Customer Reviews

Girl Crazy (1951 Studio Cast)

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When this album was first released in 1951, it was warmly welcomed since it was the first time most of the GIRL CRAZY score had been recorded. Even Ethel Merman did not get to record her famous hit "I Got Rhythm" until 1947, some 17 years after she introduceded it!

Even when it was new this record was a mixed blessing. Mary Martin was showcased as the "star" and naturally she gets to sing many of the show's hits...even when they do not belong to the same character. So, Mary Martin croons "Bidin' My Time" (in the original production it is lazily sung by 4 cowboys); She takes all of "Embraceable You" (originally a duet for the leading lady and the leading man); and "I Go Rhythm" (originally sung by the secondary character, Kate.) The score was also re-orchestrated for this album, so the sound is more 50's musical theatre than 30's musical comedy. Still, in spite of a total lack of theatricality, the album filled an important gap in Broadway show collections, and Columbia reissued it in 1957, 1965 and 1973...the latter issue staying in print right through the end of the vinyl era.

The 1990 recording on Nonesuch was performed by a full cast with the original orchstrations and is musically complete. If you want to hear GIRL CRAZY with any sense of what teh show sounded like in 1930, the Nonesch album is the one to get.

Sony decided to reissue this version of GIRL CRAZY for the Gershwin centenary in 1998 and listening to it now it seems ...well...out-of-date. The early 50's mono sound makes the orchestra sound tinny. Mary Martin sings wonderfully although her style is not exactly what this brasy score calls for. So, yes, the album is historcally important. But no longer essential.

BLOOPER?: In the song "Broncho Busters" the line should be sung as: "We're Bronco Busters// We Bust the Broncos//We Fear No Man Nor Beast." On this recording the chorus adds an extra word which throws the timing off: "We ARE Broncho Busters //We Bust The //Brochos //We Fear No Man Nor Beast." List for it starting at 1:22 into Track #5.

GIRL CRAZY was one of the top Broadway shows of the 1930s, with a delightful score by George and Ira Gershwin. The original Broadway production is also noteworthy in that it launched the career of a young Broadway belter by the name of Ethel Merman...

This 1951 studio cast album of the immortal GIRL CRAZY score was produced by Goddard Lieberson, with a cast headed by Mary Martin (still riding high on her SOUTH PACIFIC success). She's joined by a lovely supporting cast which includes Louise Carlyle and Eddie Chappell.

The orchestra, under the faultless direction of maestro Lehman Engel, is fabulous. You'll be hitting the repeat button for the thrilling Overture (the GIRL CRAZY Overture is considered one of the greatest ever written).

Mary Martin croons and coos her way through the slinky "Bidin' My Time", and belts "I Got Rhythm" all the way to the back-row. Louise Carlyle is a perfect comic soubrette singing "Sam and Delilah", while her duet with Eddie Chappell in "Could You Use Me?" is a joy.

Fans of Mary Martin and the brassy score of GIRL CRAZY will adore this cast album!

As most fans of the Broadway musical are well aware, "Girl Crazy" set some sort of record for all around excellence - between "Showboat" and "Oklahoma" it's probably the best musical going. Written right at the beginning of that "Other" Depression, it's marvelous music easily tops my list of favorite American musicals. Most song writers would consider it the highlight of a career to write any one of half a dozen of the songs from "Girl Crazy" - songs such as "I Got Rhythm", "Embraceable You", "But Not For Me", and "Bidin' My Time". Backing up George's music and Ira's lyrics the show enjoyed master orchestrator Robert Russell Bennett's arrangements. (He of Victory at Sea fame.)

Sadly, recordings of this unbeatable score have been forever plagued by compromises.

This nicely restored 1951 Mary Martin version, featuring an 'updated' smaltzy score for the fifties, is one of four albums of musicals that pre-dated the long-playing record Martin recorded for Columbia President Goddard Lieberson in 1950 and 1951. (The other three are Cole Porter's "Anything Goes"; Dietz and Schwartz's "The Band Wagon"; and Rogers and Hart's "Babes in Arms".) It's nearly impossible to explain to a modern audience just how popular Mary Martin was at this time in America. She had made a huge number of record hits, had already won two of the just-created Tonys, and was debuting on television. Martin was at the very pinnacle of her popularity and fame as the star of "South Pacific" and had yet to appear as Peter Pan. (For which she would receive an unprecedented third Tony Award, and a follow-up Emmy when a television version played to 65 million viewers on March 7th, 1955.)

These Columbia albums clearly are star vehicles for Columbia's star Mary Martin first; Gershwin and friends, second. As such the producers manhandled - to make a bad joke about one of Girl Crazy's funniest numbers - several songs for the musical's male cast into material for Mary Martin. Of course, she leaves no doubt why - she's that good - but it ruins any sense of what the musical as a whole was all about. The other singers are also extremely good; in fact the orchestra and chorus are equally fine - and given what's here it's all first rate as performance. Just that it's totally confusing, at times not at all what the Gershwin's were writing. All the beautiful voices and polished singing too often goes in place of what it should be as a sensible interpretation. Still, the samples give you a clear idea of what you're getting here, and thankfully so, as too often Amazon doesn't offer us a chance to listen before purchasing. If you really like Mary Martin you should definitely give this a listen!

Of course, most of us also are big fans of George Gershwin, and for his music as he wrote it one must turn with relief and thanks to a complete set of "Girl Crazy" conducted by John Mauceri in a real period style.Girl Crazy (1990 Studio Cast) Musical numbers sound right and period, and the stereo effects aren't excessive. One can follow along with the full story - and the booklet! Sensational! Easily worth the Cd price, one of the very best I've ever seen for any opera or musical. All this on but one Cd! It also correctly recreates the right way to sing the funny and totally delightful number, "Treat Me Rough".

Unfortunately the performers are far less vocally talented than those on the old Mary Martin album; after a short time one wishes we had a complete recording of the original cast, especially Ethel Merman in her first Broadway show, effortlessly belting out those big numbers, or Ginger Rogers insinuating a not so sly note of sex in her jazz-age syncopations. How so many people can listen to today's crop of second raters and praise them to the skies escapes me! And lets not go anywhere near the solo instrumentalists. In the original the orchestra pit had such luminaries as Benny Goodman playing a sax along with Pee Wee Russell, Glenn Miller was trombone, Band leader Red Nichols had Charlie Teagarden playing trumpet, there were a host of other great musicians and a very young Gene Krupa played drums. According to reports of the time, during intermissions the band would cut loose with a complete mini-show within a show.

So my advice is - grab both, the recent Nonesuch box set for its fabulous notes and completely restored original music, and the Mary Martin for examples of just how much the former doesn't enjoy in the way of pure talent. And to hear how some of these numbers sounded once many years ago at the very beginning of that 'other Depression' try seeking out a Cd of Ms Merman.

I think this version of Girl Crazy is suitable for any Gershwin buffs who wish to enjoy this musical at an affordable price.I shall review each musical numbers.

a)The overture is played with much zest and energy.Watch out for the saxophone solo playing a fragment of 'Bidin' My Time'before the orchestra beaks out into a rousing fragment of 'I Got Rhythm'

b)'The Lonesome Cowboy is a good display of male chauvinism in music style (slight exaggeretion!).The music is played in a march like tempo.

c)Bidin' My Time is sung by Mary Martin as if she is really biding her time!;slow and in a relaxed tempo.

d)Could you use me is a witty duet

e)Bronco Busters and Barbary Coast are 2 superb choral numbers,particularly the latter,which qualifies as a show stopper number

f)Embraceable You is a piece of lyrical tongue twisting number delivered by M.Martin in a wistful manner.

g)Sam and Delilah is sung by Louise Carlye in a brash,rough manner with a discordant music accompaniment with crashing cymbals.Perfect

h)I Got Rhythm is sung in a show stopping manner by M.Martin which is enough to make you wanna dance dance dance.

i)But not for me is performed in a rather melancholy manner by M.Martin.Perfect for the lyrics.

j)Treat me rough was another delightful piece in cowboy melancholy talk style

k)Boy what love has done to me.A song of reggreted love in a delicate style,not exactly woeful

l)Cactus time in Arizona.A beautiful piece in a brilliant energetic style.

m)The finale is a medley of songs beautifully stitched into a single song.

This CD fails to include 3 numbers :Land Of The Gay Caballero,Mexican Dance (instrumental) and Goldfarb! That's I'm