She Loves Me (1963 Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING]

Jerry Bock (Artist), Sheldon Harnick (Artist), Barbara Cook (Artist), Daniel Massey (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• SPARS Code: AAD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Decca Broadway
• ASIN: B000001FM8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #59,887 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
This utterly charming musical had a disappointing Broadway debut in 1963 despite the high-powered pairing of director Harold Prince (his first musical) and the songwriting team of Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick (Fiddler on the Roof). Thanks to a legendary cast album that took up an unprecedented two LPs (74 minutes on one CD), the show gathered a loyal following, eventually becoming a repertory staple and earning Broadway and London revivals in the 1990s. Based on the same Hungarian play as the 1940 James Stewart film The Shop Around the Corner (and its successors, In the Good Old Summertime and You've Got Mail), the sweet romantic story follows two shop clerks who can't stand each other but are also anonymous pen pals. Barbara Cook sang one of her best roles as Amalia, Jack Cassidy won a Tony as the cad Kodaly, and the rest of the cast is also perfect. The booklet includes production photos, a loving appreciation, and a detailed synopsis, but no lyrics. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best of the Best, January 21, 2002

By	loesser "lbw22" (colonia, nj United States) - See all my reviews

This story started as a Hungarian play came to B'way and then Hollywood with James Stewart as "The Shop Around the Corner". It was made into a Hollywood musical with Judy Garland and Van Johnson called "In the Good Old Summertime" and recently was reincarnated as "You've Got Mail" with Tom Hanks. All were good entertainment, but "She Loves Me" is the best. Harnick and Bock have written a perfect little gem and this is the best recording of that gem. Other recordings may have better leads than Daniel Masseybut no one else has Barbara Cook singing Ice Cream-one of Broadway's finest moments!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Most intimate of all musicals - superb., November 18, 1998

By	A. Andersen (Bellows Falls, VT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

SHE LOVES ME made LP history in being the first original cast album to be spread over two discs. The music is enchanting, the performances are dramatically and romantically brilliant, with special praise for Barbara Cook in her finest characterization. This is a brilliant show, beautifully and lovingly conceived, intimate and glowing with grace and beauty. A true gem and worthy of including in everyone's CD collection. The show was too intimate to survive for long on Broadway (barely over 300 performances)but it did garner Tony noms for Best Musical, Book, Score, Direction and won a Tony for Jack Cassidy in the supporting musical category. A must-hear.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Dear Friend...." SHE LOVES ME is a true masterpiece!, October 21, 2003

By	Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

SHE LOVES ME is one of the most beautiful Broadway musicals ever to grace the stage. The gorgeous Sheldon Harnick-Jerry Bock score is filled with strong numbers, there's not a clinker in the bunch. The original 1963 Broadway cast album is still the best-ever available recording of the show (not to mention the most complete).

Based on the film THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, the story concerns shopkeepers at a European perfumerie store. Barbara Cook (THE MUSIC MAN, CANDIDE, PLAIN AND FANCY) stars as Amalia Balash; with Daniel Massey (STAR!) as Georg Nowack, Barbara Baxley as Ilona Ritter, Ralph Williams as Arpad Laszlo, Jack Cassidy (FADE OUT-FADE IN) as Steven Kodaly and Nathaniel Frey (GOLDILOCKS) as Ladislav Sipos.

Barbara Cook gets the bulk of the show pieces including "Will He Like Me?", "No More Candy", "I Don't Even Know His Name", and the showstopping, now-immortal "Vanilla Ice Cream". Cook joins Daniel Massey for the frenzied, delightful "Where's My Shoe?" and Massey later sings the Title Song to perfection. Barbara Baxley sweeps us up into musical comedy-heaven with the hilarious "A Trip to the Library".

The entire cast is strong and effective. I have said it many times; the Bock-Harnick score surpasses even their biggest hit, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, and its such a crime that the musical isn't well-known to the greater public.

A superb cast album, just as delicious as vanilla ice cream...