Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'

Last updated
"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'"
Song
Published1943
Composer(s) Richard Rodgers
Lyricist(s) Oscar Hammerstein II

"Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'" is the opening song from the musical Oklahoma! , which premiered on Broadway in 1943. It was written by composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist/librettist Oscar Hammerstein II. The leading male character in Oklahoma!, Curly McLain, sings the song at the beginning of the first scene of the musical. The refrain runs: "Oh, what a beautiful mornin'! / Oh, what a beautiful day! / I've got a beautiful feelin' / Ev'rythin's goin' my way." Curly's "brimming optimism is perfectly captured by Rodgers' ebullient music and Hammerstein's buoyant pastoral lyrics." [1]

Contents

This was the first song of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical collaboration to be heard by theatre audiences. It has become one of their most famous numbers and "quickly became one of the most popular American songs to emerge from the wartime era, gaining currency away from Broadway first on the radio and recordings, and then later on numerous television variety shows." [1] Brooks Atkinson, reviewing the original production in The New York Times , wrote that the number changed the history of musical theatre: "After a verse like that, sung to a buoyant melody, the banalities of the old musical stage became intolerable." [2]

Noteworthy recordings

Noteworthy recordings include the following:

Other artists who have recorded the song include Rosemary Clooney on several of her albums, [12] Peggy Lee,[ citation needed ] Nelson Eddy,[ citation needed ], and Joanie Bartels. [13] Classical singers who have recorded it include Placido Domingo, Bryn Terfel, Marilyn Horne and Samuel Ramey, and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir made a choral version. [1]

Ethan Mordden titled his book about the dawn of the "Golden Age" of musicals Beautiful Mornin: The Broadway Musical in the 1940s (1999). [14]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Rodgers</span> American composer of songs and Broadway musicals (1902–1979)

Richard Charles Rodgers was an American composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most well-known American composers of the 20th century, and his compositions had a significant influence on popular music.

<i>Oklahoma!</i> Musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein

Oklahoma! is the first musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, Green Grow the Lilacs. Set in farm country outside the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, in 1906, it tells the story of farm girl Laurey Williams and her courtship by two rival suitors, cowboy Curly McLain and the sinister and frightening farmhand Jud Fry. A secondary romance concerns cowboy Will Parker and his flirtatious fiancée, Ado Annie.

<i>South Pacific</i> (musical) 1949 Broadway musical

South Pacific is a musical composed by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The work premiered in 1949 on Broadway and was an immediate hit, running for 1,925 performances. The plot is based on James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize–winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific and combines elements of several of those stories. Rodgers and Hammerstein believed they could write a musical based on Michener's work that would be financially successful and, at the same time, send a strong progressive message on racism.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodgers and Hammerstein</span> 20th-century American songwriting team

Rodgers and Hammerstein was a theater-writing team of composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and lyricist-dramatist Oscar Hammerstein II (1895–1960), who together created a series of innovative and influential American musicals. Their popular Broadway productions in the 1940s and 1950s initiated what is considered the "golden age" of musical theater. Five of their Broadway shows, Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and The Sound of Music, were outstanding successes, as was the television broadcast of Cinderella (1957). Of the other four shows that the team produced on Broadway during their lifetimes, Flower Drum Song was well-received, and none was an outright flop. Most of their shows have received frequent revivals around the world, both professional and amateur. Among the many accolades their shows garnered were 34 Tony Awards, fifteen Academy Awards, two Pulitzer Prizes and two Grammy Awards.

"Some Enchanted Evening" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. It has been described as "the single biggest popular hit to come out of any Rodgers and Hammerstein show." Andrew Lloyd Webber describes it as the "greatest song ever written for a musical".

"No Other Love" is a show tune from the 1953 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Me and Juliet.

<i>Ella Sings Broadway</i> 1963 studio album by Ella Fitzgerald

Ella Sings Broadway is a 1963 studio album by the American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, with an orchestra arranged and conducted by Frank DeVol. Shortly before the sessions for Ella Sings Broadway, Ella had recorded two singles with Marty Paich, the Antonio Carlos Jobim song 'Desafinado' and a Bossa Nova version of the jazz standard 'Stardust'. This prompted many Ella Fitzgerald fans and scholars to conclude that these sessions were also led by Paich. However, the original scores and parts exist in Ella Fitzgerald's library and it was determined that all the music was arranged by Frank DeVol. In fact, DeVol had previously worked with Ella Fitzgerald having written arrangements for Hello Love (1957), Get Happy (1957), Live Someone in Love (1957), Ella Sings Sweet Songs For Swingers (1958), and Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas (1960).

"Something Wonderful" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I.

"I Whistle a Happy Tune" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I. It is sung by the Governess Anna Leonowens to her son Louis after the curtain rises on Act One of the musical, to persuade him not to be afraid as they arrive in Siam to serve the King.

<i>Allegro</i> (musical) Musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein

Allegro is a musical by Richard Rodgers (music) and Oscar Hammerstein II, their third collaboration for the stage. Opening on Broadway on October 10, 1947, the musical centers on the life of Joseph Taylor Jr., who follows in the footsteps of his father as a doctor, but is tempted by fortune and fame at a big-city hospital.

"This Can't Be Love" is a show tune and a popular song from the 1938 Rodgers and Hart musical The Boys from Syracuse when it was sung by Eddie Albert and Marcy Westcott. The lyrics poke fun at the common depiction of love in popular songs as a host of malignant symptoms, saying, "This can't be love because I feel so well."

"They Say It's Wonderful" is a popular song written by Irving Berlin for the musical Annie Get Your Gun (1946), where it was introduced by Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton. A film version in 1950 again featured the song when it was performed by Howard Keel and Betty Hutton. More recently it was performed in an episode of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel by Darius de Haas.

"Getting to Know You" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical The King and I. It was first sung by Gertrude Lawrence in the original Broadway production and later by Marni Nixon who dubbed for Deborah Kerr in the 1956 film adaptation. In the show, Anna, a British schoolteacher who has been hired as a governess, sings the song as she strikes up a warm and affectionate relationship with the children and the wives of the King of Siam.

"Hello, Young Lovers" is a show tune from the 1951 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I. It is sung by Anna, played by Gertrude Lawrence in the original Broadway production; by Valerie Hobson in the original London West End production; and by Deborah Kerr in the film version.

"It's Easy to Remember " is a popular song written by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Lorenz Hart.

"If I Loved You" is a show tune from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel.

"I've Got a Crush on You" is a song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics by Ira Gershwin. It is unique among Gershwin compositions in that it was used for two different Broadway productions: Treasure Girl (1928), when it was introduced by Clifton Webb and Mary Hay, and Strike Up the Band (1930), when it was sung by Doris Carson and Gordon Smith. It was later included in the tribute musical Nice Work If You Can Get It (2012), in which it was sung by Jennifer Laura Thompson. When covered by Frank Sinatra he was a part of Columbia records.

"It's All Right with Me" is a popular song written by Cole Porter, for his 1953 musical Can-Can, where it was introduced by Peter Cookson as the character Judge Aristide Forestier.

"Younger than Springtime" is a show tune from the 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific. It has been widely recorded as a jazz standard.

<i>Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows</i> 1948 compilation album by Bing Crosby, Trudy Erwin

Bing Crosby Sings the Song Hits from Broadway Shows is a Decca Records compilation 78rpm album of phonograph records by Bing Crosby featuring some of the hits from Broadway musicals.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cummings, Robert. "Richard Rodgers: Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin', song (for the musical Oklahoma!)", Allmusic.com, May 10, 2014
  2. ↑ Gordon, John Steele. Oklahoma'!' Archived 2010-08-04 at the Wayback Machine , accessed June 13, 2010
  3. ↑ "A Bing Crosby Discography". BING magazine. International Club Crosby. Retrieved July 26, 2017.
  4. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (1986). Joel Whitburn's Pop Memories 1890–1954. Wisconsin, USA: Record Research Inc. p.  561. ISBN   0-89820-083-0.
  5. ↑ "Frank Sinatra: 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning'", Allmusic.com, May 10, 2014
  6. ↑ "The Columbia Years 1943–1952: The Complete Recordings, Vol. 1", Sinatra!: The Complete Guide, May 10, 2014
  7. ↑ "Ray Charles: 'Oh, What a Beautiful Morning'", Allmusic, accessed May 10, 2014
  8. ↑ "Eels: 'Oh What a Beautiful Morning'", Allmusic, accessed May 10, 2014
  9. ↑ "Discography", JamesTaylor.com, accessed May 10, 2014
  10. ↑ "James Taylor: 'Oh, What a Beautiful Morning'", Allmusic, accessed May 10, 2014
  11. ↑ " Season 2 (1986)", Sharon, Lois & Bram, accessed December 29, 2014
  12. ↑ "Rosemary Clooney: 'Oh, What a Beautiful Morning'", Allmusic, accessed May 10, 2014
  13. ↑ "Chicken Soup for Little Souls: What a Wonderful World", Allmusic, accessed May 10, 2014
  14. ↑ Mordden, Ethan (1999). Beautiful Mornin: The Broadway Musical in the 1940s. U.S.: Oxford University Press. ISBN   0-19-512851-6.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.