record his solos (they could not afford to bring everyone back) but his performances had become much more mannered and stylized. Capitol re-released the album (using the SAME catalogue number but a different cover art) and that same version was reissued in the late 1970s. Apparently when the changes were made, the original session tapes were destroyed.
There have been 4 CD editions of GOLDEN BOY - Bay Cities, Broadway Angel, Razor & Tie, and now DRG. All 4 use the altered takes.
The changed tracks are as follows:
NIGHT SONG
STICK AROUND
I WANNA BE WITH YOU
CAN'T YOU SEE IT
Also the original album ended with the finale from the show (dialogue about Joe having been killed in car crash leading into a reprise of "Gimme Some.") For the revised album that track was dropped and replaced by "The Fight" - a mostly percussion track with a few bars play by the orchestra that underscores Joe's final fight.
Sometime I will have to transfer these tracks from my Lp copy as I consider them superior to the remakes.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com
Updated On: 1/16/09 at 02:59 AM