Great Numbers in Mediocre/ Bad Shows — Page 3

"We'll Take a Glass Together" from GRAND HOTEL (a score which I have come to appreciate a LOT more since last year's wonderful ENCORES production)


I feel the same way about "We'll Take a Glass Together." I've become addicted to watching the YouTube clip with Michael Jeter. Even the chorus girls doing the Charleston behind the principals are mesmerizing.

"Puttin' on the Ritz" was written in 1927 by Irving Berlin and sung by Clark Gable in a film. It was, of course, presented to its best advantage in Young Frankenstein.

Two oldies: "All the Things You Are" Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein in the flop Very Warm for May. This song didn't even make the Overture, but there must be about a thousand recordings of it.

"Begin the Beguine" by Cole Porter from Jubilee 1935, but only as arranged and recorded by clarinetist Artie Shaw and his orchestra in 1938. Shaw and clarinet king Benny Goodman were archrivals in the 40s. I actually heard Shaw describe how he had saved the song from obscurity by completely rearranging it. He and his orchestra were appearing on the bill with Tony Bennett and Rosemary Clooney at the Westbury Music Fair on Long Island.

I just asked Alexa to play "Begin the Beguine' by Artie Shaw and there it was. How cool are these smart speakers.

"Goodbye" - Catch Me If You Can

These songs may not necessarily be great, but they're each much better than the rest of their respective scores IMO.

'Don't Break The Rules' from Catch Me If You Can

'Wait a Bit' from Just So

'Willow' from Venice

'Trashin' The Camp' from Tarzan (it may be telling that I find the one song with 90% meaningless scat lyrics, to be the most listenable song in the score)

- The title song from 'Do I hear a Waltz?' (actually, the score is rather good)

- The title song and 'When It Dries from 'Two By Two' (actually, that score's not bad either)

Jet Set, Doctor's Orders and Family Tree from Catch Me If You Can
BFF, Hero is My Middle Name and Chop to the Top from Spongebob
Let There Be and Spark of Creation from Children of Eden
Roll Yer Socks Up, Sunshine Girl, Flings, Chess and Checkers from New Girl in Town
That's the Way It Happens from Me and Juliet
Live for the One I Love - Notre Dame de Paris
I Get Embarrassed from Take Me Along
Freedom and We Make a Beautiful Pair from Shenandoah
By the Sword and Tell My Father from Civil War
Walk Like a Woman and Every Woman in the World from Carmen (Wildhorn)
Afraid of the Dark and Reach Right Down from Starmites
Take Me to Heaven, Fabulous Baby and Raise Your Voice from Sister Act
The Man I Used to Be and All at Once You Love Her from Pipe Dream

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“Men”—Sung by Faith Prince in “Nick and Nora”. One of the most startlingly bad evenings of theater ever, but this number was electric. You felt like you were discovering a star. And indeed once “Guys and Dolls” opened not long after, you realized you had.

The opening 15 minutes of “Steel Pier” were pretty wonderful. The orchestral introduction was gorgeous, Karen Ziemba’s solo, “Willing to Ride”, and the complex musical sequence that followed as all the major characters were introduced to begin the dance marathon made you think you were in for a great evening. Once the marathon began, however, the show was a slog.

“Triumph I’d Love” was terrible, but Christopher Sieber singing “Issue In Question”, Betty Buckley’s “Serenity”, and Susan Egan’s 11:00 number were fantastic.