Happy birthday, Ethel Merman

So in honor of her birthday, here's a little concert:


First, Judy introducing Ethel singing "Gee, But It's Good to Be Here" and "I Get a Kick Out of You":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNheHmATOG8


Ethel singing what was known as "The Merman Medley":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELLUuSsN0tE


Perry Como teaching Ethel how to sing softly:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTfgtgWK3ZE


Ethel and Susan Watson singing "Mutual Admiration Society":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbdSnVOc9ew


What It Might Have Been Like to See Ethel in Gypsy--"Rose's Turn" with Ethel's vocal dubbed over Roz Russell's video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GKzjmuSYXk


Ethel, in one of her final appearances, singing "Everything's Coming Up Roses":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s62MrU8mHx4


And, for an encore, Ethel and the Muppets singing a surprisingly touching "There's No Business Like Show Business":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-kdggcQhysQ

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Updated On: 1/16/11 at 06:05 PM

...and Lin-Manuel Miranda too!! He turns 30 today!

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Ethel Merman plows on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCpwdVKZDzs

Updated On: 1/16/11 at 07:25 PM

Happy Birthday, Ethel!
You'll always truly be one of a kind!

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Thanks so MUCH! the first show I ever saw on broadway was Happy Hunting. These youtube links were fantastic! Great tribute to the one and only Merm! People forget how she could galvanize and audience. I saw Gypsy, HH and Hello Dolly and the AGYG revival. No one like here. NO ONE! Thanks again for this. Made my week and after all the Spiderman silliness- she just needed a bare stage!

Thank you Joey and Front Row for the additional clips--and thank you Husky for the SCTV Andrea Martin "Wake Up and Love Me" clip. I hadn't see that in years!

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to quote Elaine Stritch "Its a sin they haven't named a theatre after her"

Amen

It's time to name a theatre after the First Lady of American Musical Comedy. Happy Birthday Ethel!

For Gypsy fans, the Merman Medley in my first post a segments from "You'll Never Get Away from Me" (not "Small World," as it says on the link).

And here she is on a 1979 tribute to Jule Styne on the Merv Griffin Show, singing "Some People," with the little-heard introductory verse and a strange little mash-up with "People" and then some additional sung material to "Poppa" at the end:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wAbMLFBfkUM

(It's like a precursor to Liza's over-the-top "Some People.")

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Updated On: 1/17/11 at 10:47 PM

Merman and Herman:

Jerry Herman plays "Before the Parade Passes By" and Ethel sings the hell out of it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypiHEnvF2VE

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And maybe the greatest piece of television ever broadcast: Mary Martin and Ethel Merman in a 13-minute medley, including their greatest hits and a medley of "I" songs that builds and builds and builds, with the two of them playing off each other like rivals and best friends.

The medley was staged by Jerome Robbins, who wisely chose NOT to stage it, except for two stools and a small number of moves. It was part of the Ford 50th Anniversary broadcast on June 15, 1953, which was aired, live, on CBS and NBC simultaneously.

Part One:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4MjKFmK-FNs

Part Two (The "I" Songs)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pf5xlKF2l88

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