Li'l Abner (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - William Ruhlmann
Songwriter Johnny Mercer did not have much luck writing for Broadway, but the exception was Lil' Abner, based on the satiric Al Capp comic strip about the rural residents of Dogpatch. Mercer wrote the song lyrics to music by Gene DePaul, with whom he had worked on the movie musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. After the show opened on November 15, 1956, it became the only stage work with which Mercer was associated to turn a profit, running 693 performances. Actually, the score isn't as strong as that for one of Mercer's flops, St. Louis Woman, but it is appropriate to the subject matter. The songs "Jubilation T. Cornpone," "The Country's in the Very Best of ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - William Ruhlmann
Songwriter Johnny Mercer did not have much luck writing for Broadway, but the exception was Lil' Abner, based on the satiric Al Capp comic strip about the rural residents of Dogpatch. Mercer wrote the song lyrics to music by Gene DePaul, with whom he had worked on the movie musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. After the show opened on November 15, 1956, it became the only stage work with which Mercer was associated to turn a profit, running 693 performances. Actually, the score isn't as strong as that for one of Mercer's flops, St. Louis Woman, but it is appropriate to the subject matter. The songs "Jubilation T. Cornpone," "The Country's in the Very Best of Hands," and "Progress Is the Root of All Evil" wittily capture Capp's sense of humor and dim view of politics. There are also some attractive romantic ballads, notably "Namely You" and "Love in a Home," both of which became minor hits. Edith "Edie" Adams and Stubby Kaye lead a cast of unknowns who give their all to the show's broad comedy. A key element of Lil' Abner's success was the staging and choreography of director Michael Kidd, not available on record, although the 2002 reissue adds the main dance number, "Sadie Hawkins Day Ballet." The disc is, in fact, full of new material, including a stereo version of the "Overture" Li'l Abner was Columbia Records' last cast album not recorded in stereo, but the label was experimenting; the previously unreleased song "What's Good for General Bullmoose"; an expanded version of the finale, "The Matrimonial Stomp"; "There's Room Enough for Us," from the 1959 soundtrack album; and pop versions of two songs cut from the score, Percy Faith's "The Way to a Man's Heart" and Rosemary Clooney's "It's a Nuisance Having You Around."
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 5/28/2002
  • Label: Sony
  • UPC: 696998770027
  • Catalog Number: 87700
  • Sales rank: 8,287

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Overture (5:09)
  2. 2 It's a typical day (4:39)
  3. 3 If I had my druthers (3:35)
  4. 4 Jubilation T. Cornpone - Stubby Kaye (4:54)
  5. 5 Rag offen the bush (4:02)
  6. 6 Namely you (3:01)
  7. 7 Unnecessary town (2:45)
  8. 8 What's good for General Bullmoose - Lanier Davis (0:27)
  9. 9 The country's in the very best of hands (5:17)
  10. 10 Sadie Hawkins Day ballet (7:25)
  11. 11 Oh, happy day (3:34)
  12. 12 I'm past my prime (2:46)
  13. 13 Love in a home (3:16)
  14. 14 Progress is the root of all evil (3:04)
  15. 15 Put 'em back (1:46)
  16. 16 The matrimonial stomp - Stubby Kaye (4:04)
  17. 17 There's room enough for us (bonus track) - Li'l Abner Chorus (1:16)
  18. 18 The way to a man's heart (bonus track) (2:57)
  19. 19 It's a nuisance having you around (bonus track) (2:54)
  20. 20 Overture (bonus track) - Lehman Engel (5:09)
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Percy Faith Conductor
Rosemary Clooney Vocals, Track Performer
Bobby McClure Vocals
Lehman Engel Conductor, Musical Direction
Percy Faith & His Orchestra Performing Ensemble, Track Performer
Carmen Alvarez Track Performer
Pat Creighton Vocals
Edith Adams Vocals, Track Performer
Anthony Saverino Vocals
Peter Palmer Vocals, Track Performer
Stubby Kaye Vocals, Track Performer
Jim Hurst Vocals
Stanley Simmonds Vocals, Track Performer
Jeanette Scovotti Vocals
Deedee Wood Track Performer
Marc Breaux Vocals, Track Performer
George Ritner Vocals
Lanier Davis Vocals
Technical Credits
Didier C. Deutsch Liner Notes, Reissue Producer
Lehman Engel Director, Vocal Arrangements, Continuity
Philip J. Lang Orchestration
Goddard Lieberson Producer
Johnny Mercer Lyricist
Fred Plaut Engineer
Edward T. Graham Engineer
Darcy Proper Reissue Producer
Ken Mandelbaum Liner Notes
Ken Fredette Art Direction
Stacey Boyle Tape Research
Abe Vélez Packaging Manager
Darcy M. Proper Reissue Producer
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