MonaLisa Twins – Edelweiss
An evening pause: A nice cover of the Rogers & Hammerstein song from The Sound of Music (1965).
Hat tip Alton Blevins.
Tag: musicals
5th Dimension – Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In
An evening pause: Performed live on television in 1969 by the group’s original members, Billy Davis Jr., Florence LaRue, Marilyn McCoo, Lamonte McLemore, and Ronald Townson. This music, from the Broadway musical Hair, reflects the naive and somewhat arrogant attitude of that baby boom generation. It is also a very beautiful song, sung beautiful.
Hat tip Diane Zimmerman.
Clap Yo’ Hands – Fred Astaire & Kay Thompson
An evening pause: From the 1957 musical Funny Face. I only saw this film for the first time last week, and as I watched this scene I was most amused by Astaire’s dance moves in the second half of this number. “Why, Astaire is doing Gene Kelly!” I exclaimed to Diane.
Both men had their own styles. Kelly was into grand film presentations, acrobatics, and the soft shoe. Fred Astaire was into dance, in all its forms. If you are familiar with Kelly’s dance style you will see immediately how Astaire is parodying it, but with great respect.
Astaire’s partner in this number is Kay Thompson, in her only starring movie role. Thompson had an amazing artistic career, from writer (the Eloise children’s books) to vocal coach for Judy Garland and Gene Kelly to recording artist to night club performer. It is a shame we don’t have more films of her singing and dancing.
André Rieu & the Johann Strauss Orchestra – Seventy-Six Trombones
An evening pause: This video is apropos of Arlo Guthrie’s words about the impact of American music in yesterday’s evening pause. Here a classical orchestra in Austria performs a song from one of Broadway’s greatest musicals, The Music Man, and everyone in the audience knows it.
Hat tip Edward Thelen.
An evening pause: This video is apropos of Arlo Guthrie’s words about the impact of American music in yesterday’s evening pause. Here a classical orchestra in Austria performs a song from one of Broadway’s greatest musicals, The Music Man, and everyone in the audience knows it.
Hat tip Edward Thelen.
Rodgers & Hammerstein – There is Nothin’ Like A Dame
Gerry & The Pacemakers – You’ll Never Walk Alone
An evening pause: The Rogers & Hammerstein classic from the 1945 musical Carousel. Pop groups in the 1960s routinely covered classics like this, because they knew their music history, used it to influence their own work, and also wished to celebrate it.
Hat tip Diane Zimmerman.
Julie Andrews – My Favorite Things
An evening pause: From the movie The Sound of Music (1965), a song about teaching children to face fear, to push past it, and live boldly and with courage. And to do it with humor. As Ray Bradbury wrote in his book, Something Wicked This Way Comes, you defeat evil and fear by laughing at it. The world needs to recapture this idea, or else we are doomed.
Hat tip Tom Wilson.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers – Lonesome Polecat
An evening pause: This song, from the 1954 MGM classic musical, was one of the first evening pauses I posted back in 2010. As Diane and I recently rewatched the musical, I think it time to repost it. As I said then,
This haunting song from the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is notable not only because of the beauty of the music and dancing, but because the entire number is shot as one take, no cuts. Everyone, from the actors with their axes to the crew moving the camera on its dolly and crane, had to be right on cue for everything to work.
Having spent almost twenty years in the movie business, I can promise you that this is not easy.
The 2010 evening pause uses the original voice of red-haired Matt Mattox, which was dubbed for the movie.
An evening pause: This song, from the 1954 MGM classic musical, was one of the first evening pauses I posted back in 2010. As Diane and I recently rewatched the musical, I think it time to repost it. As I said then,
This haunting song from the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is notable not only because of the beauty of the music and dancing, but because the entire number is shot as one take, no cuts. Everyone, from the actors with their axes to the crew moving the camera on its dolly and crane, had to be right on cue for everything to work.
Having spent almost twenty years in the movie business, I can promise you that this is not easy.
The 2010 evening pause uses the original voice of red-haired Matt Mattox, which was dubbed for the movie.
Glenn Close – With One Look
An evening pause: My gosh, I didn’t know she could sing! From the Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical of Sunset Boulevard.
Hat tip Danae.
Betty Hutton & Howard Keel – Anything You Can do
An evening pause: From the great Irving Berlin musical, Annie Get Your Gun (1950).
Hat tip Edward Thelen.
Dick van Dyke and Julie Andrews – Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious
An evening pause: With high hopes for the new year.
Hat tip Edward Thelen, who I thank for trying to offer me videos from a source other than youtube. Unfortunately, by the time this appeared, it was gone at that source and I had to rely on youtube.
Baby it’s cold outside
An evening pause: From the 1949 musical comedy Neptune’s Daughter, with Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalbán, Red Skelton, and Betty Garrett.
Hat tip Edward Thelen.
Bernadette Peters – Unexpected Song
An evening pause: From the Andrew Lloyd Weber musical, Song & Dance. Performed live in London in 1998.
Hat tip Edward Thelen.
I Know Him So Well – Judy Kuhn & Sissel
Lonesome Polecat from 7 Brides for 7 Brothers
An evening pause: This haunting song from the movie Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is notable not only because of the beauty of the music and dancing, but because the entire number is shot as one take, no cuts. Everyone, from the actors with their axes to the crew moving the camera on its dolly and crane, had to be right on cue for everything to work. Note also that this version uses the original voices. In the movie the voice of the lead singer, Matt Mattox, was dubbed.