Customer Reviews

Bells Are Ringing (1956 Original Broadway Cast)

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

 

 

To answer a question from another reviewer, yes BELLS ARE RINGING was the first original cast album that Columbia records taped in both stereo and mono. The mono release came first but in 1958 Columbia issued a stereo edition. (Note to collectors: The mono LP used different takes on some numbers. For example there was no crowd cheerng in Just in Time.) Columbia re-released the abum with a different more glamorous photo of Judy Holiday in 1960 to tie in with the release of the film. The album stayed in print right though the end of the Lp era in the late 1980s.

Thomas Shepard has done his usual masterful job restoring the old tapes and even adding some previously deleted dance music. The only slight drawback is in the final song, I'm going Back, a short section of the stereo tape was damaged. You will note that from 2:28 to 2:59 the sound switches to mono.

A nice touch is using the old Columbia records label on the Cd!

The show itself proved unreviavable a few years ago when the wonderful Faith Prince to a crack at it. She is perhaps the the performer closest in style to Judy Holiday, (though she s NOT a star of the same calbre of Holiday!) but the book is too dated now. It was a pretty simplistic book even in 1956! And while the score has its share of gems, it also has a few non-so-steller moments (Hello Hello There, Salzburg, The Midas Touch) and a leading man (Sydney Chaplin) whose unsteady singing voice ruins his songs.

The movie soundtrack (with Holiday again this time teamed with Dean Martin, recently reissued by DRG) drops five of the songs and adds two new ones and gives us lusher orchestrations.

Despite the best efforts of Faith Prince (and the fact this it is the most complete recording of the score) the 2001 Broadway revival cast is a curiously dull recording that just never sparkles the way this origianl 1956 cast album does.

Bells Are Ringing is a classic, old-fashioned Broadway show from the days when musicals were still called "musical comedies" - and rightly so. Written primarily as a vehicle for the brilliant Judy Holliday and intended as nothing more ambitious than an evening's entertainment with a lot of laughs and a few memorable songs. The show's creative pedigree is impeccable - book and lyrics by the dependably witty Comden and Green and music by the great Jule Styne. The collaboration produced standards such as "The Party's Over" and "Just In Time" in a score than can only be described as bright and breezy. As was the custom with Columbia Records in those days, the cast album was recorded on the Sunday after the show's opening, so the performances are as fresh as ever. And the modern re-mastering has served the originals well.

Of course, Bells Are Ringing is first and foremost Judy Holliday's show and admirers of her tragically brief career will welcome this souvenir of her only Broadway musical. From the quiet heartbreak of "The Party's Over" to the belted-out showstopping "I'm Going Back" she is perfect with every word and note. Most of the rest of the cast is also good, although co-star Sydney Chaplin was hopefully a better actor than singer. And there is an unfortunate tendency to bring in the chorus when they are really not needed. But nothing gets in the way of Judy Holliday demonstrating the real meaning of star quality.

As a kind of bonus, the CD includes a few of the show's songs being sung and played by Jule Styne. These tracks are interesting but unlikely to be listened to more than once or twice. Judy, on the other hand, should be enjoyed over and over again.

This combination of talents reflects the best of the now extinct American Musical. Amazing music by Jule Styne, clever and sophisticated presentation by Comden & Green and great casting. The film version was no comparison and this live restored recording showcases Judy Holliday and Sydney Chaplin in the 50's style we would all like to recapture.

Supposedly Judy Holliday was terrified about performing in this (an enormous Broadway hit) because she believed she "couldn't sing"; yet, while her tone is not pure, she can put over a number with the best of them through her sheer joyful spirit and inestimable comic talent. Although the minor numbers performed by Eddie Foy, Jr. and Jean Stapleton are sometimes minor indeed, this show elicited several great Styne standards, including "Long Before I Met You," "Just in Time," and of course "The Party's Over", while the dazzling "Drop That Name" shows you just how good Comden and Green at their best can really be. But the show, in the end, is really Holliday's, and her great eleven-o'-clock number, "I'm Going Back," is certainly something to hear.

It's so nice to have CDs remastered; takes away the grainy feeling you get from listening to a record. Judy Holliday was absolutely PERFECT in this recording, she has a wonderful tone. Her happiness is addictive (listen to this after you had a bad day and just TRY to frown), and she is utterly HILLARIOUS. Jean Stapleton is a knockout as well, not to be missed. Mucha-Cha-Cha, The Party's Over, and Drop That Name are completely marvelous songs that have Styne's signature style oozing out of them. But the best number by far is Holliday's 11 o'clock number, I'm Going Back (probably THE song to listen to on the album). This is also better than the OBCR because it has some fabulous extra tracks, especially Boogie-Woogie-Shoogie Baby of Mine, which is one of the most addictive songs written (I seriously sang it in my sleep), the best part being that Styne himself sang it! Also a must for any Jerome Robbins fans (and yes, I know you people exist, I watched the 1988 Tonys! :)) so don't delay in ordering it. You'll be glad you did, I'll be glad you did, and Jule Styne will be glad you did as well :)

Not as smooth as the soundtrack in recording or casting, yet with a much more spontaneous feel. Not that there are any flaws in the casting, and it is not overproduced in the way I find the soundtrack to be. This is the one to have if you want this musical.

Yes, the story is dated (since we all now have answering machines) but who cares? This musical is brimming with the wonderful talent of the great late Judy Holliday who steals the show. So many great Jule Styne songs come from this musical, such as "Just In Time" and "The Party's Over". This CD contains several songs that were not in the movie (also starring Judy Holliday) which I also love. One that is particularly hilarious is "Salzburg" which is sung with Jean (All In The Family) Stapleton. Currently there is a 2001 Broadway revival of this musical starring Faith Prince (Guys and Dolls), which I hear is pretty good. Although I plan to purchase it, I know it won't top this recording. They don't get better than this. Highly Recommended!!

"Bells are Ringing" is a classic 1950's musical comedy with several standards, including "Just in Time" and "The Party's Over". Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green wrote the score. The Comden & Green lyrics are clever, and Styne wrote one of his most melodic scores. Judy Holiday is a comic doll as Ella Peterson, the telephone answering service girl who meddles in the lives as her customers. The big mystery of the show is the male lead, Sydney Chaplin. He won a Tony for his role, but he can't sing!

Although the new cast recording with Faith Prince helped me understand the show much better (its surprising how a song i listened to on this original album was suddenly seen in a much clearer light). This is all mostly because the new recording includes dialogue leading into it (with underscoring). I would have to disagree with anyone however, who said that Judy Holliday is mostly remembered for her acting and the comedy she brings to this role and not her singing. Her singing is beautiful and her emotions thorougly felt. "The Party's Over" is amazing and deserves far more credit as one of the best in the score. "I'm going back" is also done terrificly, her voice varies incredibly in just that one song. "Long Before I knew You" and "Just in time" are also terrific and whoever it is that plays Jeff does not lack at all in his vocals. He sings the songs so smoothly...they just flow right with him. There are also great ensemble numbers "It's a simple little system" , "Drop That name" and "the Midas touch" is sooo cute. I'd have to say that if you buy this CD and love it...or already know you loves this cd...buy the new broadway recording with Faith Prince for a new understanding of it. Although I dislike how Prince sings "The Party's Over" (With that song you have to go full out on the vocals..she speak-sang to much of it). But of course, many of the tracks on the new recording are wonderful (its lucky that many of the original arrangements were kept) and the song "Better Than a Dream" should be listened to..I just love it and i dont recall it being on the original. Anyways...I defiently reccomend this musical to listen to and for singers out there who are looking for new material "The Party's Over" is a wonderful song to perform!

Lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green teamed with composer Jule Styne to create BELLS ARE RINGING, the story of lonely Susanswerphone switchboard operator Ella Peterson (Holliday), who falls in love with the voice of one of her subscribers. That voice belongs to Jeff Moss (Sydney Chaplin), an author struggling with intense writer's block. When Ella finally plucks up the courage to meet Jeff--under the glamorous alias of Melisande Scott--will true love ring Ella's bells in the final scene?

BELLS ARE RINGING was especially-tailored as a Broadway musical vehicle for Judy Holliday. By 1956, Holliday (who, ten years before as Judith Tuvim, had begun her career singing with Betty Comden and Adolph Green in their Greenwich Village cabaret act The Revuers) had made a name for herself in movies like "Adam's Rib" and "Born Yesterday", but Comden and Green knew that audiences would adore seeing Holliday in a great big Broadway musical.

Knowing the particular musical strengths of Judy Holliday certainly helped the creators in shaping the role of Ella to fit her like a second skin. She flies away with the score; certainly there will never be a more plaintive, heartbreaking "The Party's Over". Sydney Chaplin, who I believe has been quite unfairly criticised for his vocal "shortcomings" in the musicals in which he starred on Broadway, is actually quite effective in his performance as Jeff Moss. He'd go on to partner Carol Lawrence in "Subways Are for Sleeping" and Barbra Streisand in "Funny Girl" (coincidentally two more Jule Styne shows).

This reissue of the BELLS ARE RINGING recording (one of Columbia's first stereo cast albums) sounds as fresh and vibrant as it was when first recorded back in 1956. Bonus tracks feature rare Jule Styne demos.