Damn Yankees
Original Cast Recording
Masterworks Broadway
www.masterworksbroadway.com

Anything Goes
New Broadway Cast Recording
Masterworks Broadway
www.masterworksbroadway.com
By George W. Harris

Sony Music has been cranking out some great material lately; the CTI
reissues were like manna from heaven, and now they’re delivering some
incredible soundtracks from Broadway shows. These two are the most jazz
worthy, and are a must have for divergent reasons.

It’s hard to be objective about Ray Fosse’s Damn Yankees, as I must’ve
seen this in movie form at least 50 times, as it was always on the TV
show Million Dollar Movie, when they’d show the same movie twice a day
for a week. As Ray Walston says during his aria, “Those Were The Good
Old Days.” While a couple of the songs here (“Goodbye Old Girl” and
“Whatever Lola Wants”) have joined the jazz canon, the truth is that
every song is an under-discovered diamond for someone to bring back to
light. Why John P and his wife don’t do “Two Lost Souls” is beyond me,
and the energy of “Who’s Got The Pain” and “The Game” will get you on
your feet quicker than an inside the park home run. Possibly one of the
last great “classic” musicals. Gwen Vernon exudes class, Walston ditto
style and Stephen Douglass heart wrenching emotion. Get it and LOVE it!

Cole Porter’s Anything Goes makes you remember, “Oh, Yeah…he wrote
these songs for an actual show! Yes, tunes like “I Get A Kick Out Of
You” and “Easy To Love” were not fiat compositions, but part of a
wholistic performance. This late 80s production is bright, spry and
lively, with the voices of Rex Everhart, Howard McGillin and Patti
LuPone clear as a clarion call. It’s simply amazing how many songs from
this Depression Era musical became standards: “Friendship,” and “You’re
The Top” still sound great, and even lesser ditties like “Blow Gabriel
Blow” deserve a bit more play. And how come no one is revisiting “The
Gypsy In Me”?!? All in all, this disc is simply “De-Lovely.”