And I did have a ball. This is a fun little show. It is pop and jazzy and fun, very much predicting the direction of show tunes heading into the mid sixties. It was a flop show, opening in the end of 1964 starring Buddy "I don't sing on pitch" Hackett, Karen "I'll belt my guts out" Morrow, and Richard "there's nothing I don't sound incredible singing" Kiley. It lasted 199 performances and would have lasted longer if Hacket didn't leave the show, have a fist fight with producer Joseph Kipness, get knocked out cold, and refuse to let anyone take over his part (they wanted Phil Silvers). The musical ended, but we have the album. I like the tunes alot. They are toe tapping, rhythmic, and melodic most of the time. Of course Richard Kiley makes everything sound amazing, especially "The Other Half of Me" and "Fickle Finger of Fate". For all the fuss Hacket made during the show, he hardly sings on the album which is not exactly a bad thing. All his songs are forgettable, but you do get a sense of the crazy comedian he was. Karen Morrow sings on a couple of the bonus tracks, and she's great. The whole album is very slick, with great liner notes, and a prefect sound. Quincy Jones was even the original producer of the album. Go figure.
No comments:
Post a Comment