I Had a Ball (1964 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording, Extra tracks, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack]

Stan Freeman (Artist), Jack Lawrence (Artist), Buddy Hackett (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 29, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording, Extra tracks, Original recording remastered, Soundtrack
• Label: Decca Broadway
• ASIN: B0000931MQ
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #251,686 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars average score, redeemed only by Karen Morrow, August 6, 2003

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: I Had a Ball (1964 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

I HAD A BALL is another of those fascinating Broadway flops that one can't help but fall in love with. A bouncy and tuneful score by Stan Freeman and Jack Lawrence and a cast led by Karen Morrow, Richard Kiley, Luba Lisa and Buddy Hackett are the main draw-cards of this musical.

The only really memorable songs of this score are those sung by veteran Broadway belter Karen Morrow: "I've Got Everything I Want", "Almost" and the Title Song. Luba Lisa impresses with the comical number "Addie's At It Again", while Richard Kiley (MAN OF LA MANCHA) sings delightfully in "The Other Half of Me".

Composer Jack Lawrence has recently come forth with some rather-startling stories of the late Buddy Hackett. Hackett apparently loved upstaging Karen Morrow during her big number "I've Got Everything I Want", refused to have an understudy and demanded over-the-title billing. He also stipulated that his should be the only picture on the posters and cast-album cover.

Included on this reissue are additional cover versions of "I Had a Ball" and "Almost", recorded by Karen Morrow for the Mercury label, and two trunk songs that were cut during out-of-town tryouts.

Highly-recommended.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun score! Great cast minus the star, January 16, 2009

By 

Chance Wayne (Western WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Had a Ball (1964 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Buddy Hackett is the worse thing about this recording. Leave him out of the mix and you're left with three Broadway greats, La Mancha's own Richard Kiley, iron lunged Karen Morrow and the wonderfully sexy Luba Lisa. No the score isn't Broadway's best, much in the same league as flops like "Bajour", "Golden Rainbow" and "Bravo Giovanni" but it is still a fun listen. Except for Hackett's butchering of his songs (luckily there are few), there's the bluesy "Can It Be Possible?", Lisa's fetching "Addie's At It Again" and Morrow's belting of "I've Got Everything I Want" not to mention her expert handling of the title tune. Even lesser numbers like "The Other Half of Me", "Fickle Finger of Fate" and "Almost We Made It" will quickly grow on you. If you like the brassy sound of Broadway musicals from the sixties then treat yourself to this cast album.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I would give Karen Morrow six stars if I could., April 7, 2006

By 

BewitchedinDC "Mark" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: I Had a Ball (1964 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

God love a belter! Karen Morrow's strong, clear voice is one that instantly makes my soul smile. Listening to her is like what I would imagine sunshine should sound like.

All that being said, she's really the only reason to buy this score. A good reason... but the only reason.