My Fair Lady is the original cast recording of the mmusical with the same name, released in 1959 by Columbia Records.[1] The album features the performances of the original Broadway cast, including Rex Harrison, Julie Andrews, and Stanley Holloway. The musical, composed by Frederick Loewe with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, was a significant success on Broadway, and its cast recording has been highly regarded for capturing the essence of the stage production.[2]

The original London cast recording, which moved into the Drury Lane Theatre in April 1958, is very similar to the Broadway version. This London cast recording has often been more affordable than the original Broadway cast, making it a popular choice for fans of the musical.[2] The stereo version of the album, recorded in London with the original cast, was released as Columbia OS 2015 and was praised for its high-quality sound and packaging, which helped to renew interest in the album.[3][4]

The stereo recording of My Fair Lady was completed in London in February 1959, featuring the original New York cast. This version was noted for its rich and full sound quality, which was considered worth the wait. The stereo release was seen as a significant achievement, opening up a new market for the original cast LP.[3][4] The production was conducted by Cyril Ornadel, and the recording was produced by Goddard Lieberson, who was instrumental in bringing the original cast together for this project.[5]

The recording was later reissued in various formats, including a CD version in 1998 by Columbia Legacy, which included bonus tracks such as "The Embassy Waltz" and extensive liner notes with memorabilia and previously unpublished photos.[2]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
BillboardFavorable[3]
Cash BoxFavorable[4]
The DispatchFavorable[6]
Sunday HeraldFavorable[5]

Critics have widely praised the original cast recording of My Fair Lady for its ability to capture the charm and wit of the stage production. Marjorie Ellen Ruhlmann of AllMusic rated the album four and a half stars out of five and highlighted the value of the London cast recording, noting its affordability and the inclusion of bonus material in the 1998 CD reissue.[2] The music critic of Billboard magazine also praised the stereo version, stating that it "greatly fulfills all expectations" and was "worth waiting for".[3]

William D. Laffler, writing for The Dispatch, emphasized the historical significance of the recording, particularly the opportunity it provided for listeners to experience the original cast's performance. He highlighted the abundance of My Fair Lady recordings in the market at the time of the release but emphasized that this release allowed listeners to hear the London cast in stereo for the first time.[6] Similarly, Cash Box magazine pointed out that the recording retained all the "original charm and wit" of the musical and that its stereo format could open the album to a broader audience.[4]

Warren DeMotte of the Sunday Herald also lauded the stereo recording, noting the spontaneity and experience that the cast brought to the project after three additional years of performing the musical. The recording was described as top-notch, with Cyril Ornadel's conducting adding to the overall quality of the production.[5]

Commercial performance

The album achieved significant commercial success, spending three weeks at number one on the Billboard chart Best-Selling Stereophonic LPs in 1959.[7][8][9] Starting May 25, 1959, separate charts were listed for albums in mono and stereo formats, called Best-Selling Monophonic LPs and Best-Selling Stereophonic LPs, respectively.[10] In 1962, the album peaked at number 49 on the Cash Box chart.[11]

It was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in the 1960s,[12][13] and later 3× Platinum in November 21, 1986.

Track listing

My Fair Lady (1959)
No.TitleWriter(s)Performer(s)Length
1."Overture"Lerner, LoeweMy Fair Lady Orchestra (1959), Cyril Ornadel, Franz Allers2:45
2."Why Can't the English?"Lerner, LoeweRex Harrison2:46
3."Wouldn't It Be Loverly"Lerner, LoeweJulie Andrews3:57
4."With a Little Bit of Luck"Lerner, LoeweStanley Holloway4:05
5."I'm an Ordinary Man"Lerner, LoeweRex Harrison4:33
6."Just You Wait"Lerner, LoeweJulie Andrews2:48
7."The Rain in Spain"Lerner, LoeweJulie Andrews, Rex Harrison, Robert Coote2:49
8."I Could Have Danced All Night"Lerner, LoeweJulie Andrews, Betty Woolfe3:42
9."Ascot Gavotte"Lerner, LoeweMy Fair Lady Ensemble3:06
10."On the Street Where You Live"Lerner, LoeweLeonard Weir2:54
11."You Did It"Lerner, LoeweRobert Coote, Rex Harrison, Betty Woolfe4:04
12."Show Me"Lerner, LoeweJulie Andrews, Leonard Weir2:08
13."Get Me to the Church on Time"Lerner, LoeweStanley Holloway2:42
14."A Hymn to Him"Lerner, LoeweRex Harrison3:15
15."Without You"Lerner, LoeweJulie Andrews2:05
16."I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face"Lerner, LoeweRex Harrison5:21
17."Embassy Waltz (Bonus Track)"Lerner, LoewePercy Faith2:46

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of My Fair Lady original cast recording.[14]

  • Book and Lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
  • Music by Frederick Loewe
  • Musical arrangements by Robert Russell Bennett and Phil Lang
  • Musical Director, Cyril Ornadel
Cast
  • Julie Andrews
  • Rex Harrison
  • Stanley Holloway
  • Robert Coote
  • Betty Woolf
  • Leonard Weir

Charts

Weekly chart performance for My Fair Lady: Original Cast
Chart (1959-1962) Peak
position
US Best-Selling Stereophonic LPs (Billboard)[7] 1
US (Cash Box Best Selling Albums)[11] 49

Certifications and sales

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada — 250,000[15]
United States (RIAA)[16] 3× Platinum 3,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b Arntz & Wilson 1995, p. 229
  2. ^ a b c d e Ruhlmann, Marjorie Ellen. "My Fair Lady [Original London Cast] - Original Cast". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d "The Billboard Buting Guide for Packaged Records" (PDF). Billboard. 6 April 1959. p. 60. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "Album: Popular peaks of the week" (PDF). Cashbox. 11 April 1959. p. 68. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  5. ^ a b c DeMotte, Warren (24 May 1959). "Music for Moderns". Sunday Herald. LXXIII (21): 8. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  6. ^ a b Laffler, William D. (13 November 1964). "What's New in Records". The Dispatch. LXXXIII (59). Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  7. ^ a b "The Billboard Top LP'S". Billboard. June 15, 1959. p. 23. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  8. ^ "The Billboard Top LP'S". Billboard. June 22, 1959. p. 54. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  9. ^ "The Billboard Top LP'S". Billboard. June 29, 1959. p. 34. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
  10. ^ "The Billboard Top LP'S" (PDF). Billboard. May 25, 1959. p. 45. Retrieved January 11, 2022 – via WorldRadioHistory.
  11. ^ a b "Best Sellin Albums" (PDF). Cashbox. 3 February 1962. p. 21. Archived (PDF) from the original on 20 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  12. ^ "Gold LP's" (PDF). Billboard. 21 January 1967. p. 43. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  13. ^ "Golden Albums" (PDF). Cashbox. 28 December 1974. p. 68. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 March 2025. Retrieved 19 March 2025.
  14. ^ Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison (1959). My Fair Lady: Original Cast (liner notes). Columbia Masterworks. OS 2015.
  15. ^ "Columbia's "Lady" passes quarter million units sold" (PDF). RPM. 21 April 1969. p. 11. Archived (PDF) from the original on 6 May 2024. Retrieved 28 March 2025.
  16. ^ "American album certifications – Soundtrack – My Fair Lady (Original Cast)". Recording Industry Association of America.

Bibliography

  • Arntz, James; Wilson, Thomas S. (1995). Julie Andrews. Two Prudential Plaza, Chicago. Illinois: Contemporary Books, Inc. ISBN 0-8092-3267-7.
Allikas: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Fair_Lady_(London_cast_recording)
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