Topic: THE STRAIGHTFORWARD NOTES (Read 38087 times)

DearReaderLaura · « **Reply #120 on:** March 22, 2004, 02:36:32 PM »

A great big hug to Joe!

(((((((Joe))))))))

Jane · « **Reply #121 on:** March 22, 2004, 02:37:46 PM »

We had delicious steamed artichokes last night. I steamed them in a large pot (have never used an electric steamer) on little metal artichokes holders.

Off to mail a birthday card. I would prefer to stay & visit, but the card must go out today.

td · « **Reply #122 on:** March 22, 2004, 02:50:55 PM »

This might be long, but, I wanted to hit all of the wonderful topics of the day!

I liked Jennifer Westfeldt in KISSING JESSICA STEIN. I don't have a problem with her on the WONDERFUL TOWN cd; she's the ingenue! The part has been sung much better - Rebecca Luker on the double disc WT; my problem with the new recording is, IMHO, the tempi are too darn slow!

BRANDO - it's like yesterday's discussion of Hart vs Sondheim; Brando is of an era, that era is passed. When Brando hit the screen, audiences has not seen such animal sexuality combined with his lithe, then-athletic, body and the intensity of his acting. I would rate him as an influential actor, but, give me Ronald Colman or Cary Grant. Brando's comedic skills leave a lot to be desired. . . .Favorite Brando performances: STREETCAR, MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY, LAST TANGO IN PARIS and THE NIGHTCOMERS.

RLP - please do tell us about the *other* hair.

DR Panni & DR PennyO - I'm in accord with your comments about La Streisand. There was a time when she was "Babs," and further back, she was simply Barbra Streisand, a gangly kid with a voice to die for! I'm glad that PennyO pointed out the Cook/Streisand phrasing, for I have always beleived that Streisand took a lot from Cook.

And, finally, Hart & Rodgers:
"You Have Cast Your Shadow on the Sea"
"It Never Entered My Mind"
"My Funny Valentine"
"Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"
"Our Den of Iniquity"
"I Didn't Know What Time it Was"
"To Keep My Love Alive"
"It's a Lovely Day for a Murder"
"Johnny One Note"
"Where's that Rainbow"
"The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"

and, from THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE alone:
"He and She"
"Dear Old Syracuse" with a small correction to Mr. Moore's note of yesterday: It's "When the search for love becomes a mania, you can take the night boat to Albania."
"Falling in Love with Love" ( I love the verse to this)
"This Can't be Love"
"The Ladies of the Evening in the Morning" ("A plum becomes a prune, a joke becomes a pun, and daughters of the moon must fade beneath the sun.)
"What Can You Do with a Man?"
"Sing for Your Supper"
"O Diogenes"
"The Shortest Day of the Year"

and, finally, my all-time favorite Rodgers & Hart song:
TEN CENTS A DANCE.

[move=left,scroll,6,transparent,100%]! ! W E L C O M E H O M E J O E ! ! [/move]

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #123 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:08:28 PM »

When MGM was producing "Words and Music," they recorded many more songs than they were able to use.

George Feltenstein oversaw the issue of a laserdisc boxed set called "MGM Composer Series" in which were presented special editions of "Till the Clouds Roll By" (Jerome Kern), "Words and Music" (Rodgers and Hart) and "Deep in My Heart" (Sigmund Romberg).

In addition to the films, they provided us with all the pre-recordings and alternate recordings of songs from all three films.

There is a treasure trove on those LDs...and among them is Betty Garrett singing a heartbreakingly gorgeous version of "My Funny Valentine."

elmore3003 · « **Reply #124 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:16:33 PM »

[quote author=td link=board=4;threadid=217;start=msg34271#msg34271 date=1079995855

"Dear Old Syracuse" with a small correction to Mr. Moore's note of yesterday: It's "When the search for love becomes a mania, you can take the night boat to Alban

Quote

DR TD, that was intentional: Rodgers & Hart's Ephesus is not so far from Manhattan: the producer Brothers Shubert were referred to as "the boys from Syracuse" and the night boat to Albania is a reference to the night boat that used to run up the Hudson River from New York to albany, and the subject of a Kern show "The Night Boat." My point was that most popular musicals, from Herbert's THE RED MILL of 1906 to musicals before Oscar Hammerstein promoted dramatic cohesion, could be set as far away as Holland, Ephesus, Budapest, but they always ended up in New York in their references.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #125 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:18:29 PM »

Quote from: td on March 22, 2004, 02:50:55 PM

"Dear Old Syracuse" with a small correction to Mr. Moore's note of yesterday: It's "When the search for love becomes a mania, you can take the night boat to Albania."

Where did the quote go?

Panni · « **Reply #126 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:31:14 PM »

Re our topic du jour, I was just reading an essay by Richard Rodgers in which he compares his various lyricists, and I came across this:

“…The following year, a Rodgers and Hart score for the Columbia Varsity Show also contained an interpolated Rogers and Hammerstein effort, “Room for One More." Oscar, incidentally, had been on the panel of judges that had selected our musical FLY WITH ME, as the Varsity Show. A few years later he even collaborated on the book for a musical WINKLE TOWN, with a score by Larry and me, but we never could sell it. The show, however, did have a song in it, “Manhattan,” that later became our first hit.”

Okay, so this got me thinking about an intriguing topic. Here’s a show by Rodgers and HartandHammerstein – and they couldn’t sell it! So I wonder how many other “dream shows” there are out there which on paper were made in heaven, but in the cold light of day (or opening night) went straight to the other place. Thoughts, DRs?…

MBarnum · « **Reply #127 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:41:06 PM »

I did enjoy Brando's performance in SAYONARA, but then I hadn't really seen much of anything of his to compare it to. For my part I put him into that group of over-rated actors that people seem to think are really cool to like....Jack Nicholson for instance...that isn't to say that I don't like certain performances of either actor, I just don't find them personally all that appealing and I certainly wouldn't make a point of seeing one of their films just because they were in it...now Allison Hayes or Cal Bolder on the other hand! Well, there is just no comparison now is there! LOL!

Panni · « **Reply #128 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:41:27 PM »

I just checked my original list and for some reason I didn't include a song I love, SPRING IS HERE -- so bittersweet, so heartbreakingly lovely. You'd swear it was written by a Hungarian.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #129 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:50:02 PM »

My God! Ruth Lyons, the 50-50 club, Bob Braun, Midwestern Hayride...this Cincy boy remembers them all! I know that Bob Braun was a big broad-shouldered guy, but I don't know that I'd characterize him as "an elephant of a guy", JRand. Bob actually had a few hit singles...probably regional...but one that got him enough play that he made an appearance on American Bandstand. Midwestern Hayride was also something of a Saturday ritual at our house (My Dad always like Bonnie Lou) and I remember Kenny Price before his Hee-Haw days. Who was the guy who had the Saturday talent show? I don't remember what it was called. I also actually got to meet Bob Shreve (he came to a show of mine at UK) of the classic Shoenling All-Night Theatre where Bob showed wonderful cheesy movies along with his cast of characters...Spidel and chickie and all the rest...Another famed Cincy TV personality, Nick Clooney, is presently running as a Democratic Congressional candidate from Northern Kentucky. I'm thinking of sending him a donation. I used to take guitar lessons at Wurlizter Music in downtown Cincy from a guy who occasionally played in Ruth Lyons' band on the show.

Charles Pogue · « **Reply #130 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:54:15 PM »

I did not watch the Babs Steisand show, because I find Lipton an obsequious ass and Babs an over-indulgent, self-indulgent actress and film-maker. I used to like her as a singer, but I think she has become self-indulgent in that arena as well, far more interested in showing off her instrument than serving the song.

Jennifer · « **Reply #131 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:58:47 PM »

I also usually steam my vegetables, but with a metal steamer in a pot. I think they are supposed to be much better for you if you only steam them for a short time. But personally I just hate hard broccoli.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #132 on:** March 22, 2004, 03:59:02 PM »

Quote from: Panni on March 22, 2004, 03:41:27 PM

I just checked my original list and for some reason I didn't include a song I love, SPRING IS HERE -- so bittersweet, so heartbreakingly lovely. You'd swear it was written by a Hungarian.

Well, you know, DR Panni, it's from I MARRIED AN ANGEL of 1938 or so, set in Budapest. I believe it's even based on a Hungarian play.

Jennifer · « **Reply #133 on:** March 22, 2004, 04:00:20 PM »

Oh and on the topic of the new WONDERFUL TOWN, I have not seen or heard Jennifer W yet. But I did see the Encores version with Laura Benanti. And she was wonderful. As was Donna Murphy. I actually could not believe how much I loved the show.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #134 on:** March 22, 2004, 04:28:42 PM »

LOL DRCHARLESPOGUE....Midwestern Hayride was IN COLOR as were all the WLW shows and that's the reason I watched most of them. I remember seeing Bob on American Bandstand (I have a couple of his albums) - and he looked so out of place! I guess my elephant crack was the way I remember him from the final days of the show!

I don't think the talent show made it to Indy and WLW-I, I don't remember it anyway. Yup I met Nick Clooney a few years ago when he was a speaker at an SPJ event, nice guy.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #135 on:** March 22, 2004, 04:36:09 PM »

Quote from: JRand53 on March 22, 2004, 04:28:42 PM

Yup I met Nick Clooney a few years ago when he was a speaker at an SPJ event, nice guy.

In 1988 I worked with Michael Tilson Thomas on a Gershwin Gala for PBS and the Brooklyn Academy of Music. One of the stars was Rosemary Clooney, son of my friend Rafael. I told her I was from the Cincinnati area and she asked me if I ever got back there, and I said only when I had to. She said she felt the same way but she had to go back the following week for a wedding. Her last words then, pray for me. It's even funnier because we called Rafael Rosemary's baby.

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #136 on:** March 22, 2004, 04:41:43 PM »

I saw a nice bio of Clooney on TV this past weekend...lots of reminiscing by sons Rafael, Gabriel and Miguel. There's a daughter, too, but I didn't get her name. The show was on a local PBS station as part of a fund-raising campaign.

Jrand73 · « **Reply #137 on:** March 22, 2004, 04:45:15 PM »

LOL elmore

Panni · « **Reply #138 on:** March 22, 2004, 04:47:56 PM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on March 22, 2004, 03:59:02 PM

Well, you know, DR Panni, it's from I MARRIED AN ANGEL of 1938 or so, set in Budapest. I believe it's even based on a Hungarian play.

Well I did NOT know, Larry! That's one of the things I love about this site - because now I do. (Looked it up: "Based upon a play by Hungarian playwright Janos Veszary...")
That's really interesting - I'm sure Hart wasn't thinking, "How do I express a Hungarian emotional landscape here?..." But somehow he did. He probably has Hungarian genes. Most of the clever ones do, y'know.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #139 on:** March 22, 2004, 04:51:11 PM »

Quote from: Panni on March 22, 2004, 04:47:56 PM

Well I did NOT know, Larry! That's one of the things I love about this site - because now I do. (Looked it up: "Based upon a play by Hungarian playwright Janos Veszary...")
That's really interesting - I'm sure Hart wasn't thinking, "How do I express a Hungarian emotional landscape here?..." But somehow he did. He probably has Hungarian genes. Most of the clever ones do, y'know.

Well, then I wish my family wasn't evicted from England around 1700 instead of east of the Danube!! We're WASP Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, ya know!

Ron Pulliam · « **Reply #140 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:09:34 PM »

In absolute fairness to Lulu and her recollection of a comment I made, I found the reference in the 2/21/2003 notes in the archives. The subject that spurred my comment was about "The Fantasticks" and how "The Rape Ballet" had been removed out of deference to it no longer being an acceptable number because of subject matter:

I wrote:

I have vivid memories of a time in my military past when my commanding officer was addressing some fiscal changes that were about to come our way that would alter how we did business (i.e., doing more with less). As he put it, we would endure because, he said,"When rape is inevitable, the best thing to do is lie back and enjoy it."

Believe me when I tell you he got a hearty round of applause and lots of chuckles over that!

Since we are now being subjected to subliminal terrorism by our own government, it won't be long before everyone has caught on and a lot of this silliness surrounding "P.C." will disappear.

Posted by Ron Pulliam @ 02/21/2003 08:06 AM PST

It grieves me to see what I left unsaid.

I can clearly see what Lulu saw, and I totally apologize for the insensitivity of the remark as it stands.

I'm sure my point was that at the time the bromide was offered, no one took the bromide as approval of the act of rape or anything related to it. That's what my feeling was about "The Rape Ballet" -- that it was not intentionally offensive...and I was prattling on about how I felt folks who make it disappear were being over-PC.

Lulu was right. I was wrong by omission (and by virtue of not really thinking about what I was saying).

Panni · « **Reply #141 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:14:35 PM »

Quote from: elmore3003 on March 22, 2004, 04:51:11 PM

Well, then I wish my family wasn't evicted from England around 1700 instead of east of the Danube!! We're WASP Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves, ya know!

I once read a book that set out to prove that anyone who mattered in a significant way in the affairs of the world was somehow of Hungarian descent. The thesis being that Hungarians are really aliens. When the aliens landed way back when, they realized that if they wanted to take over peacefully they'd have to mix their alien genes with the earth beings -- so they created an earth race - Hungarians - and spread out from there. The book went on to show that in every major aspect of human endeavor - whether it be the arts or the atom bomb - Hungarians were key. Just look at the development of the Bomb - Szilard, Teller, Wigner, et al.
The book also traced the roots of the British royal family. You guessed it!
So don't worry, you may think you're WASP, but mere facts are not always to be trusted.

bk · « **Reply #142 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:28:08 PM »

These days, RLP, it is a rare person, Internet or any other-wise, who will post something like you just did. Bravo.

I et my steamed artichoke with gobs of melted butter and I am now ready to purge. I also burned my finger on the metal thing I use to melt butter in. I put some neosporin on it, which will hopefully help it not blister too badly. That's the first time I've burned myself in thirty years.

Maya · « **Reply #143 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:36:32 PM »

Hey everyone! HAPPY SONDHEIM BIRTHDAY! *feeds Andrew Lloyd Webber some crumbs from his cake*

Sorry I wasn't really around yesterday (it was wonderful reading your erudite and well-written thoughts on Sondheim and Hart).
I spent the day in DC with an online friend I was meeting for the first time, and we had a marvelous time.

I definitely agree that Sondheim's work is romantic and heartfelt while never being cloying or sentimental. I love that I can be stimulated on two levels at once---emotional and intellectual (although admittedly, in a few cases, the latter ecipses the former). Sunday in the Park with George is my favorite Sondheim musical, but I think it needs to be seen too for one to really feel the amazing emotional impact this show has. The score, I think, isn't one of Sondheim's most melodic...in some ways, it mirrors the pointilism of Seurat's work. But I also think it's one of his most deeply felt in the context of the show, and the fused relationships between Dot and Georges and Marie and George, just carry me to such a level of...I don't know how to describe it. It's just wonderfully deep and beautiful and climactic.

I adore Rodgers and Hart (in some ways even more than Rodgers and Hammerstein). I think that to be a cynic, one must have at one time been a great romantic, and I can hear this in Hart lyrics. Of course I also love the rhyming. I'm such a rhyme-whore.

My favorites are:
Where Or When
I Wish I was In Love Again
Johnny One Note
My Funny Valentine
Zip
I Could Write a Book
Falling in Love With Love
To Keep My Love Alive
Manhattan
It Never Entered My Mind
I Didn't Know What Time It Was
Thou Swell

Good vibes to WFO and Joe! I'm glad he's back home!

I really liked Jennifer Westfeldt in Wonderful Town. I loved her in Kissing Jessica Stein, probably my favorite romcom, and she didn't disappoint even next to such a goddess as Donna Murphy. I thought she balanced ingenuousness and sexy guile quite nicely.

Jane · « **Reply #144 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:42:48 PM »

Bruce, ice first, then Neosporin. I use to use gobs of butter & slowly reduced the amount of butter until I could eat it plain or with just the tiniest amount of butter. Try it. It is much better for you and certainly less fattening.

bk · « **Reply #145 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:48:11 PM »

But I LOVE buttah.

Robin · « **Reply #146 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:49:38 PM »

I would be remiss in my duty as the world's biggest geek if I failed to point out that today is also the birthday of Mr. William Shatner.

Jane · « **Reply #147 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:54:06 PM »

Quote from: RLP on March 22, 2004, 05:09:34 PM

Lulu was right. I was wrong by omission (and by virtue of not really thinking about what I was saying).

I’m impressed you went back to your original post and added additional comments. That was very nice of you.

Jane · « **Reply #148 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:55:27 PM »

Bruce so did I but if you do it slowly you can even get to the point where too much butter doesn't take good-honest.

elmore3003 · « **Reply #149 on:** March 22, 2004, 05:58:26 PM »

DR RLP, you're a mensch.

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Author Topic: THE STRAIGHTFORWARD NOTES (Read 38087 times)

MBarnum