Flower Drum Song (1961 Film Soundtrack)
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Free Music Notes for Flower Drum Song (1961 Film Soundtrack)
Free Music Review: Definitely the best of the Flower Drum Song Albums
Hit: 5 Stars
At last, Universal have done fans of this score a huge favour by reissuing this soundtrack album. It's a very different listen from the Braodway Cast album. Several songs, eg You Are Beautiful, the Other Generation and Don't Marry Me performed slightly different functions in the film and frankly the placement of the songs works very much in this album's favour. You Are Beautiful, beautifully performed by James Shigeta, comes very close to the end and gives the score a heady romantic lift that doesn't happen on the Broadway album. Don't Marry Me coming immediately before the Wedding Parade adds a tension that wasn't there in the stage show too.However, the real reason for buying this version, as other reviewers have rightly remarked, is the contribution of Alfred Newman and Ken Darby. The romantic numbers are beautifully orchestrated, the fun numbers sparkle and the swingers swing. The singers give first rate performances but the outstanding contribution comes from the orchestra. The overture and the dream ballet are two of the highlights of the album. Incidentally even the maligned Chop Suey is fun here. I don't think it's R & H's worst song myself. Rodgers produced a bouncy tune and while the lyric isn't world shattering, the song isn't the leaden experience of the Sound of Music's An Ordinary Couple or the embarrassment of Me and Juliet's Big Black Giant in each of which both partners lost it temporarily.
However, back to Flower Drum Song: given the orchestra's contribution is so good, it's a pity the reissue didn't include the dance arrangements of Chop Suey and Sunday in full but as a bonus, we do get Rosemary Clooney's fine reading of Love Look Away and a decent essay and some good pictures in the notes.
If you've only heard the Broadway album and were less than knocked out, do give this a try. It is a totally different experience and is immensely entertaining to listen to.
A sincere thank you to Universal for bringing this disc back to the catalogue and a request for a DVD issue of the film. Then we could see Hermes Pan's choreography as well as all the other treats that this underrated film contains.
Free Music Review: Alfred Newman's orchestrations are the highlight
Hit: 5 Stars
This re-issue of the film soundtrack from FLOWER DRUM SONG coincides with the current Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein neglected masterpiece, which features an all-new book by M. BUTTERFLY's David Henry Hwang.This recording is highlighted by wunderkind musical director Alfred Newman's orchestrations. I absolutely love the Overture/Main Title music, as well as the "Dream Ballet" which follows on from "Love Look Away" (surely one of Rodgers and Hammerstein's most heart-rending ballads).
However, although the film featured original Broadway stars Miyoshi Umeki, Juanita Hall, Jack Soo and Patrick Adiarte, it also featured a few OBVIOUSLY-DUBBED performers; Nancy Kwan (as sexy nightclub performer Linda Low) has an ill-fitting singing voice provided by B.J. Baker, and Reiko Sato (as the lovelorn Helen Chao) has a singing voice by the legendary Marilyn Horne (who was then a young up-and-comer).
There is also popular matinee idol James Shigeta, displaying his lovely, untrained singing with "You Are Beautiful" and joining Juanita Hall for the comical "Chop Suey". Miyoshi Umeki sounds more polished and confident here than on the original Broadway Cast recording. She is charming and lovely both on record and on film.
This recording also features a lovely cover version of "Love Look Away", delightfully sung by the late Rosemary Clooney.
A must-have recording.
Free Music Review: AT LAST! A Film Soundtrack Gem of an often overlooked R&H
Hit: 5 Stars
I honestly thought I was seeing things, but just bought this wonderful film soundtrack to the 1961 Universal picture adaptation. I've had a worn-out repressed stereo LP from the late 70's, and even a mono album from the first release that I bought in the early 70's. My late father turned me on to this film, as I was only 3 when it was released to theatres. It is a darling love story with an all-Asian cast that is superb. This issue also reveals some secrets, as Nancy Kwan was dubbed, as was Reiko Sato (the Helen Chao character) for "Love Look Away", with opera diva Marilyn Horne providing the vocal. The late Jack Soo is a delight as Sammy Fong, but probably best remembered as Nick Yamana on the BARNEY MILLER TV series. Miyoshi Umeki is totally precious, repeating her role from the Broadway show, as does the tireless Juanita Hall, most famous for being Bloody Mary in SOUTH PACIFIC. I'm sure all R&H fans are jumping for joy, since all we've had is the Broadway Cast album. Now if Universal will only get this film on DVD in Widescreen! New liner notes by David Henry Hwang, who has written a new book for the 2002 Broadway revival featuring the same great R&H score, and starring Lea Salonga. Worth your time.Free Music Review: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
Hit: 5 Stars
The movie soundtrack of "Flower Drum Song" should be used as a template and a shining example of how a sountrack should be produced. Lush orchestrations by Alfred Newman and vivid performances of the songs, even those dubbed, transformed a score considered by some critics to be cubic zirconia into diamonds. True some of the diamonds were of lesser quality but diamonds are still diamonds and boy do they sparkle.
The original 1961 vinyl record with its space limitations resulted in editing on a few numbers. It would have been nice if the CD reissue had included the entire "Sunday" "Chop Suey" and "The Other Generation" but why quibble with a soundtrack that is ear candy to the movies eye candy.
Free Music Review: A bright, happy soundtrack
Hit: 5 Stars
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Flower Drum Song is one of those hopelessly happy and inspiring offerings from the early 1960's...and that is not entirely bad.
Lovely throughout, from the light and happy 'A Hundred Million Miracles' to the very amusing version of 'Don't Marry Me' featuring the terrific Jack Soo.
Best know for the Nancy Kwan song 'I enjoy Being A Girl' the soundtrack is multi leveled and is a nice slice of life...from 1961.