Customer Reviews

On A Clear Day You Can See Forever: The Original Broadway Cast Recording

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A great recording of a sadly under-rated score, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER is one of those cult musicals that needs to be rediscovered.

Opening at the Mark Hellinger Theatre on October 17, 1965, it ran for a moderate 280 performances. The main reason why the show never worked properly was the weakness of the book; which was magnified a hundred times by the greatness of the score and the powerhouse performances given by stars Barbara Harris and John Cullum.

The story concerns dizzy Daisy Gamble who is put under hypnosis by Dr Mark Bruckner; who uncovers her past life as an 18th century woman called Melinda Welles. Mark finds himself falling in love with the elusive Melinda, while Daisy finds herself increasingly attracted to Mark.

Barbara Harris shines in her Tony-nominated performance (she lost to Angela Lansbury for MAME). She gives delightful and spirited readings of the songs "Hurry It's Lovely Up Here", "On the SS Bernard Cohn", "Tosy and Cosh" and her crowning moment in "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?"; it is reason enough to love the Broadway musicals.

A fantastic, endlessly-enjoyable recording.

I was one of the people lucky enough to see this show on Broadway and loved it. The music on the CD is wonderful. I was not impressed with the liner notes because they tell of Alan Jay Lerner's problems producing the show instead of giving the listener an idea of the plot. William Daniel is interested in climbing in the corporate world so he sends his fiancee, Daisy, to a Psychiatrist to help her stop smoking. The Psychiatrist is John Cullum. While he is hynotizing her to stop smoking, she goes into a past life where she was Melinda, a refined but put upon young woman. During the past sequences, the music is beautiful. I was especially impressed with Clifford David who sings on a bare stage. I expected him to have a big career. The news gets out so a millionaire comes to the Doctor to find out how he can leave his money to himself when he is born again. William Daniel is trying to explain to Daisy that though they are in their 20's, life will be sweet after he retires. John Collum is in love with Melinda which upsets Daisy, but he finally decides they are are the same woman and wants her. In the Finale they get together. I hope this brief summary helps someone who is listening to the gorgeous Burton Lane music and clever Alan Jay Lerner lyrics enjoy the CD more.

That pretty well sums up the take of most Broadway historians regarding ON A CLEAR DAY. And it remains fairly spot-on: if you listen to this, you might wonder why such terrific songs (especially that amazing title number--one of the most original and beautiful ever written) and such gifted leads did not produce a Broadway smash hit, but if you read the liner notes explaining the plot you'll know why in a second. There's no second act to speak of, and the book showcases Lerner's misogyny in full force (the plot hinges on the psychiatrist hero having to decide whether or not the heroine is as interesting as his idealized dream girl from the past).

Still, that being said, the score is terrific. "Hurry! It's Lovely Up Here" and "On the S. S. Bernard Cohn" are two of the most charming character songs Lerner or Lane ever wrote, and Barbara Harris absolutely shines in both of them. She only did one Broadway show after this one, and theatregoers are still mourning what a loss that has been--she's sweet and warm and singular, but never overdoes her kooky charm. Get this recording just to hear her and Cullum.

I waited a long time for this recording to come out on CD. When I went to order it, the clerk at the store said,"you mean Streisand or Harris" Since I am also a big John Cullum fan, I found the recording as charming as I had remembered it. Also worthy of note are the performances of William Daniels and Titos Vandas. As much as I admire Barbra Streisand, the recording of the film version doesnt come close! Now if someone would just reissue "Applause"!

After Fritz Loewe retired, Alan Jay Lerner tried to team with composer Richard Rodgers (who had recently lost Oscar Hammerstein to cancer.) It was a match seemingly made in heaven that quickly deteriorated, it is claimed, due to Lerner's erratic work habits. Lerner took the idea next to Burton Lane, a gifted and very under rated composer. Together they created an enjoyable score that never quite fit with Lerner's awkward book. Still, it's the score that is heard on the CD and for the most part, it is a total delight.

This original cast recording (starring the wonderful Barbara Harris and in his first starring role the equally wonderful John Cullum) comes with a good set of notes by Ken Madelbaum and a detailed synopsis to take you through the story song by song.

I loved this album when it was out in vinyl, and saw the road show version with John Raitt. The reviews on Amazon.com capture the essence of the show. It had an interesting pre-Broadway history. Louis Jordan actually was the male lead in the show and left during it's out of town run. John Cullum who took over having played a supporting role in "Camelot" for Alan Jay Lerner, and was a durable replacement, who went on to many leading roles in musicals including the current "Urinetown" in NYC. Secondly "On a Clear Day" was produced by Robert Goulet and his partner Norman Rosemont, who had the ROGO Productions partnership. Mr. Goulet of course rose to stardom while performing in "Camelot",
and for years did road show versions of "On A Clear Day". He even included two numbers from the show on his terrific "On Broadway" album (available on CD) that was released the same year as the show.

When I first heard this score when the show came out in the mid-Sixties, I couldn't get enough of it. The great Barbara Harris was in her prime and she gave the material the kind of voice it deserved. (Unfortunately, Barbra Streisand and Yves Montand didn't do justice to the material. This is a musical with a number of interesting characters and not one that should focus on a STAR. In fact, when the DVD of the movie comes out, I want to add it to my collection if for no other reason than Montand singing the title song. How the French tongue and heavy accent virtually creams some of the lovely songs is enough to put this one in the "don't let this happen to you when casting a movie musical" category.) But the Broadway album captures the musicality of the score very well, considering the recording techniques in the Sixites were nothing like the digital quality today. So, the show isn't exactly My Fair Lady, but Burton Lane and Alan Jay Lerner could sure crank out great songs, and Clear Day is proof positive of that fact. And, if you're feeling down in the dumps, just listen to Barbara Harris sing "Hurry, It's Lovely Up Here!" I dare you to stay depressed after that one!

While this musical was by definition a flop (only 280 performances, it really is truly a masterpiece. The music is beautiful and the lyrics are witty. It is as fresh today as it was in the 60's. The given reason for its failure is a week plot and storyline by Learner. To that I say so what??? How many successful musicals have been written that have virtually no plot or weak story line. The music and the performances by the principals should have carried this musical. John Cullum and Barbara were magnificent (both were nominated for Tony's). This album is wonderful and captures the brilliance of those performances as well as the wonderful music. Hopefully some day this musical will get a re-staging which it deserves (not the butchered one done recently with Harry Coniff Jr.).

I wore the original LP of this show out from constant play...a wonderful, tuneful score that never fails to please...there is something about the music that prompts repeated playings! I now have the CD, and Barbara Harris never fails to come through for me..I wish she would have done more musicals during her prime..I have The Apple Tree and this one..I don't know of too many others she did...I might add as a side note that I saw Van Johnson and Linda Lavin in a roadshow production of this at the St.Louis Muny...very good!! They were in very good voice at that time..Again it is a play that kind of drags, but I do think the music fits the story very well!! Enjoy!!

My father had the LP when I was a boy and I enjoyed the music. I later purchased the movie (Montand, Streisand, et al.) I watched it and then remembered the Broadway production, and wondered....

This reissue is faithful to the original recording. The voices sound as good as they did back in the 70's. The composer and lyric writer did a great job. It's nice to have in my collection.