My Fair Lady (Broadway cast recording)
| My Fair Lady | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Cast recording by the original Broadway cast | |
| Released | April 2, 1956 |
| Recorded | March 24, 1956 |
| Genre | Show tunes |
| Length | 53:44 |
| Label | Columbia Records |
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [1] |
The Broadway cast recording of the musical My Fair Lady was released as an album on April 2, 1956.[2] The songs were composed by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, while the cast included stars Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. The album became a massive seller, topping the charts on the US Billboard 200 for fifteen weeks at different times in 1956 (eight consecutive weeks), 1957, 1958 and 1959.[1] In the UK, upon its release in 1958, the album reached No.1 for 19 consecutive weeks and became the biggest-selling album of the year.[3] The album was released on Columbia Records, whose President, Goddard Lieberson provided the $375,000 needed to stage the show in return for the rights to the Cast recording.[2] The album was later re-issued on Compact disc in 1988 and has been re-released a number of times since.[4] It is currently available with bonus tracks.
A London cast recording of the musical, also starring Harrison and Andrews, was released as an album in 1959.[5]
Track listing
| Side one | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Performed by | Length |
| 1. | "Overture" / "Why Can't the English?" | Rex Harrison, Robert Coote and Julie Andrews | 3:09 |
| 2. | "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?" | Julie Andrews and Ensemble | 3:55 |
| 3. | "With a Little Bit of Luck" | Stanley Holloway, Gordon Dilworth, Rod McLennan and Chorus | 3:55 |
| 4. | "I'm an Ordinary Man" | Rex Harrison | 4:38 |
| 5. | "Just You Wait" | Julie Andrews | 2:41 |
| 6. | "The Rain in Spain" | Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, Robert Coote and Ensemble | 2:39 |
| 7. | "I Could Have Danced All Night" | Julie Andrews, Philippa Bevans and Ensemble | 3:28 |
| Side two | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Title | Performed by | Length |
| 1. | "Ascot Gavotte" | Chorus | 3:13 |
| 2. | "On the Street Where You Live" | John Michael King | 2:56 |
| 3. | "You Did It" | Rex Harrison, Robert Coote, Philippa Bevans and Ensemble | 4:25 |
| 4. | "Show Me" | Julie Andrews and John Michael King | 2:10 |
| 5. | "Get Me to the Church on Time" | Stanley Holloway, Gordon Dilworth, Rod McLennan and Chorus | 2:42 |
| 6. | "A Hymn to Him" | Rex Harrison | 3:28 |
| 7. | "Without You" | Julie Andrews | 2:01 |
| 8. | "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" | Rex Harrison | 5:14 |
Chart positions
| Chart | Year | Peak position |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard 200[6] | 1956 | 1 |
| UK Albums Chart[3] | 1958 | 1 |
- returned to number 1 on Billboard 200 at different times during 1957, 1958 and 1959.
References
- 1 2 Ruhlmann, William. "Album overview and Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
- 1 2 "Background information". Masterworks Broadway. 2002-05-28. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
- 1 2 "Chart Stats - Original Soundtrack - My Fair Lady". chartstats.com. Archived from the original on 19 January 2013. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
- ↑ "CD issue". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
- ↑ Ellen, Marjorie. "London edition". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
- ↑ "My Fair Lady - Charts and Awards". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
| Preceded by The Duke Wore Jeans by Original Soundtrack |
UK Albums Chart number-one album 10 May 1958 - 20 September 1958 |
Succeeded by King Creole by Elvis Presley |