“Til’ Tomorrow” from Fiorello! (Encores! 31-Jan 2013)

music Jerry Bock lyric Sheldon Harnick

performance Kate Baldwin and company

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I always thought this song was a rathe dull pastiche…until Kate Baldwin decided to prove me wrong!  And the company singing a capella for the last 30 seconds?  Stunning.  

“Home Again” as heard on Oscar Peterson Trio Plays My Fair Lady, Porgy & Bess and Fiorello!

music Jerry Bock (lyric Sheldon Harnick, though you don’t hear it)

performance Oscar Peterson Trio

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dlevy pointed me in the direction of this a coupla months ago, and I downloaded some tracks from Freegal AND THEN DELETED THEM BEFORE IMPORTING THEM INTO iTunes.  After seeing a production last week I decided I needed some of these again.  This number, which lasts only a minute on the OBCR, struck me as particularly jaunty and fun here.

“I’ll Marry the Very Next Man” as heard on the album Barbara Cook’s Broadway

music Jerry Bock lyric Sheldon Harnick

performance Barbara Cook

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Because I’m seeing a NYC concert reading of Fiorello! today.  (Hopefully this means I’ll see Fiorello! twice this year, otherwise I’m protected should I be unavailable to see it at Encores!)

Also, Babs here sings an alternative to the “like me/strike me” section that has gotten a lot of flack over the years, and also discusses the revised lyric after the song.

Since Stress Eating seems to have negative physiological effects, Imma try replacing it with Stress Fiorello! Casting.  I’ll probably change my mind about all of this all the time.

Fiorello - Danny Burstein (if they aren’t THAT worried about height) (Norbert Leo Butz?)

Marie (“Marie’s Law”, “I’ll Mary the Very Next Man”)- Julia Murney (Donna Lynne Champlin?)

Thea (“When Did I Fall in Love”, “‘Til Tomorrow”) - Marin Mazzie (I probably won’t change my mind about this ever) (But I guess it should be Rebecca Luker if Danny Burstein is Fiorello)

Dora (“I Love a Cop”) - Al Silber (Marla Mindelle?) (Sarah Stiles?)

Mitzi (“Gentleman Jimmy”) - Debbie Shapiro Gravitte (but only if she could get away with standing still while everyone else taps around her).  (Anyone who ever sang “Buddy Beware”?)

Ben (“Little Tin Box”) - George Hearn 

Morris (“On the Side of the Angels”, “Marie’s Law”) - Josh Lamon

“I’ll Marry the Very Next Man” as heard on Florence Henderson Sings Songs of Broadway (from Fiorello!)

music Jerry Bock lyric Sheldon Harnick

performance Florence Henderson

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Soooo, this is fun!  

You know, I’m shocked with how infreqently this song has been recorded, considering this song is (a) from a Pulitzer Prize winning musical, (b) written by one of the Golden Age’s most successful writing teams, and (c) FIERCE AS SHIT. 

I’m sure the wife-beating lyric (And if he likes me/ Who cares how frequently he strikes me?) is part of the problem.  Speaking of which, why is Sheldon Harnick SO obsessed with jokes about spousal abuse in his lyrics?  In addition to “I’ll Marry the Very Next Man”, The Apple Tree’s What Makes Me Love Him features the line “Yet I would love him / If he abused me / Or used me ill”.  And, of course, Fiddler on the Roof has  ”He’ll beat you every night / But only if he’s sober / So you’re all right” in “Matchmaker”.   

I’m totally adding a Sheldon Harnick Wife Beating medly to my imaginary cabaret act.

too-many-mornings:

Marin  Mazzie sings “When Did I Fall In Love” from FIORELLO! in concert. 

ATTN: Encores! Casting Dept.

itsdlevy:

Is it too early for me to be excited for next season’s Encores shows?

(And is it too early to start campaigning for Debbie Gravitte to sing this song in that production?)

No.  It is NOT too early to start campaigning for Debbie (Shapiro) Gravitte.  

obviously.

“When Did I Fall in Love”/”Dear Friend” as heard on Adler, Bock, Coleman

music Jerry Bock lyrics Sheldon Harnick

performance Dale Kristien

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This inspired pairing is from a 2000 concert in LA supporting AIDS charities.  I love the way the verse of one song gives way to the chorus for the other.  I hadn’t realized both songs exist in such a similar musical mode—or that their lyrics complimented each other so well.  

I am not familiar with Dale Kristien—her most notable credit seems to be several years as Christine in the Vegas Phantom—but she does a lovely job here.  

yourdailybway:

Fiorello! | The Name’s LaGuardia
Tom Bosley and company on the original Broadway cast recording

Music: Jerry Bock
Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick
Book: Jerome Weidman and George Abbott 

i can’t not reblog Fiorello! EVER.

lushupork:

This song is brilliant, so stfu.

paved-with-stars:

“Little Tin Box” from the 1959 Broadway musical, Fiorello!

This is another little gem of a song. One of my favourites from the show.

Mr. X, may we ask you a question?
It’s amazing, is it not,
That the city pays you slightly less than fifty bucks a week,
Yet you’ve purchased a private yacht?

I am positive your Honor must be joking!
Any working man can do what I have done.
For a month or two I simply gave up smoking,
And I put my extra pennies one by one

Into a little tin box,
A little tin box
That a little tin key unlocks.
There is nothing unorthodox
About a little tin box.
In a little tin box.
A little tin box
That a little tin key unlocks.
There is honor and purity,
Lots of security,
In a little tin box.

Mr. Y, we’ve been told you don’t feel well,
And we know you’ve lost your voice,
But we wonder how you managed on the salary you make
To acquire a new Rolls-Royce.

You’re implyin’ I’m a crook and I say no, sir!
There is nothin’ in my past I care to hide.
I been takin’ emply bottles to the grocer
And each nickel that I got was put aside
(That he got was put aside)

Into a little tin box,
A little tin box
That a little tin key unlocks.
There is nothing unorthodox
About a little tin box.
In a little tin box,
A little tin box
There’s a cushion for life’s rude shocks.
There is faith, hope and charity,
Hard-won prosperity,
In a little tin box.

Mr. Z, you’re a junior official
And your income’s rather low,
Yet you’ve kept a dozen women in the very best hotels,
Would you kindly explain how so?

I can see your Honor doesn’t pull his punches,
And it looks a trifle fishy, I’ll admit.
But for one whole week I went without my lunches,
And it mounted up, your Honor, bit by bit.
(Up your Honor, bit by bit.)

It’s just a little tin box,
A little tin box
That a little tin key unlocks.
There is nothing unorthodox
About a little tin box.
In a little tin box,
A little tin box
All a-glitter with blue-chip stocks.
There is something delectable,
Almost respectable,
In a little tin box,
In a little tin box.

paved-with-stars:

Politics and Poker from Fiorello!

This is probably one of my favourite songs from a musical ever. The lyrics are clever, witty and oh so relevant even today.

Whaddya say, Ben? Want a hand?
Nah, you guys go ahead. I got too much on my mind to play poker.

King bets.
Cost you five.
Tony, up to you.
I’m in.
So am I.
Likewise.
Me, too.

Gentlemen, here we are, and one thing is clear:
We gotta pick a candidate for Congress this year.

Chorus members:
Big ace.
Ace bets.
You’ll pay… through the nose.
I’m in. 
So am I.
Likewise.
Here goes.
Possible straight…Possible flush…nothin’

Gentlemen, how about some names we can use?
Some qualified Republican who’s willing to lose.

How’s about we should make Jack Riley the guy?

Which Riley are you thinking of, Jack P. or Jack Y.?

I say, neither one. I never even met ‘em.

I say, when you got a pair o’ jacks, bet ‘em!

Politics and Poker, Politics and Poker
shuffle up the cards and find the joker
Neither game’s for children
Either game is rough
Decisions, decisions, like:
who to pick 
how to play
what to bet
when to call a bluff!

All right, now, fellas, politics or poker: which is more important?

Pair of treys…
Bet ‘em!
Little treys…good as gold.
I’ll stay.
Raise you five.
I’ll call.
I’ll fold.
Raise you back…
I think you’re bluffing.
Put your money where your mouth is.

Gentlemen, knock it off, and let’s get this done.

Try Michael Einyuszinkewich, I’m certain he’d run.

Mike is out, I’m afraid he just wouldn’t sell.
Nobody likes a candidate who’s name they can’t spell!

How about Dave Zimmerman?

Dave, he’s too bright.

What a bout Walt Gustafson?

Walt died last night.

How about Frank Monaghan? What about George Gale?

Frank ain’t a citizen and George is in jail.

We could run Al Wallenstein…

He’s only twenty-three.

What about Ed Peterson?

You idiot, that’s me!

Politics and Poker, Politics and Poker
Playing for a pot that’s mediocre
Politics and Poker
Running neck and neck
If politics seems more predictable
That’s because usually
You can stack the deck!

Politics and Poker, Politics and Poker
Makes the average guy a heavy smoker
Bless the nominee, and give him our regards
And watch while he learns that in

Poker and politics
Brother, 
You’ve gotta have that slippery,
Hap-hazardous commodity
You’ve gotta have the cards!

“The Bum Won” from Fiorello!

music, Jerry Bock.  lyric, Sheldon Harnick.

performed by Howard Da Silva and friends

I love this twisted little cannon, which I imagine must have sounded quite bold at the time.    And I do not have nearly enough Bock and Harnick on here.  

Also, according to the wikipedia page, prior to doing Fiorello!, Howard Da Silva was doing work in Hollywood until he was questioned by the House of Un-American Activities Committee  and subsequently blacklisted in Tinsel Town (for being a pinko commie tool).  That brought him to the musical stage with Fiorello, for which he won a Tony Award.  To repeat and clarify: Hollywood blacklisted him, Broadway gave him a Tony.  

“Overture” from FIORELLO!

Despite what Tony voters at the time must have felt, this score/overture doesn’t really hold a candle to GYPSY, but I love this brass-heavy overture.  And it starts and ends with a siren!  How exciting!