Customer Reviews

I Had a Ball (1964 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

It is TRAGIC that this compact disc of the 2003 cd is now out of print from decca broadway. It's interesting that so many people complain about cast recordings not being available, so when somting becomes availble, they don't buy it. I bought 6 copies of this title from BMG Music and I'm glad I did. This is a GREAT score and got great reviews, but Buddy Hackett became ill and the show closed.

I Had a Ball has, truly, only one powerful thing going for it but as that thing is Karen Morrow it is one truly blessed jewel. When she launches into I Had a Ball or wails through Almost and I've Got Everything I Want it is to hear the magical sound of olden days when belters ruled the stages. She does not have quite the control of a Dolores Gray but half the fun of listening to her is to hear her heading to over the top and holding it there, ever so briefly, and just barely pulling it back. Buddy Hackett's name recieves top billing but the CD does not belong to him. Richard Kiley, Luba Lisa, and Rosetta Le Noire give able support in weaker numbers. This is in no way a good show or a good score but that did not stop the singers from giving good performances.

It's about time.

Fun, uneven, weird, anything but boring, and featuring the talents of Richard Kiley and the underrrrrated Karen Morrow.

Thanks to Lypsinka for unearthing this gem in her show. Lyppie incorporates "I've Got Everything I Want" by Morrow into the act and it is never a drag. Find this track and hit "repeat!"