Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Finale - "Oklahoma!", by Rodgers & Hammerstein, with Alfred Drake, Joan Roberts
2. Paree - "At Home Abroad", by Schwartz & Dietz, with Beatrice Lillie
3. Nobody Makes A Pass At Me - "Pins And Needles", by Harold Rome, with Millie Weitz
4. Chain Store Daisy - "Pins And Needles," by Rome, with Ruth Rubinstein
5. South American Way - "Streets Of Paris", by McHugh & Dubin, with Carmen Miranda
6. My Heart Belongs To Daddy - "Leave It To Me," by Cole Porter, with Mary Martin
7. It Never Entered My Mind - "Higher And Higher," by Rodgers & Hart, with Shirley Ross
8. I Got Plenty O' Nuttin' - "Porgy And Bess," by Gershwin, with Todd Duncan
9. I've Still Got My Health - "Panama Hattie," by Cole Porter, with Ethel Merman
10. They Didn't Believe Me - "The Girl From Utah," by Kern & Reynolds, with Julia Sanderson
11. Making Whoopee - "Whoopee," by Donaldson & Kahn, with Eddie Cantor
12. Thank You, North America - "Sons O' Fun," by Fain & Yellen, with Carmen Miranda
13. We're Having A Baby (My Baby And Me) - "Banjo Eyes," by Duke & Adamson, with Eddie Cantor and June Clyde
14. There's A Boat Dat's Leavin' Soon For New York - "Porgy And Bess," by Gershwin, with Avon Long and Anne Brown
15. I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen - "This Is The Army," by Berlin, with Corporal Earl Oxford
16. Oh, How I Hate To Get Up In The Morning - "This Is The Army," by Berlin, with Irving Berlin
17. The Surrey With The Fringe On Top - "Oklahoma!" by Rodgers & Hammerstein, with Alfred Drake
18. I Cain't Say No - "Oklahoma!" by Rodgers & Hammerstein, with Celeste Holm
19. That's Him - "One Touch Of Venus," by Weill & Nash, with Mary Martin
20. Speak Low - "One Touch Of Venus," by Weill & Nash, with Mary Martin and Kenny Baker
21. Thou Swell - "A Connecticut Yankee," by Rodgers & Hart, with Dick Foran and Julie Warren
22. To Keep My Love Alive (Parts 1 & 2) - "A Connecticut Yankee," by Rodgers & Hart, with Vivienne Segal
23. Dat's Love - "Carmen Jones," by Bizet, Bennett & Hammerstein, with Muriel Smith

Disc 2:

1. There Must Be Someone For Me - "Mexican Hayride," by Cole Porter, with June Havoc
2. I Love You - "Mexican Hayride," by Cole Porter, with Wilbur Evans
3. Something For The Boys - "Something For The Boys," by Cole Porter, with Paula Laurence
4. By The Mississinewah - "Something For The Boys," by Cole Porter, with Paula Laurence and Betty Garrett
5. Let's Begin - "Roberta," by Kern & Harbach, with Paula Laurence and Alfred Drake
6. Evelina - "Bloomer Girl," by Arlen & Harburg, with David Brooks and Celeste Holm
7. The Eagle And Me - "Bloomer Girl," by Arlen & Harburg, with Dooley Wilson
8. September Song - "Knickerbocker Holiday," by Weill & Anderson, with Walter Huston
9. Strange Music - "Song Of Norway," by Forrest & Wright, with Lawrence Brooks and Helena Bliss
10. Twelve O'Clock And All Is Well - "Follow The Girls," by Charig, Shapiro & Pascal, with Gertrude Niesen
11. I Wanna Get Married - "Follow The Girls," by Charig, Shapiro & Pascal, with Gertrude Niesen
12. I Can Cook Too - "On The Town," by Bernstein, Comden & Green, with Nancy Walker
13. I Get Carried Away - "On The Town," by Berstein, Comden & Green, with Betty Comden and Adolph Green
14. Close As Pages In A Book - "Up In Central Park," by Fields & Romberg, with Wilbur Evans and Eileen Farrell
15. Currier And Ives - "Up In Central Park," by Fields & Romberg, with Betty Bruce
16. The Big Rock Candy Mountain - "Sing Out, Sweet Land," by Ives, arr. Siegmeister, with Burl Ives
17. If I Loved You - "Carousel," by Rodgers & Hammerstein, with Jan Clayton and John Raitt
18. June Is Bustin' Out All Over - "Carousel," by Rodgers & Hammerstein, with Christine Johnson and Jean Darling
19. Moutain High, Valley Low - "Lute Song," by Scott & Hanighan, with Mary Martin
20. South America, Take It Away - "Call Me Mister," by Rome, with Betty Garrett
21. You Can't Get A Man With A Gun - "Annie Get Your Gun," by Berlin, with Ethel Merman
22. They Say It's Wonderful - "Annie Get Your Gun," by Berlin, with Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton
23. Eadie Was A Lady (Parts 1 & 2) - "Take A Chance," by Whiting, DeSylva & Brown, with Ethel Merman
24. There Must Be Someone for Me - June Havoc
25. I Love You - Wilbur Evans
26. Something for the Boys - Paula Laurence
27. By the Mississinewah - Betty Garrett, Paula Laurence
28. Let's Begin - Alfred Drake, Paula Laurence
29. Evelina - Dave Brooks, David Brooks, Celeste Holm
30. Eagle and Me - Dooley Wilson
31. September Song - Walter Huston
32. Strange Music - Helen Bliss, Lawrence Brooks
33. Twelve O'Clock and All Is Well - Gertrude Niesen
34. I Wanna Get Married - Gertrude Niesen
35. I Can Cook Too - Nancy Walker
36. I Get Carried Away - Betty Comden, Adolph Green
37. Close as Pages in a Book - Wilbur Evans, Eileen Farrell
38. Currier and Ives - Betty Bruce
39. Big Rock Candy Mountain - Burl Ives
40. If I Loved You - Jan Clayton, John Raitt
41. June Is Bustin' Out All Over - Jean Darling, Christine Johnson
42. Mountain High, Valley Low - Mary Martin
43. South America, Take It Away! - Betty Garrett
44. You Can't Get a Man With a Gun - Ethel Merman
45. They Say It's Wonderful - Ethel Merman
46. Eadie Was a Lady, Pts. 1 & 2 - Ethel Merman

Disc 3:

1. I Got Rhythm - "Girl Crazy," by Gershwin & Gershwin, with Ethel Merman
2. I Get A Kick Out Of You - "Anything Goes," by Cole Porter, with Ethel Merman
3. Gotta Dance - "Look Ma I'm Dancin'!" by Hugh Martin, with Harold Lang
4. I'm The First Girl In The Second Row - "Look Ma I'm Dancin'!" by Hugh Martin, with Nancy Walker
5. Make A Miracle - "Where's Charley?" by Frank Loesser, with Ray Bolger and Allyn Ann McLerie
6. Once In Love With Amy - "Where's Charley?" by Frank Loesser, with Ray Bolger
7. Lost In The Stars - "Lost In The Stars," by Weill & Anderson, with Todd Duncan
8. The Yodel Blues - "Texas, Lil' Darlin," by Dolan & Mercer, with Mary Hatcher and Kenny Delmar
9. A Girl With A Flame - "Arms And The Girl," by Gould & Fields, with Nanette Fabray
10. There Must Be Somethin' Better Than Love - "Arms And The Girl," by Gould & Fields, with Pearl Bailey
11. The Hostess With The Mostes' On The Ball - "Call Me Madam," by Irving Berlin, with Ethel Merman
12. I'll Know - "Guys And Dolls," by Frank Loesser, with Robert Alda and Isabelle Bigley
13. Adelaide's Lament - "Guys And Dolls," by Frank Loesser, with Vivian Blaine
14. Jenny - "Lady In The Dark," by Weill & Gershwin, with Gertrude Lawrence
15. Getting To Know You - "The King And I," by Rodgers & Hammerstein, with Gertrude Lawrence
16. Ohio - "Wonderful Town," by Bernstein, Comden & Green, with Rosalind Russell and Edith Adams
17. Lazy Afternoon - "The Golden Apple," by Moross & LaTouche, with Kaye Ballard
18. There's A Small Hotel - "On Your Toes," by Rodgers & Hart, with Bobby Van and Kay Coulter
19. Eleven O'Clock Song/Finale - "Ankles Aweigh," by Fain & Shapiro, with Betty and Jane Kean
20. Camille, Collette, Fifi - "Seventh Heaven," by Young & Unger, with Chita Rivera, Patricia Hammerlee, and Gerrianne Raphael
21. Sun At My Window, Love At My Door - "Seventh Heaven," by Young & Unger, with Ricardo Montalban and Gloria DeHaven
22. Now Is The Time - "The Amazing Adele," by Albert Selden, with Johnny Desmond
23. Never Again - "The Amazing Adele," by Albert Selden, with Johnny Desmond
24. Too Close For Comfort - "Mr. Wonderful," by Bock, Holofcener & Weiss, with Sammy Davis, Jr.
25. I Got Rhythm - Ethel Merman
26. I Get a Kick Out of You - Ethel Merman
27. Gotta Dance - Harold Lang
28. I'm the First Girl in the Second Row - Nancy Walker
29. Make a Miracle - Ray Bolger, Allyn McLerie
30. Once in Love With Amy - Ray Bolger
31. Yodel Blues - Ken Delmar, Mary Hatcher
32. Girl With a Flame - Nanette Fabray
33. There Must Be Something Better Than Love - Pearl Bailey
34. Hostess With the Mostes' on the Ball - Ethel Merman
35. I'll Know - Robert Alda, Isabel Bigley
36. Adelaide's Lament - Vivian Blaine
37. Jenny - Gertrude Lawrence
38. Getting to Know You - Gertrude Lawrence
39. Ohio - Edith Adams, Rosalind Russell
40. Lazy Afternoon - Kaye Ballard
41. There's a Small Hotel - Kay Coulter, Bobby Van
42. Eleven O'Clock Song/Finale - Betty Kean, Jane Kean
43. Camille, Collette, Fifi - Pat Hammerlee, Gerrianne Raphael, Chita Rivera
44. Sun at My Window, Love at My Door - Gloria DeHaven, Ricardo Montalban
45. Now Is the Time - Johnny Desmond
46. Never Again - Johnny Desmond
47. Too Close for Comfort - Sammy Davis, Jr.

Disc 4:

1. Ladies - "Destry Rides Again," by Harold Rome, with Dolores Gray and Girls
2. Fair Warning - "Destry Rides Again," by Harold Rome, with Dolores Gray
3. Shy - "Once Upon A Mattress," by Rodgers & Barer, with Carol Burnett and Joe Bova
4. Too Long At The Fair - "The Billy Barnes Revue," by Billy Barnes, with Joyce Jameson and Jackie Joseph
5. There's No Tune Like A Show Tune - "Parade," by Jerry Herman, with entire company and Jerry Herman
6. I Wouldn't Bet One Penny - "Donnybrook!" by Johnny Burke, with Susan Johnson and Eddie Foy, Jr.
7. You'd Better Love Me - "High Spirits," by Martin & Gray, with Tammy Grimes
8. The Usher From The Mezzanine - "Fade Out - Fade In," by Styne, Comden & Green, with Carol Burnett
9. The Impossible Dream (The Quest) - "Man Of La Mancha," by Leigh & Darion, with Richard Kiley
10. Poor Little Person (Single Version) - "Henry, Sweet Henry," by Bob Merrill, with Alice Playten
11. Coco - "Coco," by Previn & Lerner, with Katharine Hepburn
12. Welcome To The Theatre - "Applause," by Strouse & Adams, with Lauren Bacall
13. Won't You Charleston With Me? - "The Boy Friend," by Sandy Wilson, with Sandy Duncan and Harvey Evans
14. Superstar - "Jesus Christ Superstar," by Webber & Rice, with Ben Vereen
15. Night Letter - "Two Gentlemen From Verona," by MacDermot & Guare, with Jonelle Allen and Clifton Davis
16. Time Heals Everthing - "Mack & Mabel," by Jerry Herman, with Bernadette Peters
17. Hard Candy Christmas - "Best Little Whorehouse In Texas," by Carol Hall, with entire company
18. Don't Cry For Me, Argentina - "Evita," by Webber & Rice, with Patti LuPone
19. Just One Night - "Doonsbury," by Elizabeth Swados, with Ralph Bruneu
20. River In The Rain - "Big River," by Roger Miller, with Daniel Jenkins and Ron Richardson
21. Me And My Girl - "Me And My Girl," by Gay & Furber, with Robert Lindey and Maryann Plunkett
22. I'll Always Remember The Song - "Romance / Romance," by Harman & Herrmann, with Scott Bakula and Alison Fraser
23. There's No Business Like Show Business - "Annie Get Your Gun," by Irving Berlin, with entire company
24. Ladies - Dolores Gray
25. Fair Warning - Dolores Gray
26. Shy - Joe Bova, Carol Burnett
27. Too Long at the Fair - Joyce Jameson, Jackie Joseph
28. There's No Tune Like a Show Tune
29. I Wouldn't Bet One Penny - Eddie Foy, Jr., Susan Johnson, Susan Johnson
30. You'd Better Love Me - Tammy Grimes
31. Usher from the Mezzanine - Carol Burnett
32. Impossible Dream (The Quest) - Richard Kiley
33. Poor Little Person [Single Version] - Alice Playten
34. Coco - Katharine Hepburn
35. Welcome to the Theatre - Lauren Bacall
36. Won't You Charleston with Me? - Sandy Duncan, Harvey Evans
37. Superstar - Ben Vereen
38. Night Letter - Jonelle Allen, Clifton Davis
39. Time Heals Everything - Bernadette Peters
40. Hard Candy Christmas
41. Don't Cry for Me Argentina - Patti LuPone
42. Just One Night - Ralph Bruneu
43. Riber in the Rain - Daniel Jenkins, Ron Richardson
44. Me and My Girl - Robert Lindsay, Maryann Plunkett
45. I'll Always Remember the Song - Scott Bakula, Alison Fraser
46. There's No Business Like Show Business

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #283952 in Music
• Released on: 1996-03-12
• Number of discs: 4
• Formats: Box set, Cast Recording, Soundtrack

Customer Reviews

INVALUABLE!
For anyone interested in the music or history of American Musical Comedy, this set of 4 CD's is absolutely invaluable!

Here are some of the most wonderful selections from Decca's library of show music...some are familiar like Mary Martin as the title character in Kurt Weill and Ogden Nash's "One Touch Of Venus" singing the classic love song "Speak Low" or the irreplaceable Ethel Merman belting out "Eadie Was A Lady" from a forgotten 1932 Richard Whiting-B.G.DeSylva-Nacio Herb Brown musical called "Take A Chance" to the totally unfamiliar (at least to me) Gertrude Niesen singing "I Wanna Get Married" from the 1944 "Follow The Girls" or Ricardo Mantalban and Gloria DeHaven in a bright duet "Sun At My Window, Love At My Door" from the flop musical version of the hit movie "Seventh Heaven." (1955)

Ray Bolger is here in songs from "Where's Charley?." So is Nancy Walker telling us that she's "The First Girl In The Second Row" from "Look Ma, I'm Dancin!" Sammy Davis is represented in his first musical starring role as "Mr. Wonderful" and Carmen Miranda sings in her heavily accented English "South American Way" from a 1939 show called "Streets of Paris." There are even songs from off-Broadway shows like Jerry Herman's "Parade." You'll hear actors who sing-speak like Katharine Hepburn and actors who really sing like Carol Burnett and Susan Johnson, Alfred Drake and Pearl Bailey.

Altogether 93 show tunes and a booklet with original cast photographs, statistics on each song and a fine, lengthy essay about Decca Records and the shows from 1935 ("At Home Abroad") to 1988 ("Romance, Romance") HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

93 classic performances by Broadway's legendary stars
"Front Row Center: The Broadway Gold Box 1935-1988" presents 93 classic performances by the legendary stars of Broadway. Strange to believe, but before October 1943 when Decca Records President Jack Kapp arranged to record selection from the Rodgers & Hammerstein smash hit "Oklahoma!", there was no tradition of recording orignal cast albums of Broadway shows (the British had been doing it for years). This means we only have Carmen Miranda doing "South American Way" from "Streets of Paris" and Mary Martin singing "My Heart Belongs to Daddy" because these songs were recorded on their own as singles. The entire first disc of this four CD set is devoted to songs that pre-date "Oklahoma!", an alternate finale of which is the first track on disc two.

Personally, I picked this collection up because it had Katharine Hepburn singing the title song from her one Broadway musical, "Coco" (today the entire album is available on CD). Chances are that if you love Broadway musicals you already have "If I Love You" from "Carousel," "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" from "Man of La Mancha," and "Don't Cry for Me, Argentia" from "Evita." But some of these tracks are familiar songs sung by different artists you might not have (e.g., Ben Vereen doing "Superstar" from "Jesus Christ Superstar"). Still, the chief attraction here are songs that you might have heard about but never actually heard like Irving Berlin doing his own song "Oh, How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning" from "This is the Army" and Pearl Bailey's "There Must Be Somethin' Better Than Love" from "Arms and the Girl." Then there are just those songs that you have always loved and just need to add to your music library, like Ray Bolger's "Once in Love With Amy" from "Where's Charley?" and Lauren Bacall's "Welcome to the Theater" from "Applause."

Look over the songs that are on these four CDs and see how many you recognize. For those you do not, think of them as glimpses of new musicals for you to discover and new cast albums for you to track down. Right now I am interested in finding "Mack & Mabel," "Seventh Heaven," and "Follow The Girls." Eventually, it might happen. Hopefully the musicals that most intrigue you from this collection are already available (e.g., "Big River").

Important collection of Broadway musical classics
I have owned this set for some time, and Disc 2 is one of my all-time favorite CDs. Its packed with fabulous important milestones from the 1940's, like "You Can't Get A Man With A Gun", "South America, Take It Away", the original of the incomparable "September Song", and lots of fun smutty lyrics from various Cole Porter numbers. A must-have for fans of classic Broadway musical theater.