Can one even imagine where the musical theater would be without Oscar Hammerstein? Just think about that question. From the groundbreaking Show Boat to the even more groundbreaking Oklahoma!, Mr. Hammerstein truly changed the course and face of musicals. Ben Bagley’s Oscar Hammerstein Revisited was one of the most interesting albums in the series, with a superb cast, including Cab Calloway, Blossom Dearie, Alfred Drake, E.Y. Harburg, Dorothy Loudon, Patrice Munsel, Elaine Stritch, and Gloria Swanson. The album is filled with Hammerstein lyrics with any number of great composers, and not the usual hits, but the treasures Ben unearthed. The musical direction by Norman Paris is, as is always the case with his work for Ben, truly wonderful. Ben said of Mr. Paris, “The finest of all the musical arrangers I’ve worked with, Norman Paris is a non pareil and blue chip.”

We’re in the final throes of the Bagley releases, and what a treat it has been to re-release these and have them out in the world again. As we’ve done for all these releases, we’ve considerably spruced up the sound for this new release. And the cover art is, of course, by the great Harvey Schmidt.

OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN REVISITED is limited to 500 copies

1 Gloria Swanson, Dorothy Loudon and The Patios– We've Got Something 2:45
2 Blossom Dearie and Alfred Drake– Lonely Feet 3:34
3 Dorothy Loudon– No Wonder I'm Blue 3:07
4 Elaine Stritch– Totem Tom-Tom 2:33
5 Patrice Munsel– Somebody Wants To Go To Sleep 3:10
6 Blossom Dearie– Eleven Levee Street 3:57
7 E.Y. Harburg– Sweetest Sight I've Ever Seen 2:48
8 Dorothy Loudon and The Patios– I'm One Of God's Children 4:48
9 Blossom Dearie and Arthur Siegel– Toodle-Do
10 Dorothy Loudon and The Patios– Little Hindoo Man 2:52
11 Gloria Swanson– We Were So Young 3:00
12 Blossom Dearie and Cab Calloway– When I've Got The Moon 3:15
13 Alfred Drake– My Best Love 3:09
14 Blossom Dearie– That's Love 4:00
15 Elaine Stritch– All In Fun 2:36
16 Patrice Munsel– Dance, My Darlings 2:59
17 Dorothy Loudon and The Patios– Grand Finale 8:08

Musical Direction and Arrangements by Norman Paris

Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein

Music by Music by Lewis Alter, Rudolf Friml, Jerome Kern, Richard Rodgers, Sigmund Romberg, Herbert Stothart

Additional lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, Lorenz Hart