Track Listing

1. Overture/Rock Island - Paul Reed, Vern Reed
2. Iowa Stubborn
3. Ya Got Trouble - Robert Preston
4. Piano Lesson - Barbara Cook, Pert Kelton
5. Good Night My Someone - Barbara Cook
6. Seventy Six Trombones - Robert Preston
7. Sincere - Buffalo Bills
8. Sadder-But-Wiser Girl for Me - Robert Preston
9. Pick-A-Little, Take-A-Little/Goodnight Ladies - Martha Flynn, Peggy Mondo, Robert Preston, Helen Raymond, Adnia Rice, Elaine Swann
10. Goodnight Ladies/Marian the Librarian - Buffalo Bills, Robert Preston
11. My White Knight - Barbara Cook
12. Wells Fargo Wagon - Adam Hodges, Eddie Hodges
13. It's You - Buffalo Bills
14. Shipoopi - Iggie Wolfington & Ensemble
15. Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You? - Buffalo Bills, Barbara Cook
16. Gary, Indiana - Eddie Hodges
17. Till There Was You - Barbara Cook, Robert Preston
18. Finale - Barbara Cook, Robert Preston

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4994 in Music
• Released on: 1992-11-17
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Amazon.com
Although Robert Preston and Barbara Cook put in stellar performances, it's the music that's the star of this hugely successful document of the 1958 Broadway smash. Written entirely by Meredith Willson, it drew from memories of his childhood in a small Midwestern town. Preston plays a traveling salesman/con artist, while Cook is the dull spinster "Marian the Librarian," whose love for Preston's character makes her come alive. "Seventy-Six Trombones" has become a marching band standard, while "Ya Got Trouble" (featuring dizzying fast-talk from Preston) and "'Til There Was You" (with a gorgeous vocal from Cook) remain well known even among those who have never seen the show. The latter was also a favorite of the Beatles, who covered it on their first album. --Dawn Eden

Customer Reviews

Be sure to get the remastered edition... Here's how to tell!
Reading the reviews posted to date, some people complain the sound is tinny and the voices bounce between speakers while others claim the sound is fine.

Here is the story behind that!

THE MUSIC MAN original cast Lp was issued in 1958 in a lavish gatefold jacket adorned by the show's colourful postor logo (A cartoon of professor Hill and Marion the Librarian!) The album went right to the #1 position on Billboard's best-selling albums chart where it stayed for 12 weeks.

In the early 60s, Capitol had to press another batch of Lps to meet demand and they re-designed the cover. It was a single pocket jacket, no notes inside, just the songs and cast credits on the back and a colour photo of Preston. The label also doctored up the sound for "stereo" bouncing the voices from left to right.

IN 1987 Capitol issued their stereo remix on Compact Disc using the Preston photo cover. No liner notes, and the sound was harsh and tinny.

In 1993, as part of EMI's 40+ series of Broadway Classics reissues on the Broadway Angel label, THE MUSIC MAN was re-released using the original LP cover art. This time it was beautifully remastered and the stereo sound was restored to the original mix with the cast centre-stage. The booklet has fine notes and a detailed synopsis (something all the previous releases lacked.)

In short, IF buying THE MUSIC MAN (and it is a classic original cast album well worth having) be sure you get the remastered version on Broadway Angel. It is #3 in the series of Broadway Classics. Catalogue number: ZDM 7 64663-2.

AVOID the edition on Capitol label with the color photo of Preston. Though that edition was deleted many years ago, copies still turn up.

As for the performances, recorded just 9 days after the show opened to rave reviews, they are as fresh as can be. The whole album has a bright lively sound and moves swiftly through its 46 minutes. Compare with the movie soundtrack which retains Preston and Pert Kelton from Broadway, adds Buddy Hacket, Shirley jones and Ron Howard. Its a fine cast but marred by that flat, boxy Warener Bros soundstage sound. The recent Broadway revival also yielded a fine somehwat more complete album, but really, no one can ever replace Robert Preston and Barabra Cook!

Superior recording.
If you find the orchestrations "tinny" then you'd better check your speakers. They are lush and fabulous. Robert Preston is better than in the movie soundtrack and Barbara Cook is brilliant-the perfect Marian. Also, you get the wonderful song "My White Knight" which does not appear in the film. This is the preferred recording.

Pristine!
Robert Preston, Barbara Cook, Pert Kelton, and the rest of the cast hand in a very amiable performance of the Music Man, as the original 1957 cast. The Tony award-winning cast and musical is a must-have for everyone who enjoys old-fashioned Broadway with some nice twists. This is much better than the newer Revival cast recording, and although that recording is more complete, the voices on it are no match for those on this CD. Robert Preston is better that Craig Bierko, and is also better on this recording than he is in the movie soundtrack. Barbara Cook, with her down-to-earth rendition, is better than both the ever-breathy Shirley Jones and Rebecca Luker, whose almost coloratura tendencies aren't in character. As I said, this is a must-have for any musical lover's music library.