Bye Bye Birdie [A Decca Broadway Original Cast Album]

by Bye Bye Birdie (Remastered) / O

Overview

Exceeding expectations, Bye Bye Birdie, the first hit for the team of Lee Adams and Charles Strouse, ran for 607 performances on Broadway. Opening on April 14, 1960, the show tells the story of a scheme by the agent of a rock singer to recoup some of the money he spent promoting this Elvis Presley-type singer before he has to leave to meet his military commitment. The scheme involves a contest where the teenage girl winner was to kiss the star, Conrad Birdie, played by Marty Wilde, on the Ed Sullivan Show. The scheme gets sidetracked by Birdie's interfering mother, the contest winner's steady, and the long-suffering agent's girlfriend. The London version opened in 1961, as the irrepressible Chita Rivera repeated as the pining girlfriend, Rose Grant. Peter Marshall got the agent's role, originated by Dick Van Dyke, and a legitimate rock star, Marty Wilde, played Conrad Birdie. Because of its uniquely American character, the show was not nearly as successful on London's West End as on Broadway, closing after only 268 performances. Even though the show was made into a movie and TV special, it didn't produce any songs that were to become entries in the Great American Popular Songbook. "Put on a Happy Face," "A Lot of Livin' to Do," and "Kids" made it to the front door, but never quite got in. Even though the show was not that well received, the London cast album is quite good. Perhaps Marshall did not quite define the role of Albert Peterson as did Van Dyke. But then Van Dyke was someone special. This release is one of a series of reissues by Decca of original cast musical recordings using 24 bit digital technology to get a bright clear sound. ~ Dave Nathan

Product Details

Release Date:	09/25/2001
Label:	Decca / Universal / Uptown
UPC:	0731458643227

Tracks

1. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Overture
2. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~An English Teacher
3. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~The Telephone Hour
4. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~How Lovely To Be A Woman
5. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Put On A Happy Face
6. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Normal American Boy
7. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~One Boy
8. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Honestly Sincere
9. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Hymn For A Sunday Evening
10. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~One Last Kiss
11. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~What Did I Ever See In Him?
12. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~A Lot Of Livin' To Do
13. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Kids
14. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Baby, Talk To Me
15. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Kids (Reprise)
16. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Spanish Rose
17. Bye, Bye Birdie, musical~Rosie

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Orchestra   Primary Artist
Chita Rivera   Primary Artist,Vocals
Kenneth Nash   Primary Artist,Vocals
Peter Marshall   Primary Artist,Vocals,Vocals
Marty Wilde   Primary Artist,Vocals
Robert Nichols   Primary Artist,Vocals
Paula Hendrix   Primary Artist,Vocals
The Teenagers   Primary Artist
Sylvia Tysick   Primary Artist,Vocals
Mary Laura Wood   Primary Artist,Vocals
Neighbors   Primary Artist
Alyn Ainsworth   Conductor,Musical Direction
Tony Mordente   Staging
Angela Baddeley   Vocals
Gower Champion   Director
Clive Endersby   Vocals
Robert Nichol   Vocals

Technical Credits

Seth Justman   Composer
Cole Porter   Composer
Peter Wolf   Composer
Vernon Morris   Cast
Laurie Johnson Orchestra   Package Coordinator
Charles Strouse   Composer
Judy Brown   Cast
Miles White   Costume Design
Brian Tucker   Cast
Ken Mandelbaum   Liner Notes
Robert Ginzler   Orchestration
Lee Adams   Composer,Lyricist
Kenneth Nash   Cast
Marty Wilde   Cast
Michael Stewart   Book
The Teenagers   Performer
Brian Drutman   Reissue Producer
Suha Gur   Mastering
Tony Mordente   Choreographer
Sylvia Tysick   Cast
Angela Baddeley   Cast
Mary Laura Wood   Cast
Ed Bishop   Cast
Tony Crane   Cast
Gower Champion   Choreographer
Penny Bennett   Art Direction
Ann Chapman   Cast
Marjorie Smith   Cast
Chris Roberts   Executive Producer
Alexandria Jelec   Cast
Neighbors   Performer
Clive Endersby   Cast
Robert Randolph   Scenery
Robert Nichols   Cast
Joe Davis   Lighting
Thanne Tangel   Package Coordinator
Laura A. A. Johnson   Package Coordinator
Michael Barker   Cast
Mary Willis   Cast
The Orchestra   Performer