About the original cast recording
An original cast album was released by DRG Records in 1978. The LP includes all of the songs from the score (with the exception of "Hollywood, California" which was cut after opening night) performed by the original Broadway cast.
THE ACT
Original Broadway Cast Recording
01. SHINE IT ON 03:48
(performed by Liza Minnelli & the ensemble)
02. IT'S THE STRANGEST THING 03:08
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
03. BOBO'S 04:23
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
04. TURNING (SHAKER HYMN)
(performed by Liza Minnelli & the ensemble)
05. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW
(performed by Liza Minnelli & the ensemble)
06. ARTHUR IN THE AFTERNOON
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
07. THE MONEY TREE
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
08. CITY LIGHTS
09. THERE WHEN I NEED HIM
10. HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?
11. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW (Reprise)
12. MY OWN SPACE
13. FINALE (WALKING PAPERS)
Original Broadway Cast Recording
01. SHINE IT ON 03:48
(performed by Liza Minnelli & the ensemble)
02. IT'S THE STRANGEST THING 03:08
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
03. BOBO'S 04:23
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
04. TURNING (SHAKER HYMN)
(performed by Liza Minnelli & the ensemble)
05. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW
(performed by Liza Minnelli & the ensemble)
06. ARTHUR IN THE AFTERNOON
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
07. THE MONEY TREE
(performed by Liza Minnelli)
08. CITY LIGHTS
09. THERE WHEN I NEED HIM
10. HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?
11. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW (Reprise)
12. MY OWN SPACE
13. FINALE (WALKING PAPERS)
01. SHINE IT ON
The announcer who is heard at the beginning was actually announcing an opening act, a comedian named Lenny Kanter who did a brief routine at the beginning of the show, ending with the passage "So, let's give a nice, warm, Las Vegas welcome…" which can also be heard on the recording.
"Shine It On" then started with a very nervous Michelle Craig entering the stage, one of her shoes still in hand, mistaking it for the microphone and thus having to re-start again. She then forgot some of the lyrics of the first verse, with the on-stage Orchestra Leader prompting her, before pulling herself together and getting the song going.
The recording presents the song without these scripted "mistakes".
"Shine It On" then started with a very nervous Michelle Craig entering the stage, one of her shoes still in hand, mistaking it for the microphone and thus having to re-start again. She then forgot some of the lyrics of the first verse, with the on-stage Orchestra Leader prompting her, before pulling herself together and getting the song going.
The recording presents the song without these scripted "mistakes".
02. IT'S THE STRANGEST THING
"It's The Strangest Thing" - initially written for an abandoned musical project on Horatio Alger, entitled WAIT FOR ME, WORLD (1972) and then used in THE ACT - was trimmed down to a more classical song form for the recording.
In the actual show it was performed in three parts with interspersed dialogue sections, making it more of a musical scene than a song. Various flashbacks and scene changes divided the number, taking the audience from the Las Vegas nightclub act back to an audition studio (where amongst other parts a different, more uptempo arrangement of the song was heard briefly), including effective use of pre-recorded voice-overs to blend the song seemlessly with the scenes that interrupted it.
The version on the recording combines all parts of the song, including some parts of the verse that weren't performed in the show.
In the actual show it was performed in three parts with interspersed dialogue sections, making it more of a musical scene than a song. Various flashbacks and scene changes divided the number, taking the audience from the Las Vegas nightclub act back to an audition studio (where amongst other parts a different, more uptempo arrangement of the song was heard briefly), including effective use of pre-recorded voice-overs to blend the song seemlessly with the scenes that interrupted it.
The version on the recording combines all parts of the song, including some parts of the verse that weren't performed in the show.
03. BOBO'S
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04. TURNING (SHAKER HYMN)
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05. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW
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06. ARTHUR IN THE AFTERNOON
"Arthur In The Afternoon" had a reprise in the show which followed after a brief scene. The reprise as a whole went unrecorded but the lyrics for the final chorus ("So when your psyche's steaming…") were used on the recording replacing the actual ending of the song which was as follows:
(Dance to:)
SO, GET YOUR SHOPPING CART OUT
AND GO SAFEWAY YOUR HEART OUT
BUT THERE'S NO SUNSWEET PRUNE
AS HEALTHY AS ARTHUR
THAT'S RIGHT, I SAID ARTHUR
YOU OWE YOURSELF ARTHUR IN THE AFTERNOON
After a scene between Michelle Craig and Dan Connors, Arthur re-entered and Michelle performed a reprise of the song which started with the following lyric:
I'D BEEN THROUGH REVEREND MOON
AND SCIENTOLOGY TOO
BUT NEVER LOST MY PETULANT POUT
UNTIL I FOUND A PRACTICING
THERAPIST, WHO
AS HE USHERED ME IN
STRAIGHTENED ME OUT
SO WHEN YOU PSYCHE'S STEAMING […]
Listen to a low quality, live recording of the reprise as performed by Liza Minnelli in the Broadway production here.
(Dance to:)
SO, GET YOUR SHOPPING CART OUT
AND GO SAFEWAY YOUR HEART OUT
BUT THERE'S NO SUNSWEET PRUNE
AS HEALTHY AS ARTHUR
THAT'S RIGHT, I SAID ARTHUR
YOU OWE YOURSELF ARTHUR IN THE AFTERNOON
After a scene between Michelle Craig and Dan Connors, Arthur re-entered and Michelle performed a reprise of the song which started with the following lyric:
I'D BEEN THROUGH REVEREND MOON
AND SCIENTOLOGY TOO
BUT NEVER LOST MY PETULANT POUT
UNTIL I FOUND A PRACTICING
THERAPIST, WHO
AS HE USHERED ME IN
STRAIGHTENED ME OUT
SO WHEN YOU PSYCHE'S STEAMING […]
Listen to a low quality, live recording of the reprise as performed by Liza Minnelli in the Broadway production here.
07. THE MONEY TREE
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08. CITY LIGHTS
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09. THERE WHEN I NEED HIM
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10. HOT ENOUGH FOR YOU?
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11. LITTLE DO THEY KNOW (Reprise)
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12. MY OWN SPACE
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13. FINALE (WALKING PAPERS)
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