42nd Street / N.B.C.R. [Import]

Out of the many soundtracks I own, I can't say 42nd street is my favourite. However, it gets a listen every now and then. The length of it isn't so much a problem [I can listen to the 2001 The Producers and restrain from growing tired], there are a few songs I don't care for. Not to mention, some I blatantly skip over. However, "You're Getting To Be a Habit with Me", "Only Have Eyes For You", "Lullaby of Broadway", "A Quarter to Nine", and "42nd Street" are all excellent, and worh the 20 bucks. The beginning of the sdtk isn't the most enthralling show tunes I've heard, but the latter half makes up for it. If you're aim is to work towards completing your broadway collection, by all means, get this album! But if you're not much of a fan of musicals, there are better. 3.5 stars.

Even though the original performace only closed in 1989, after a nine year run(one of the longest-running shows in Broadway history), its really no suprise to see 42nd Street back in action. With catchy, classic songs such as the perky, slighty corny "We're in the Money", the comedic "Keep Young and Beautiful", the classic "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me", the wonderful title song, and of course the big one, the turning point, the always great "Lullaby of Broadway", the show is larger than life. Christine Ebersole is truly a star, with an amazing vocal range. If you listen to all of her songs, you will hardly believe you are hearing the same person. David Elder has a perfect tenor voice, Michael Cumpsty, although everyone says he is no Jerry Orbach, has excellent acting skills, Mary Testa and Jonathan Freeman are the perfect pair, and Kate Levering is a talented Peggy Sawyer. The addition of some new songs, such as "Keep Young and Beautiful", "I Only Have Eyes for You", "With Plenty of Money and You" and the new verse to "42nd Street", make the show even greater. The "grandaddy of all backstage musicals" will never die: 42nd Street, that big parade, really will go on for years.

I discovered 42nd Street only this year, as it was my middle school musical. The music is catchy and fun, the lines are cute and funny, and the amount of dancing in the show is just amazing. Although I have yet to see the Broadway Revival,(unfortunately I was born too late for the original, I will never get over that)the CD carries the spirit of the show. Although the tapping is stronger on the original cast recording, the songs are just as beautifully done for the most part.(The original Lullaby of Broadway was better, but I liked the fact that you got to hear what I think is one of the mpost powerful lines in the show before the song). Along with the old favorites are some new ones, such as Keep Young and Beautiful and I Only Have Eyes for You. If you have heard both CDs, you will notice that some songs have different lyrics, like Maggie's verse of Shuffle of to Buffalo, and the added lyrics to 42nd Street. Christine Eberdsole's voice is amazing in range, in fact, if you listen to Shadow Waltz and then skip to the Act I Finale, you will hardly believe you are hearing the same person. Mary Testa and Jonathan Freeman are the perfect Maggie and Bert. Michael Cumpsty, although he is no Jerry Orbach, is a very good Julian Marsh. David Elder has a good tenor voice for Billy. Kate Levering, however, is a little disappointing. While a good singer, she isn't quite a Peggy Sawyer. From what I have heard, Meredith Patterson, the understudy, is more talented than Levering. All in all, if you consider yourself a lover of Broadway musicals, you HAVE to see and hear 42nd Street--Truly the Broadway musical for people who love Broadway musicals.