Customer Reviews

Here I'll Stay - The Words of Alan Jay Lerner

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"Here I'll Stay" has sad historical significance in that it is the last recording Julie Andrews made before a series of surgeries robbed her (and us) of that glorious voice forever. THankfully, this album is, for the most part, a grand sendoff, and, by touching coincidence, happens to be an album of songs with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, who was, of course, a pretty important figure in helping Julie achieve stardom. Yes, Julie can't hit those high notes as well as she could 30 years ago, but there are still many thrilling tracks on this album, including "On a Clear Day (You Can See Forever)," a stirring "From This Day On" in the suite of songs from "Brigadoon," the delightfully sly "My Love Is A Married Man" from the early Lerner-and-Loewe flop "A Day Before Spring," the moving "One More Walk Around the Garden" from the Lerner-Burton Lane "Carmelina," and "Take Care of THis House" from Lerner's collaboration with Leonard Bernstein, "1600 Pensylvania Avenue," that not only showcase Julie's voice, but reveal new depth and nuance in her interpretations. She also pays tribute to the shows with words by Lerner that launched her with suites from "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot;" yes, she sang these songs much better on the original cast albums, but it is a nice gesture. She is also ably supported by the Ambrosian Singers in a few tracks and some generally lovely arrangements by Ian Fraser (though he can go overboard sometimes). All in all, a nice way for one of the fairest ladies to ever grace the stage or silver screen to leave her golden voice behind for us to treasure.

I love to hearing Julie's voice, that's why I bought it. Of course, it's wonderful. Especially, "On the clear day" and "Brigadoon" medley are good. But I was disappointed at the suites of "My Fair Lady" and "Camelot." They has many numbers sung by Julie once. Some of them are great, the other are not good. I like this album, but compared with the original recording made by her, I prefer these albums to this one.

But if you want to hear the recent Julie's voice, you must buy it. I hope her voice will recover someday.

As a companion piece to Andrews' previous Broadway disc featuring the music of Richard Rodgers, this is an invaluable tool. Her phrasing, accused of being mannered in the past, is perfectly suited to the cool bite and elegance of Lerner's words, yet the exquisiteness of her voice finds poignancy and nuance at every turn. Minor missteps: an arch "My Love is a Married Man," and a redundant "My Fair Lady" medley that can't touch the original recording. The album is also exceedingly long, and cutting the "Paint Your Wagon" medley (never Lerner and Lowe's best show) might have been a good idea. Almost everything else here, however, is glorious; an exquisite, shimmering "On A Clear Day" that ends with an overdub that can make you catch your breath; a mournfull "Brigadoon" medley, and a collection of songs from "Camelot" that yanks the score definitively out from under "My Fair Lady"'s show to stand as one of L & L's best. And in the face of rumors of Andrews' current vocal problems, listening to "One More Walk Around the Garden" becomes an almost unbearably moving experience. (What a pity it didn't close the album.) It's a little uneven and more than overstuffed, but "Here I'll Stay" is still more than a fair career sumnation from one of Broadway and the movies' fairest of ladies.

I see that in his liner notes for this release, Leslie Bricusse has already used most of the adjectives I would use to describe Julie Andrews' voice at the time of this recording. It was still "bell-like" and "crystalline." Apt terms certainly. The bad news was HERE I'LL STAY may be the last studio release to display those strengths, since vocal strain (purportedly due to her back-to-Broadway stint in Victor/Victoria) seem to have left her trademark voice seriously damaged, if not actually ravaged.

There are hints, even on this record, that that crystalline voice was already showing a few very minor stress fractures, but overall it was holding up remarkably well in her fifth decade of performing. While some have complained that her "My Fair Lady" medley will never begin to compare to the original cast recording, it is clear (by dint of the fact that is IS a medley) that it was never intended to. Nonetheless,Andrews sings these classic bits with wit, authority, heart and skill.

As project albums go, this collection of songs with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner is a mixed bag. And that's not a bad thing in this case. Aside from the showstoppers, there are any number of brooding, introspective pieces that Julie Andrews renders sensitively. For several years now, Julie has deliberately let herself be cast against type and has sung songs "against type," and has successfully distanced herself from her early Mary/Maria image. At this point in her life, when she tackles something like "My Love Is A Married Man," it seems pretty natural and uncontrived, however, just one more role that this accomplished singer/actress can take on handily.

I was eleven when MARY POPPINS was first released, and in my Beatlemaniac pre-adolescent mind, Julie Andrews was just one more cool British export. By the time I was in high school, however, Andrews was, of course, nowhere near being cool. (Julie Christie, maybe, Julie Driscoll, certainly--but NOT Julie Andrews!) But at age 50, I can look back at all that and admit that--as much of a rock'n'roller as I'll always be in my heart--I was weaned on the Ed Sullivan Show, just like everyone else of my generation. In our hearts, we loved those numbers from MY FAIR LADY or BRIGADOON that were included on those shows as much as our parents did. Now we can admit it.

One last point: I did not purchase this album because of Alan Jay Lerner's lyrics. Of course, I was aware of him and his contributions to the American musical theater. But name recognition and awareness of a lyricist's prestige is one thing. Had you asked me to name something he penned, outside of MY FAIR LADY, I would have been at a loss to come up with a single song. This album, which mixes classic Lerner and Loewe with the works of other collaborators of Alan Jay Lerner should give listeners a genuine appreciation of his gifts. It did for me anyway.

The soft melodic tone of Julie's voice gives one a truly heart warming experience. You feel as though she were singing directly to you. Her clear tones makes one totally able to understand the lyrics. In todays pop culture word clarity gets lost with the loud music. It's refreshing to be able to listen to pure sound.

I have listened to this cd numerous times and I find something else I like about it each time. The voice of Julie Andrews at the age of nearly 60 is like a fine wine. Yes, it has aged but the final product is delicious. She has the ability to make you "feel" every emotion the music and lyrics call for.
ON A CLEAR DAY starts with the crystal like quality of Ms. Andrew's voice singing acapella. The orchestration that follows reminds us of her days on the Broadway stage.
There are four suites included: Brigadoon -- 10 minutes worth of Scotland in which she leads us through the waltz of ALMOST LIKE BEING IN LOVE into the sweetness of HEATHER ON THE HILL & COME TO ME BEND TO ME. Her emotional rendering of FROM THIS DAY ON is spectacular & can bring one to tears. Paint Your Wagon -- at first this would seem to be at odds with Julie Andrews but her ability to interpret the songs as the writers would have wanted is classic Andrews. My Fair Lady -- this shows us what Ms. Andrews is capable of 40 years later and it is nothing short of fabulous. She adds to the songs with her vocal maturity. Camelot -- gives us "Guinevere" singing songs performed in the play by others. It is a dazzling display of her talent and leaves you wanting more.
Of the other songs, I find ONE MORE WALK AROUND THE GARDEN is so masterfully sung by Ms. Andrews that it breaks your heart. It makes one think of her last appearance on Broadway and indeed the last time she would possess that beautiful voice.
My advice to anyone who loves the voice of Julie Andrews from her earliest days to the late 90's and who loves beautiful orchestrations & great lyrics is BUY, BUY, BUY.
My heart aches when I think that we will never experience "the voice" in new recordings -- perhaps Ms. Andrews would consider a career as a jazz singer.

This CD looked promising from the label, but was so disappointing I returned it. Andrews' original performances of many of these standards, such as those from My Fair Lady, were absolutely gorgeous. For some inexplicable reason, in an effort to "improve" on these standards, the arrangements have been all mangled. They contain unexpected modulations and other strange changes which make the listener want to grab the original recording-which is what I did for My Fair Lady. Julie Andrews' original recordings of many of these songs were sublime. Unfortunately, these retakes remind us that her voice isn't what it once was, as she too often talks her way through the songs and avoids the jumps and high notes that she used to hit in clear, thrilling fashion.