Customer Reviews

Hallelujah, Baby! (1967 Original Broadway Cast)

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

 

 

I have just listened to this CD twice without a break. I had forgotten how good it is.

Basically the story focuses on three people who do not age through the 20th Century. Through this concept, they aim to tell the Civil Rights story, from 1900 to the late 1960s. I don't feel qualified to comment on whether they succeed in that aim or not.

The cast is headed by Leslie Uggams, irrepressible through great inspirational songs such as Hallelujah Baby! and Now's The Time. She also brings great warmth to the strong ballads My Own Morning and Being Good.

She is given great support by the likes of Robert Hooks, Allen Case, and as her mother, the lovable Lillian Hayman. The latter shines on her big number, I Don't Know Where She Got It, referring to her daughter's musical talents.

The music varies as it gives a flavour of many different styles across the century. Other musicals may achieve this more convincingly, but this is still a very enjoyable score.

So, to sum up, good performances on good songs, must surely make it worth your curiosity.

HALLELUJAH BABY is a fantastic Broadway show, which is still best-remembered for being the Tony-winning Broadway debut of the divine Leslie Uggams.

The score features a few gems including "My Own Morning", "Talking to Yourself", "Not Mine", "Another Day" and "I Wanted to Change Him".

Uggams co-stars with Allen Case and Robert Hooks, who are also wonderful performers and vocalists. This was the second Jule Styne show to open in the 1967-68 Broadway season (the other being DARLING OF THE DAY which shuttered after 32 performances). HALLELUJAH BABY would stay afloat for 293 performances, though it received mixed reviews). Jule Styne was vindicated when Uggams and Patricia Routledge (his DARLING OF THE DAY star) tied for the 'Best Actress in a Musical' Tony.

Still, a must-own cast album. [SONY SK 48218]

Being a Leslie Uggams fan, I was drawn to this Broadway Cast recording when it was originally released on LP and wore it out.
Now that you can get on CD all the better. Music by Jule Styne and Lyrics by Comden and Green didn't mean anything to me when I first heard this but later I realized the greatness. This was a top notch musical and it shows here too. I agree with everything in the previous review. Anyone learning about Broadway musicals should listen to this CD again and again and find out what this American entertainment is all about.

Craig Satterfield
Hawaii

...and you can tell that Jule Styne, Betty Comden and Adolph Green were writing this one for Lena Horne, in "Talking to Yourself", 'I Wanted to Change Him" and "Being Good". Her role,oddly enough, was to be that of a singer rather like Lena Horne.

Leslie Uggams carries these and all her other wonderful songs with the cry of youth and a sly humor to keep good company with Lillian Hayman in "Smile,Smile"-an angry,very funny vaudevillian take on knowing one's place in society:
"Ain't you grateful,Mama..HMM?"

Also hugely entertaining is Robert Hooks leading "The Slice",a high-spirited recounting of how a cop unburdened him of his poker winnings,but still -- HE WON! And then,the plaintive swing ballad "Not Mine",sung by Leslie's OTHER leading man,Allen Case(one's black,one's white,whose woman is she,what does she owe her people...whew).

Jule Styne takes us confidently from the 1920s to the 1960s; the score is evocative and often inspired,and once again big enough for a star.
A few things here have worn thin - the lyrics of the title song seem a bit,well...but the orchestra sounds great. And "Double,Double" is "Call Me Savage" from "Fade Out-Fade In"; shameless,but forgiven.
All the dance numbers sound terrific; also a big,meaty overture and exciting finale.

Simply stated,no collector can be without "Hallelujah,Baby!" -- and would director George C. Wolfe("Jelly's Last Jam")care to give this material a look? Please?

I have to agree with the previous reviewer....a great show!! I wanted to comment on the number Robert Hooks, Leslie, and Lillian Hayman perform...it is a wonder!! A great "poking of fun at the black sterotype of a bygone era"...(Smile Smile) Lillian is a great singer and talented actress, who was another underused performer, perhaps by her own wanting..I don't know..I also saw the actor/singer Allen Case in "Company" on the Indiana University campus playing the lead role and he was great...had a fine singing voice and could not tell any difference between he and Dean Jones who originated the part...I sometimes wish there were recordings of some of the roadshows of these Broadway shows!! Again a very talented cast...right now I am listening to "My own Morning" by Miss Uggams...what a voice!