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The Music Man
Movie Soundtrack
Starring Robert Preston and Shirley Jones
Music and Lyrics by Meredith Wilson
18 Tracks
Read an off-site Synopsis of the show at TheatreHistory.com.
Yes, The Music Man is very, very corny and stupid. I know that. I also happen to like it. So there. And all questions of the plot aside, you do have to admit that the music is very catchy.
I've never heard either the Original Broadway Cast or the Revival Cast albums of this show, so I can't compare them. But I love Robert Preston in this role. He was a perfect casting choice, and in the movie he had that devious-but-charming look down pat. (How on earth does anybody remember the lyrics to "Ya Got Trouble" in the right order and fast enough to deliver properly? They must have to spend like three weeks just learning that one song!) Shirley Jones is all right, I suppose, but she is another of those shrill sopranos that annoy me when they hit the high notes. The rest of the cast is pretty good - if you've seen the movie, you know. Except Ron Howard, the little kid... it worked in the movie because he was so cute, but the kid really can't carry a tune! Oh well, he was about six or something so you can't blame him. :-)
This CD doesn't have the music from the big dance numbers. "Marian the Librarian" is cut short after the singing is done... it's a little clumsy because the music doesn't really feel like it should stop there, if you know what I mean. The tiny sung bit at the end of all the dancing is not there. I find this annoying. When they realesed the album on CD they should have updated it by restoring all of the music.
It's a decent CD, but I don't listen to it much anymore. If I had it to do over again, I would definitely buy either the OBC or the Revival Cast instead of the movie soundtrack. I'd definitely go for one of those two if you want a CD of this show.
