Showing posts with label E.Y. Harburg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label E.Y. Harburg. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Music Review: Bloomer Girl 1944

Music Review: Bloomer Girl
Evelina (Celeste Holm) is caught between family members.  Her father is a manufacturer of hoops for hoop skirts.  Her aunt is a proponent and created of bloomers, a new alternative to the hoop skirt, more comfortable, more practice; but also scandalous.  This musical was first presented on Broadway in 1944 and this is a remastering of the original recording rereleased in 2001.   
This musical is during the U.S. Civil War.  It tells the story of Evelina's intended, who is from the South, helping a slave escape.  This results in many being arrested with Aunt Bloomer being accused of working with the Underground Railroad.  They escape further problems as the war starts, but all the men leave for the war, Evelina still unmarried.  Her boyfriend is headed to fight for the Confederacy.  But he stops in Washington, where he hears President Lincoln, and changes his loyalties, and returns to propose marriage.  Music bi Harold Arlen, Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg.  There are a couple bonus tracks with Bing Crosby singing "The Eagle and Me" and "Evelina".  For some reason one woman sings in a hick style which is very grating.  The computers also did "Wizard of Oz" but I thought the must've sounded like old Disney, Mickey Mouse.

Friday, March 20, 2015

Music Review: Finians’s Rainbow The Original Broadway Cast Recording

Finians’s Rainbow The Original Broadway Cast Recording, music Burton Lane, lyrics E.Y. Harburg

I was a little disappointed with this music.  The original case played in 1947 and the show ran for 725 performance (Wikipedia)  This version is not near as fascinating as the movie with Petula Clark and Fred Astair my Dad took me to see as a youngster.  There was too much emphasis on the Irish accent that makes it hard to understand, and in the end it is just a jumble.  However, “Look to the Rainbow” is one of my favorite songs ever.  As for my other favorite song from the musical “How Are Things in Glocco Morra?”  I did not like the version in this original cast recording.  Ella Logan is the actress who sings these songs in this version.