From the Back Room: Jane Powell at M-G-M

My recent post offering to present recordings I had prepared but never posted (Buster's Back Room) has so far produced a variety of choices.

I developed this 23-track tour of Jane Powell's career at M-G-M shortly after my post of her complete Verve recordings, but wondered if anyone would be interested. It turns out that quite a few of you do want to hear her, so here she is.

This selection is not comprehensive. For one thing, some of her film soundtracks have appeared on this site before, so are not included in this collection; links to those soundtracks are at the end.

For these "From the Back Room" items, the transfers, etc., are prepared with the usual care, but my gabby commentary may be abbreviated. In this case, not much abbreviated.

A Date with Judy

Elliott Ness, er, Robert Stack, Jane Powell, Elizabeth Taylor, Scotty Beckett

First we have four songs from the 1948 hit A Date with Judy, Judy being Powell, and her best friend being Elizabeth Taylor.

The film was notable for introducing "It's a Most Unusual Day," by Harold Adamson and Jimmy McHugh, which is irresistibly joyous in Jane's hands. As with all the songs from this film, it doesn't seem to have been issued commercially, so this comes from a soundtrack bootleg.

Also from this film is the oldie "Through the Years"; "Love Is Where You Find It," which M-G-M also allotted to Kathryn Grayson that year (in The Kissing Bandit); and "I'm Strictly on the Corny Side," by Alec Templeton of all people. The latter is a duet with Scotty Beckett.

Nancy Goes to Rio

Ann Sothern and Jane Powell

This one from 1950 involves Nancy (Jane) going to Rio, where she meets up with her mother (Ann Sothern) and encounters the usual misunderstandings and complications, which involve mother and daughter inadvertently competing for the same stage role.

All this enables Jane to sing "Magic Is the Moonlight," by María Grever with English lyrics by Charles Pasquale (a duet with Sothern); "Love Is Like This," music by Pixinguinha, English lyrics by Ray Gilbert; and "Musetta's Waltz" from Puccini's La bohème.

These all come from M-G-M singles.

Four Songs from The King and I

UK EP cover

Also in 1950, M-G-M records decided Powell would be a good match for the songs from Rodgers and Hammerstein's new show The King and I. So she and arranger-conductor David Rose went to the studio to record "Something Wonderful," "We Kiss in a Shadow," "I Whistle a Happy Tune" and "Hello, Young Lovers." Magnificent songs, fine performances.

Probably at the same time, the label had Powell and Rose record "The Echo Song" by Earl Brent, a Hollywood songwriter. M-G-M may have bought or even used this work for a film project; it's not clear. The flip side of "The Echo Song" was "Paris" from the soundtrack of Rich, Young and Pretty. That LP can be found here, newly remastered.

Small Town Girl

Farley Granger, Jane Powell, Bobby Van

Small Town Girl from 1953 is best known for Bobby Van's jumping around town like a human pogo stick. Farley Granger is a big-town fellow who falls for Jane. Bobby Van is her other, somewhat reluctant suitor.

Powell sings "Small Towns Are Smile Towns" and "The Fellow I Follow," both by Nicholas Brodszky and Leo Robin. These were not, I believe, released commercially. The recordings come from a soundtrack bootleg.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

The score for 1954's Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is well known, but I have included Powell's three songs because they are not often heard these days.

The numbers are "Wonderful, Wonderful Day, "When You're in Love" and "Go'in Co'tin'," the title of which has more apostrophes than words. The songs are by Johnny Mercer and Gene de Paul.

Deep in My Heart

Deep in My Heart: Jane Powell in organdy, Vic Damone in an ill-fitting suit

Deep in My Heart was a quasi-bio of composer Sigmund Romberg, and is almost enjoyable if you can stand Jose Ferrer. It comes from 1954.

Jane has two specialties. First, a duet with frequent partner Vic Damone, who begins with "The Road to Paradise," leading to the duet "Will You Remember (Sweetheart)," both from 1917 operetta Maytime, with lyrics by Rida Johnson Young.

Powell also sings "One Kiss," from Romberg's operetta The New Moon, with Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics.

Hit the Deck

"Chiribiribin": Vic Damone, Jane Powell, Tony Martin,
Kay Armen, Russ Tamblyn, Debbie Reynolds 

Hit the Deck hit the theaters at about the same time that Hollywood's interest in musicals hit the skids. It did have a tuneful score drawn largely from Vincent Youmans' catalogue.

We begin with "Sometimes I'm Happy," which is another duet for Jane and Vic Damone.

Then the musical ensemble gathers around the piano for a go at Pestalazza's "Chiribiribin" (here called "Chiribiribee"). Jane is in the ensemble; the wonderful Kay Armen takes the lead. I've included it because I enjoy the performance, especially Armen's contribution.

Jane takes the lead in "Why, O Why," then teams up with Damone for "I Know that You Know."

That was all for Jane's career at M-G-M. Her Verve recordings were next.

* * *

This collection does not include Powell's first two films - Song of the Open Road and Delightfully Dangerous; nor does is encompass Athena, which soundtrack was released on Mercury and has appeared here previously, or 3 Sailors and a Girl, done on loan at Warner Bros., which has been posted here. And I previously mentioned Rich, Young and Pretty. These have all been remastered in ambient stereo fairly recently.

Finally, I haven't included the underrated score for Royal Wedding, which I had planned to make a separate post - and will still do so if anyone is interested. The transfer is done; the gabby commentary yet to come.

LINK

Kay Armen Sings to No One but You

I had a request from long-time reader Ravel for something by the pop singer/actor Kay Armen. I hope he (and you) will find this 10-inch LP from 1955 to be appealing. Armen had a lovely alto voice, with good intonation, excellent diction and an enveloping warmth, all on ample display here.

Kay Armen

M-G-M records couldn't make up its corporate mind about the title of the LP. Called Sings to No One but You on the cover, the label tags it as Kay Armen Sings and the notes on the back cover claims it is By Candlelight.

Nicholas Brodszky plays for no one but Mario Lanza

By whatever name, the album's theme is actually the melodies of M-G-M tunesmith Nicholas Brodszky, who wrote all the songs here, even though that fact goes unmentioned on the cover. Seven of the eight items were composed for M-G-M films, four with lyricist Sammy Cahn. The only exception is "I Just Love You," which he did with studio producer Joe Pasternak as a present for the latter's wife.

Brodszky was mainly active in the 1950s, passing away at a relatively young age in 1958. He is best known for the Mario Lanza hits "Be My Love" and "Because You're Mine," both of which show up here. I am more fond of "Wonder Why," which Jane Powell introduced in Rich, Young and Pretty, and "No One But You," which was sung by the relatively obscure Carlos Thompson in Flame and the Flesh. The soundtracks to Rich, Young and Pretty and Flame and the Flesh have appeared on this blog in years past.

Armen was not a prolific recording artist. Her first recordings were on Decca in 1943, then a few with Guy Lombardo in 1945. She also did various sides for RCA, King, London and Majestic. Her only LPs seem to be this one, an inspirational LP for M-G-M and a Tin Pan Alley LP for Decca, which I have if there is interest.

Hit the Deck's "Ciribiribin" sing: Vic Damone, Jane Powell,
Tony Martin, Kay Armen, Russ Tamblyn, Debbie Reynolds

These days Armen is perhaps most noted for her role in Hit the Deck, which is plugged on the back cover of this LP. (She played Vic Damone's mother, even though she was only 12 years older than he was.) As a bonus, I've included her two songs from the film, "Ciribiribin," taken from the soundtrack LP, and "Hallelujah," from the soundtrack itself (the LP's version cuts Armen's chorus). Among others, you will hear Damone and Tony Martin on these songs. Hit the Deck was Armen's only film in the 50s, but she was on TV as a guest singer and actor both, and also appeared in a few later films.

The cover of this LP is a striking example of the 50s idea of romance. A couple smooching on the floor with their M-G-M records, him in a suit, her in pearls and a voluminous skirt, with a four-times life-size Armen monitoring the proceedings from the wall. I could not like it more!

LINK