ON THE TOWN & BROADWAY MELODY – Studio Recordings (STAGE DOOR RECORDS – STAGE 9060)
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
For some reason when On the Town came out originally in the 50s, there was not a recording released. For the time this was really quite unheard of. Never mind, step forward UK’s Columbia Records and a British cast and we have a studio re-creation of what might have been if the film soundtrack had been released.
Columbia garnered together Dennis Lotis, Lionel Blair, Shane Rimmer, Fred Lucas, Stella Tanner and Noele Gordon to step into the shoes of Frank Sinatra, Gene Kelly, Jules Munshin, Betty Garrett and Ann Miller – the result is quite astonishing. However, it would have come to nothing had it not been for the superb Geoff Love who got the most amazing sounds out of his orchestra, as only a maestro such as Love could. With the addition of sound and atmospheric effects, this brings the whole recording to life.
Each of the soloists are great in their own character but the standout for me has to be Noele Gordon, taking on the role of Claire, an anthropological student, singing ‘Prehistoric Man’ or should I say ‘belting’. It really is quite an eye-opener!
All-in-all this is one really great recording of a musical classic which is teamed up with another wonderful MGM musical, given the British studio cast treatment. This time it is Broadway Melody and it is Tony Osborne who takes up the conductor’s baton, again to great effect. Filled with instantly recognisable songs such as: ‘You Were Meant for Me’, ‘The Wedding of the Painted Doll’, ‘You Made Me Love You’, ‘You Are My Lucky Star’, ‘Begin the Beguine’, etc these are sung by such stalwarts as Millicent Martin, Julie Dawn, David Hughes, Bruce Forsyth and Gerry Dorsey (who, of course, went on to become Engelbert Humperdinck). The whole thing is backed by the Williams Singers.
Both of these recordings were produced by Norman Newell, so you know straight away that you are going to be getting the best that money can buy. Add to that the care and attention Stage Door Records put in to every single release and you know that money has been well spent.
Nick Wakeham
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