Damn Yankees: 1994 Original Broadway Cast Recording [Cast Recording]

Editorial Reviews
VideoHound's Soundtracks
The old Faustian legend about the man who sells his soul to the Devil in order to regain youth and good looks received a clever updating in this whimsical musical, which took the tale and squarely set it against the background of America's favorite pastime, baseball. As reconceived by Douglas Wallop and George Abbott, Damn Yankees, based on Mr. Wallop's novel "The Year the Yankees Lost the Pennant," transplanted Faust into middle-America and gave him the name Joe Boyd. After he makes a pact with the Devil, a businessman more prosaically named Mr. Applegate, Boyd becomes "Shoeless" Joe Hardy, a hard-hitter, who takes the Washington Senators, his favorite team (and perpetual losers), all the way to the finals of the American League game, where they face those "damn Yankees." But this being a musical, set in America, there is a happy ending to the story: in spite of Mr. Applegate, and his assistant, the sultry Lola, Joe Hardy invokes the "escape clause" he and the Devil had agreed on initially, and at the last minute, just before curtain time, returns to his loving wife as Joe Boyd, serene in the knowledge that it was he who helped the Senators win the Pennant. A multiple Tony Award-winner (including for Best Musical) in 1956, Damn Yankees ran for 1,019 performances (a rarity at the time), and made a star of Gwen Verdon, playing Lola, whose siren song, "Whatever Lola Wants," became a huge popular hit. Virtually intact, and with only one major cast change (Tab Hunter replacing Stephen Douglass as Joe Hardy), the show was transferred to the screen in 1958, in a splashy screen transfer that retained all the flavor and guile of the original. After extensive revisions, in 1994 it was revived on Broadway, with Bebe Neuwirth as Lola and Victor Garber as Mr. Applegate, where it enjoyed a successful run, before going on the road, with Jerry Lewis, billed above the title, taking over as the Devil. Of the three recordings available, the first Broadway cast offers the original stars (Gwen Verdon, Stephen Douglass, and Ray Walston as Mr. Applegate) in a spirited rendition which has all the freshness and excitement usually experienced when a show first hits Broadway. Its only drawback (if that's the word!) is that it is in mono sound, since stereo didn't become an industry standard until later that year. The soundtrack album, available for the first time in stereo in this CD version, is almost identical to the Broadway cast album, but offers, in addition to the cast change noted above, and Ray Heindorf's flavorful orchestrations, longer versions of some of the songs, as well as better polished performances overall. The 1994 Broadway cast album, with its abundance of new selections, and dynamic renditions of the songs by Bebe Neuwirth, Victor Garber, and the other members of the cast, is as good a recording as can be gotten. It has the vibrancy, the fun, and the excitement one usually expects in that kind of production, and its sound quality is up to the latest standards. -- © 1998 Visible Ink Press. All rights reserved.

Damn Yankees: 1994 Original Broadway Cast Recording, Music, Richard Adler, Richard Adler, Damn Yankees Pit Orchestra, Bebe Neuwirth, Dennis Kelly, Dick Latessa, Gregory Jbara, Jarrod Emick, Jeff Blumenkrantz, Linda Stephens, Scott Wise, Susan Mansur, Terrence Currier, Vicki Lewis, Victor Garber, Jerry Ross, Cast Recordings, Music Theater, Musical Theater, Original Cast Recordings, Pop, Showtunes / B'way

Damn Yankees: 1994 Original Broadway Cast Recording
Average customer rating:

DAMN YANKEES

This isn't an aged wine, its a different bottle

Worth Buying Just for Jarrod Emick's Thrilling Vocals

Yankee Fan - and Loved It Anyway

Point of Information

Damn Yankees: 1994 Original Broadway Cast Recording
Jerry Ross
Manufacturer: Decca Broadway
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Musical Theater | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General | Musicals | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
General | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music
General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Theatrical, Incidental & Program Music | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Damn Yankees

Damn Yankees (1955 Original Broadway Cast)

Guys and Dolls (1992 Broadway Revival Cast)

Spring Awakening (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

The Drowsy Chaperone (2006 Original Broadway Cast)

ASIN: B000001E4U
Release Date: 1994-05-17

Tracks:

Ov
6 Months Out Of Every Year
6 Months Out Of Every Year, Scene: (The Boyd's Living Room)
6 Months Out Of Every Year, Scene: (The Boyd's Front Porch)
Goodbye Old Girl
Blooper Ballet
Blooper Ballet, Scene: (The Ball Field)
Heart
Heart, Scene: (The Locker Room)
Joe At Bat
Shoeless Joe From Hannibal, Mo.
Shoeless Joe (Reprise)
Shoeless Joe, Scene : (The Press Conference)
Shoeless Joe, Scene : (Applegate's Apartment)
A Little Brains, A Little Talent
A Little Brains, A Little Talent, Scene: (The Boyd's Kitchen)
A Man Doesn't Know
A Man Doesn't Know, Scene: (The Locker Room) #2
Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets)
Whatever Lola Wants (Lola Gets), Scene: ( Act 1 Finale)
Who's Got The Pain?
Who's Got The Pain?, Scene: (The Locker Room)
The Game
The Game, Scene: (The Boyd's House)
Near To You
Those Were The Good Old Days
The Trial
The Trial, Scene: (Limbo)
Two Lost Souls
Two Lost Souls, Scene: (The Bottom Of The Ninth)
A Man Doesn't Know (Reprise)

Customer Reviews:

DAMN YANKEES.......2007-04-07

LOVE THE CD, BRAND NEW AND REMINDS ME OF WHEN I SAW THE CLOSING SHOW WITH JERRY LEWIS ON BROADWAY. THE PRICE WAS GREAT AND SO WAS THE SERVICE. THANKS A BUNCH FOR A GREAT CD

This isn't an aged wine, its a different bottle.......2006-07-28

Unfortunately its true, the Damn Yankees revival took many, many liberties and changed quite a bit of the show. However I happen to like this recording better. "Near To You" as a three way song, is AMAZING. Its worth it just for that song. I'll say the original Old Joe, was better than on this recording, but this recordings Lola is better. So, get both, I did. If you can only choose one though, I would go with this one. The orchestra is so much fuller. Favorite Song: "Near To You"

Worth Buying Just for Jarrod Emick's Thrilling Vocals.......2006-02-19

Okay. Maybe this 1994 revival of Faust in the baseball world isn't as revered as the 1950's original featuring Gwen Verdon. But it has sterling sound quality and is one of the few cast albums that almost allows you to understand the story just via the songs.

It's also a must buy due to the vocal pyrotechnics of Jarrod Emick. Emick's range and power are stunning. He literally blasts onstage as the younger incarnation of Shoeless Joe Jackson. In later numbers ("A Man Doesn't Know," the gorgeous multi-part "Near to You") his voice is quiet, controlled and unique. He sounds like no one else.

I saw the show during its initial release and left the show a fan for life. It's one of those rare times in the theater (seeing Idina Menzel in "Wicked" was another) where someone or something comes out of left field and makes you say "wow." This person is an astounding talent. He seems able to hit just about any note - high or low - and like Menzel can raise goosebumps. He's about to hit Broadway again in the Johnny Cash musical review "Ring of Fire." He should be a HUGE Broadway star and recording solo albums of his own. Why he's not is a mystery.

Bebe Neuwirth fares less well in her comic turn as Lola. While an amazing dancer and great comic actress, her comic faux Latin accent spoils the big "Whatever Lola Wants" number. This may have gone over well in 1950's America. But it's borderline offensive now.

Vicki Lewis, prior to her sitcom days, plays a reporter and delivers a rousing "Shoeless Joe from Hannibal Mo." Her energy and comic timing are impressive. I found her singing impressive. Victor Garber's devil keeps the plot moving along. But it's Emick's performance that keeps the show centered.

Yankee Fan - and Loved It Anyway.......2005-06-16

I saw the musical back in 1994, and met the stars of the show as well. Jarrod Emmick was one of the most gifted newcomers to broadway that I had seen in years, with a voice that could lift a house off the ground. I remembered Victor Garber from years ago, when he was in the movie, "Godspell" - I have his autograph on my tape of the soundtrack, in fact. I also had this album on tape, signed by the principals, but I can't seem to find it - it seems to be lost somewhere. At any rate, I'm not too upset - I still have the cover, which has the cast signatures on it. I intend to purchase the CD, since I don't think they sell tapes anymore. It was a wonderful show, and I deeply cherish the soundtrack which, for me, preserves the wonderful memories I have of the show and the people in it that I met. I would highly recommend it - especially if you were lucky enough to have seen the show.

Point of Information.......2005-05-26

Sorry -- didn't see the musical. (I'm a Yankee fan!)

I just wanted to clarify the angst over Joe (apparently) circling the bases during his transformation back to a middle-aged man -- rather than catching the final out.

Or at least give an explanation.

In the original novel, Joe DID hit a HR. However, while he was circling the bases, he began transforming back to his mortal self. Gasping and wheezing, Joe crawled his way across home plate.

Music:

Music

Music