Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday (on a Tuesday), or really, a bonus Musical Theatre Monday, as we’re not only paying tribute to the underrated Vincent Youmans, we’re also indulging the 1970s’ nostalgia craze. However, this time, we’re not talking about the ’50s, but the ’20s — the other era that seemed to find a renaissance in popular entertainment, especially on Broadway. It all started with 1971’s surprise hit revival of No, No, Nanette (1925), which then sparked an attempt to resurrect many of the big shows of the Roaring Twenties — Irene (1919), Good News (1927), and Whoopee! (1928), among others.
For this post, we’re celebrating one such effort, which came, like several did, from Goodspeed Musicals — a 1977 revisal of Youmans’ 1927 charmer, Hit The Deck! Next to Nanette, this is one of the great composer’s most tuneful scores, and I’m happy to share an audio (songs only) of this production — which included a few interpolations and new ditties using existing melodies — for subscribers who comment below to alert me of their interest. As a sample, here’s one of my favorites — written for and then cut from the original production (but included as underscoring in the beloved 1955 film, starring the late Jane Powell) — “An Armful Of You.”
Come back next month for a new musical rarity! And stay tuned tomorrow for more sitcom fun!