May 2008
"Rodgers and Rodgers"
In the years between the Broadway production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1959) and
the opening of DO I HEAR A WALTZ? (1965) composer Richard Rodgers had a very
interesting lyricist…himself.
After 23 years working with Lorenz Hart followed by 16 with Oscar Hammerstein
II, Mr. Rodgers decided to try wearing both hats, joining the elite ranks of
such esteemed colleagues as Frank Loesser, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin and
Stephen Sondheim, all of whom preferred to do double duty as both composer &
lyricist.
Though rarely acknowledged today, the lyrics he created for these various
projects are often clever and heartfelt, if not groundbreaking. Although he
would later open a revolving door of lyricist partners that included Alan Jay
Lerner (the aborted I PICKED A DAISY), Stephen Sondheim (DO I HEAR A WALTZ?),
Martin Charnin (TWO BY TWO and I REMEMBER MAMA), Sheldon Harnick (REX) and
Raymond Jessel (I REMEMBER MAMA) he was never artistically satisfied with the
results and yearned for another Hammerstein. But alas, this never happened.
So let’s take a look at the songs of Rodgers & Rodgers…specifically his work
as a lyricist for this brief few years.
Diahann Carroll and Richard Kiley in the original
Broadway production of NO STRINGS
Source:
Playbill.com |
First off we’ll look at NO STRINGS, the only complete Broadway score for
which Mr. Rodgers did double duty. With a book by Samuel Taylor, this
interracial love affair between a writer, played by Richard Kiley, and a high
fashion model, played by Diahann Carroll, was groundbreaking in its fluid
staging, modern stylized design and titular lack of a string section in the
orchestra.
For the score, Rodgers fashioned some rather lovely lyrics to complement his
haunting melodies. A favorite of mine is the opening song, aptly titled "The
Sweetest Sounds". Here’s the lyric:
The Sweetest Sounds, I'll ever hear
Are still inside my head
The Kindest Words I'll ever know
Are waiting to be said
The most entrancing sight of all
Is yet for me to see....
And the dearest love in all the world
Is waiting somewhere for me
Is waiting somewhere....Somewhere for me.
To match the ballads, Rodgers created some fun & funny comedy numbers to show
off his abilities. One of my favorites would be this one, sung by a
disillusioned female duo:
The moon is bright when you’re in love
The skies are always fair.
A million stars are spread above…
Love makes the world go square!
Dumb little words are brilliant
Numb reactions become resilient.
Love has such a pretty sound
You have to learn to care.
If money makes the world go round
Love makes the world go square.
Love makes the world go square!
After his critical success with NO STRINGS, Rodgers decided to continue
writing his own lyrics for three other projects on the back burner -- two film
adaptations of works he created with Hammerstein and one original.
The original was a TV musical of ANDROCLES AND THE LION, based on the play by
George Bernard Shaw and starring Norman Wisdom, Ed Ames, Noel Coward, Inga
Swenson, John Cullum and Patricia Routledge. Rodgers created 9 songs for the
special, plus ballet and underscore music. A particular favorite of mine is a
duet for Androcles & the Emperor, played by Norman Wisdom and Noel Coward.
Here’s the song:
Don’t be afraid of an animal
Let him howl, let him yowl, let him bawl
He’s only trying to communicate
For an animal’s only human after all.
Don’t let an animal frighten you
Let him nip, let him scratch till he’s through
He only wants to be a pal of yours
He is probably less an animal than you!
Tigers are intuitively gracious
Even when their jaws are extra spacious
Bears are only trying hard to please you
Love is why they really want to squeeze you!
Don’t be afraid of an animal
Let him run. Let him leap, let him crawl
He’s only trying to keep up with you
For an animal’s only human after all!
Don’t let an animal frighten you
Let him nip, let him scratch till he’s done
It’s just his way of saying play with me
For an animal likes to have a bit of fun
Rhinos are ridiculously gentle
Elephants in love are elemental
Meeting a hyena will delight you
He’s so busy laughing he can’t bite you!
Be sure to welcome an animal
Be polite, be at home should he call.
He likes you better than he likes himself
For an animal’s only human after all!
One of the film adaptations was the 1962 remake of STATE FAIR, a hit film for
Rodgers back in 1945. This new version would star Ann Margret, Pat Boone, Bobby
Darin, Alice Faye and Tom Ewell. Several songs were retained from the original,
with Rodgers adding five new numbers including "More Than Just A Friend",
"Willing And Eager", and "This Isn’t Heaven", a song written but not used for
the FLOWER DRUM SONG film.
Using the Texas State Fair as a location set necessitated the dropping of the
Iowa themed songs from the earlier version, but Rodgers wrote a new Texas duet
for Ma & Pa entitled "The Little Things In Texas". Here’s part of the song:
It’s The Little Things In Texas I Love
There’s a girl with a very small waist
Who gives me a very small squeeze
But oh her heart is big as Texas!
It’s The Little Things In Texas I Love
When we go for a very small walk
Our talk is a very small talk
And somehow we don’t talk of Texas!
This girl is full of graces
She’s cute in all the right places
And who needs great big spaces?
Whee! I drew 4 aces!
One little thing in Texas adores me
And it’s The Little Things In Texas I love!
Rodgers also provided Ma with an advisory song for daughter Margie entitled
"Never Say No To A Man". Here are the fun but dated lyrics:
Never say no to a man
Simply avoid saying yes to him
That leaves the ultimate guess to him
Darling, don’t ever say no.
Men find the negative rough
Give an affirmative grin to him
You’ll needn’t really give in to him
Don’t use the positive no!
No is a mean monosyllable fit for a horse
A dog or a cow or a calf
A nod and a smile would cut the divorce
Statistics by just about half!
Maybe perhaps if I can
These are some words that will do as well
Darling he’s sure to love you as well
Never say no to man.
The remaining Rodgers & Rodgers project is the film adaptation of THE SOUND
OF MUSIC. Along with the artistic changes made that greatly improved the
property, Rodgers provided two new numbers for the film.
One is the "bridge" number "I Have Confidence" which shows the migration of
"Maria" from the Abbey to the Von Trapp home via various roads and transport.
Though Rodgers created the basic tune, the song was actually a covert
collaboration between Rodgers and Saul Chaplin, a songwriter who was working on
the film as Associate Producer and who secretly rearranged and augmented Rodgers
lyrics and tune. The resulting number is definitely a highlight of the film,
despite its slightly tarnished pedigree.
What will this day be like, I wonder
What will my future be? I wonder.
It could be so exciting to be out in the world, to be free
My heart should be wildly rejoicing
Oh, what's the matter with me?
I've always longed for adventure
To do the things I've never dared
Now here I'm facing adventure
Then why am I so scared?
A Captain with seven children
What's so fearsome about that?
Oh, I must stop these doubts, all these worries
If I don't I just know I'll turn back
I must dream of the things I am seeking
I am seeking the courage I lack
The courage to serve them with reliance
Face my mistakes without defiance
Show them I'm worthy
And while I show them
I'll show me
So, let them bring on all their problems
I'll do better than my best
I have confidence they'll put me to the test
But I'll make them see I have confidence in me
Somehow I will impress them
I will be firm but kind
And all those children -- Heaven bless them!
They will look up to me
And mind me with each step I am more certain
Everything will turn out fine
I have confidence the world can all be mine
They'll have to agree I have confidence in me
I have confidence in sunshine
I have confidence in rain
I have confidence that spring will come again
Besides which you see I have confidence in me
Strength doesn't lie in numbers
Strength doesn't lie in wealth
Strength lies in nights of peaceful slumbers
When you wake up -- Wake Up!
It's healthy!
All I trust I leave my heart to
All I trust becomes my own
I have confidence in confidence alone ...
I have confidence in confidence alone
Besides which you see I have confidence in me!
The other big Rodgers addition was a replacement love song for the Captain
and Maria to sing. In the stage version the love song was as follows:
An ordinary couple
Is all we'll ever be,
For all I want of living
Is to keep you close to me,
To laugh and weep together
While time goes on its flight,
To kiss you ev'ry morning
And to kiss you ev'ry night.
We'll meet our daily problems
And rest when day is done,
Our arms around each other
In the fading sun.
An ordinary couple,
Across the years we'll ride,
Our arms around each other
Our children by our side;
Our arms around each other.
In its place Rodgers wrote "Something Good", a number that seemed to work
better dramatically and musically:
Perhaps I had a wicked childhood
Perhaps I had a miserable youth
But somewhere in my wicked, miserable past
There must have been a moment of truth
For here you are, standing there, loving me
Whether or not you should
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good
Nothing comes from nothing
Nothing ever could
So somewhere in my youth or childhood
I must have done something good.
Rodgers had an amazing career starting in 1920 with FLY WITH ME and THE POOR
LITTLE RITZ GIRL and ending with 1979’s I REMEMBER MAMA, creating a 59 year
legacy on Broadway, in Hollywood and on TV. A master melodist of the first
order, it’s interesting to look at his years as lyricist and give him credit
where it is due. He certainly wasn’t "an ordinary" writer by any means!
Investigate these forgotten gems and see for yourself…
Till next month…
Next update to this page: Sunday, June 1, 2008
