My Fair Lady (Broadway cast recording)

The Broadway cast recording of the musical My Fair Lady was released as an album on April 2, 1956.[2] The songs were composed by Frederick Loewe with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and conducted by Franz Allers, while the cast included stars Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. The album became a massive seller, topping the charts on the US Billboard 200 for fifteen weeks at different times in 1956 (eight consecutive weeks), 1957, 1958 and 1959.[1] In the UK, upon its release in 1958, the album reached No.1 for 19 consecutive weeks and became the biggest-selling album of the year.[3] The album was released on Columbia Records, whose President, Goddard Lieberson provided the $375,000 needed to stage the show in return for the rights to the Cast recording.[2] The album was later re-issued on Compact disc in 1988 and has been re-released a number of times since.[4] It is currently available with bonus tracks. The original cast recording had the (currently in 2018) 5th longest run ever for any album in the Billboard 200 charts with 480 weeks. The leads of the Broadway cast re-recorded their parts for the London cast recording, which was made in stereo in 1959.[5]

My Fair Lady
Cast recording by
the original Broadway cast
ReleasedApril 2, 1956 (1956-04-02)
RecordedMarch 24, 1956 (1956-03-24)
GenreShow tunes
Length53:44
LabelColumbia Records
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitlePerformed byLength
1."Overture" / "Why Can't the English?"Rex Harrison, Robert Coote and Julie Andrews3:09
2."Wouldn't It Be Loverly?"Julie Andrews and Ensemble3:55
3."With a Little Bit of Luck"Stanley Holloway, Gordon Dilworth, Rod McLennan and Chorus3:55
4."I'm an Ordinary Man"Rex Harrison4:38
5."Just You Wait"Julie Andrews2:41
6."The Rain in Spain"Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, Robert Coote and Ensemble2:39
7."I Could Have Danced All Night"Julie Andrews, Philippa Bevans and Ensemble3:28
Side two
No.TitlePerformed byLength
1."Ascot Gavotte"Chorus3:13
2."On the Street Where You Live"John Michael King2:56
3."You Did It"Rex Harrison, Robert Coote, Philippa Bevans and Ensemble4:25
4."Show Me"Julie Andrews and John Michael King2:10
5."Get Me to the Church on Time"Stanley Holloway, Gordon Dilworth, Rod McLennan and Chorus2:42
6."A Hymn to Him"Rex Harrison3:28
7."Without You"Julie Andrews2:01
8."I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"Rex Harrison5:14

Chart positions
Chart Year Peak
position
Billboard 200[6] 1956 1
UK Albums Chart[3] 1958 1
  • returned to number 1 on Billboard 200 at different times during 1957, 1958 and 1959.

References
  1. Ruhlmann, William. "Album overview and Review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  2. "Background information". Masterworks Broadway. 2002-05-28. Archived from the original on 2012-11-14. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  3. "The Official Charts Company - Original Soundtrack - My Fair Lady". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2 June 2011.
  4. "CD issue". Rate Your Music. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  5. Ellen, Marjorie. "London edition". Allmusic. Retrieved 2012-09-08.
  6. "My Fair Lady - Charts and Awards". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 12 April 2012.
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