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Track Listings
| 1. Good Morning Baltimore - Original Broadway Cast |
| 2. The Nicest Kids In Town |
| 3. Mama, I'm A Big Girl Now |
| 4. I Can Hear The Bells |
| 5. (The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs |
| 6. It Takes Two |
| 7. Welcome To The 60's |
| 8. Run And Tell That! |
| 9. Big, Blonde And Beautiful |
| 10. The Big Dollhouse |
| 11. Good Morning Baltimore Reprise |
| 12. (You're) Timeless To Me |
| 13. Without Love |
| 14. I Know Where I've Been |
| 15. (It's) Hairspray |
| 16. Cooties |
| 17. You Can't Stop The Beat |
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The cast recording for the Broadway musical of John Waters's 1988 paean to dance, music, big beautiful women, and integration is a sheer delight. It's wonderfully upbeat all the way through, with a classic feel that's in keeping with the story's setting in the early 1960s. The characters come alive in these songs, from Marissa Jaret Winokur's (Tracy Turnblad) opening lines in "Good Morning Baltimore" to the stunningly upbeat finale, "You Can't Stop the Beat." The music is by Marc Shaiman, whose recent projects include South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, as well as a number of film soundtracks, and his compositions are simultaneously solid and exuberant. Shaiman and Scott Wittman's lyrics brim over with the unreserved passions and primary-color emotions that made the film so successful. Regardless of one's familiarity with the story or the stage production, it's hard to avoid the appeal of this recording; even the less cheerful songs are awash in bright colors, without disrespect for their subjects. --Genevieve Williams
Product Description
17 tracks from the Broadway show. Light scuff on disc will not affect play. SM.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
64 of 71 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
The disclaimer is that this is a review of the cd, not the score, which is wonderful. The problem with the recording is that it was produced by the composer, Marc Shaiman, who has mostly worked with incidental film music. This score needed a producer familiar with theatrical sound because the score is easily the best thing about seeing the show live. What we get in this recording in a slickly produced (overproduced) pop record that favors the lead vocals while treating the accompanying music and vocals as background (in the truest sense of the word). The urgency and fun of the music is lost here, and this recording lands with a hefty thud when it should have sparkled to life. Oh, and the percussion is really loud, too, perhaps to try to give the recording a Wall of Sound-like quality. It just ends up being distracting and overwhelming. Hopefully, the show will be recorded live, or it will eventually be remastered. For now it's a lame souvenir of a theatrically vibrant score.
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
"Hairspray" is a terrific modern musical. It could be this generation's "Grease", only with a better plot. In fact, if you like "Grease" AND you enjoy "Little Shop of Horrors", this is a guaranteed future favorite for you.
The story, such that it is, involves Tracy Turnblad, a chunky but peppy white female who aches to dance on a local "American Bandstand"-type show in Baltimore circa the early 60's. Not only does she not fit the "typical" teenager on the show, but she finds it astonishing that blacks cannot dance on the show with whites.
Her mother, played by the inimitable Harvey Fierstein, naturally underestimates her daughter's tenacity. She believes that Tracy will never get on the show, and doesn't want to see her crushed by unattainable goals.
As you'd expect, she gets on the show, and dancing integration is achieved, but the music used to get you there is flat-out, full-blown, grin-from-ear-to-ear FUN.
It is brilliantly derivative of pre-British invasion rock music, melding rockabilly with Detroit soul. It sounds like EVERY song you can remember. Seriously. They're all here.
In the same way that a fond memory tends to get better with time, the score distills the best parts of that era's music, and pretty much puts it ALL on the stage. Spector-ish epics, raucous Motown, steamy Stax, teen idol Presley...I could spend days counting off the references. There should be an index.
The voices are above-average Broadway fare...WAY above-average in parts, and suit their characters just dandy.
Perhaps the musical would be better served if the entire score was presented, as people who have not yet seen the show are missing out on some great stuff that happens between these tunes.
Having just seen the show on Broadway, listening to the CD brings back the terrific time I had in the theater, but I think even the most jaded, uninitiated listener will cave into the unbridled enthusiasm of this project, notably the finale, "You Can't Stop The Beat." There's enough energy in that song to power the entire Tri-state area for a week.
I loved this show.
The story, such that it is, involves Tracy Turnblad, a chunky but peppy white female who aches to dance on a local "American Bandstand"-type show in Baltimore circa the early 60's. Not only does she not fit the "typical" teenager on the show, but she finds it astonishing that blacks cannot dance on the show with whites.
Her mother, played by the inimitable Harvey Fierstein, naturally underestimates her daughter's tenacity. She believes that Tracy will never get on the show, and doesn't want to see her crushed by unattainable goals.
As you'd expect, she gets on the show, and dancing integration is achieved, but the music used to get you there is flat-out, full-blown, grin-from-ear-to-ear FUN.
It is brilliantly derivative of pre-British invasion rock music, melding rockabilly with Detroit soul. It sounds like EVERY song you can remember. Seriously. They're all here.
In the same way that a fond memory tends to get better with time, the score distills the best parts of that era's music, and pretty much puts it ALL on the stage. Spector-ish epics, raucous Motown, steamy Stax, teen idol Presley...I could spend days counting off the references. There should be an index.
The voices are above-average Broadway fare...WAY above-average in parts, and suit their characters just dandy.
Perhaps the musical would be better served if the entire score was presented, as people who have not yet seen the show are missing out on some great stuff that happens between these tunes.
Having just seen the show on Broadway, listening to the CD brings back the terrific time I had in the theater, but I think even the most jaded, uninitiated listener will cave into the unbridled enthusiasm of this project, notably the finale, "You Can't Stop The Beat." There's enough energy in that song to power the entire Tri-state area for a week.
I loved this show.
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
By ned
Format:Audio CD
An effective feel-good show: music has a good beat and the costumes and choreography are second only to the dazzling attires and complex movements of the very charming Flower Drum Song revival.
A must-see on Broadway and a must-buy soundtrack for amazon.com customers!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timely Story and Music to Delight
Always lots of fun and the music is never old. This is a musical that you can enjoy seeing again and again.
Published 2 days ago by Doris J. Simpson
1.0 out of 5 stars
I never got the cd
the vendor never returned phone calls, or responded to emails. I never received the cd. I had to download it, which is probably what I should have done in the first place. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Suzanne Aldridge
5.0 out of 5 stars
You Can't Stop the Beat
Always a classic, too bad it closed on Bway. I dont think this is a 'nice' of an album than the movie version, but this IS the original
Published 4 months ago by Bradley H.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hairspray
I love the music from this show! It is so incredibly upbeat and fun - a real toe tapper. I would recommend it to everyone!
Published 4 months ago by PL
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good for being used
I always like getting used CD's on amazon because it's fast and cheap.
This CD did have a skip on it during one of the songs that was not mentioned in the description, but I'm... Read more
This CD did have a skip on it during one of the songs that was not mentioned in the description, but I'm... Read more
Published 10 months ago by Gina C. Giachero
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love IT!
One of my favorite Broadway shows! And the original recordings of the songs are so much better than the movie's.
Published 17 months ago by Tessie T
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hairspray Broadway
This is a great soundtrack it is fun and enjoyable to listen to. the best songs on this soundtrack are all of them. Read more
Published on February 16, 2011 by David A. Smith
2.0 out of 5 stars
Hairspray-some great songs and such strange casting
I know that "Broadway voices" are not always the classically trained voices but some of these voices are not just "character voices" but just are bad. Read more
Published on August 6, 2010 by carl
1.0 out of 5 stars
Love Hairspray...Hate this Soundtrack
I just went to see Hairspray last weekend while it was at OCPAC and I LOVED the performance. There were a few pitch issues but you expect that every so often when you see live... Read more
Published on April 15, 2010 by Little Miss N
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good for the whole family.
My 3 year old daughter and I listen to this in the car all the time! She loves "Hey Mama Welcome to the 60's". Read more
Published on June 4, 2008 by Frances Pavelek
