THE DESERT SONG
Composer: Sigmund
Romberg
Lyricist: Oscar Hammerstein II; Otto Harbach
Opened: November 30, 1926, Casino Theatre, N.Y.C.; moved
on October 10, 1297 to the Century Theatre; move on November 2,
1927 to the Imperial Theatre and closed on January 7, 1928;
April 7, 1927, Drury Lane Theatre, London
Performances: 471 (N.Y.C.); 432 (London)
Note: This musical was
called LADY FAIR prior to New York. Only recordings of
songs not otherwise found on the 1952 studio cast album The
Desert Song, Columbia ML 4636 [reissued as CD/Flare ROYCD 308]
are noted below.
Dreaming In Paradise (Love’s Dear Yearning) (cut):
1. The Desert Song, 78/RCA
Victor K 12 (Earl Wrightson and Frances Greer with orchestra
conducted by Al Goodman) [reissued on RCA Camden (M) CAL 423]
Gay Parisienne (M: Serge Walters; L:
Jack Scholl) (written for the 1943 film version):
1. The Desert Song,
10”/RCA (M) LPM 3105 (Kathryn Grayson and Tony Martin with
orchestra conducted by Lehman Engel) [reissued on Favourite
Ballads And Movie Songs, CD/Delta BYD 77003]
It:
1. 78/Columbia 4389 (Gene
Gerrard and Chorus with orchestra conducted by Herman Finck)
[reissued on The Desert Song/The New Moon/The Blue Train,
CD/Pearl GEMM CD 9100]
2. The Desert Song, Angel S 35905 (Bruce Forsyth and Chorus with
orchestra conducted by Michael Collins) [reissued on The Desert
Song Highlights/Songs From The New Moon/The Firefly, CD/EMI
Classics For Pleasure 3 35987 2]
3. Selections From The Desert Song And The Merry Widow, Wing
WL1072 (Mary Thomas and John McNally with orchestra conducted by
Alan Braden)
4. The Desert Song, World (M) LM 7022 (John Hewer and Girls with
orchestra conducted by Bobby Richards)
5. Billy Mayerl Vol. 1, CD/Naxos Nostalgia 8.120653 (Billy
Mayerl, piano)
6. The Broadway Musicals Of 1926, CD/Bayview RNBW031 (Sutton
Foster with the Ross Patterson Little Big Band)
7. Deep In My Heart, CD/Sony AK 47703 (Ann Miller & Chorus)
8. When I Grow Too Old To Dream, CD/Arabesque Z6540
(Eastmand-Dryden Orchestra conducted by Donald Hunsberger)
9. Great Hits From Sigmund Romberg, CD/Pearl Flapper PAST CD
9761 (Jack Hylton and His Orchestra)
Long Live The Night (M: Sigmund
Romberg; L: Jack Scholl; Mario Silva) (written for the
1943 film version):
1. The Desert Song,
10”/RCA (M) LPM 3105 (Tony Martin with orchestra conducted by
Arthur Fiedler) [reissued on Favourite Ballads And Movie Songs,
CD/Delta BYD 77003]
The Night Is Young (M: Sigmund Romberg;
L: Oscar Hammerstein II) (used in the 1943 film version;
originally used in the film THE NIGHT IS YOUNG):
1. 78/HMV B-8297 (Evelyn
Laye with Carroll Gibbons and the New Mayfair Dance Orchestra)
[also 78/Gramophone B.D. 243; reissued on The Ultimate Sigmund
Romberg - Volume II, CD/Pearl GEM 0119]
2. 78/HMV C-2778 (Ramon Novarro with orchestra conducted by
Clifford Greenwood) [also 78/Gramophone C 2778; reissued on The
Ultimate Sigmund Romberg - Volume II, CD/Pearl GEM 0119]
3. 78/Perfect 16059 (Smith Ballew, vocal, with Smith Ballew and
his Orchestra) [also 78/Royal 91935; 78/Melotone M 13285]
4. 78/Decca 349 (Ken Sargent with Glen Gray and The Casa Loma
Orchestra) [reissued on Jazz In The Charts: I'm Gonna Sit Right
Down And Write Myself A Letter 1935(2), CD/Membran 223720]
5. 78/Bluebird B 5781 (Lorretta Lee with George Hall and His
Hotel Taft Orchestra)
6. 78/Brunswick 7356 (Freddy Martin and His Orchestra)
7. 78/Victor 24844 (Bob Lawrence with Paul Whiteman and His
Orchestra) [reissued on Paul Whiteman and His Orchestra Volume
2: Makin' Whoopee, CD/Dutton Vocalion 6137]
8. All Time Favorites, 45/Seeburg 2005 (unknown performer)
(unverified)
9. The Desert Song, 10”/RCA (M) LPM 3105 (Tony Martin with
orchestra conducted by Arthur Fiedler)
10. The Columbia Album Of Sigmund Romberg, Columbia (M) C2L 14
(Paul Weston and His Orchestra)
11. Pertinent Percussion Cha Chas, Grand Command RS-814-SD
(Enoch Light & The Light Brigade) (unverified)
12. There's Love & There's Love & There's Love, Kapp
3435 (Jack Jones with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra)
13. Make A Wish, CD/Sepia 1036, (Stephen Douglass with Philip
Green and His Orchestra)
14. Beautiful Rhythm, CD/Montpellier 029 (George Williams
Orchestra) (unverified)
15. This Is The Moment, CD/Montpellier 17 (Mark Porter)
(unverified)
16. Famous Piano Selections, CD/Grace Girdwain (Grace Girdwain,
piano) (unverified)
17. The Night Is Young, CD/In the Vines (Frankye Kelly)
O Pretty Maids Of France (not in
program):
1. The Desert Song, RCA
Victor (S) LSO-1000 (Warrem Galjour and Chorus with orchestra
conducted by Lehman Engel)
One Good Man Gone Wrong (aka “One Good
Boy Gone Wrong”):
1. The Desert Song, Angel
S 35905 (Bruce Forsyth and Chorus with orchestra conducted by
Michael Collins) [reissued on The Desert Song Highlights/Songs
From The New Moon/The Firefly, CD/EMI Classics For Pleasure 3
35987 2]
2. The Desert Song, World (M) LM 7022 (John Hewer and Diana
Landor with orchestra conducted by Bobby Richards)
3. The Desert Song, RCA Victor (S) LSC 2440 (Mario Lanza and
Judith Raskin with orchestra conducted by Constantine
Callinicos) [reissued on Mario Lanza Sings Songs From The
Student Prince And The Desert Song, CD/RCA Victor 60048-2-RG]
Song Of The Brass Key:
1. The Desert Song, Angel
S 35905 (Julie Dawn with orchestra conducted by Michael Collins)
[reissued on The Desert Song Highlights/Songs From The New
Moon/The Firefly, CD/EMI Classics For Pleasure 3 35987 2]
2. The Desert Song, World (M) LM 7022 (Diana Landor and Girls
with orchestra conducted by Bobby Richards)
The One I’m Looking For:
1. 78/Victor 35809 (Victor
Light Opera Company) [reissued on Kalman On Broadway: The Music
Of Emmerich Kalman Volume 3, CD/Operetta Archives OA 1002]
2. 78/Edison 51817 (B.A. Rolfe and His Palais D’Or Orchestra)
3. 78/Brunswick 3281 (Carl Fenton’s Orchestra with vocal chorus)
4. Treasury Of Great Operettas, Reader’s Digest 46-N3 (Jeanette
Scovotti and Neil Howlett with orchestra conducted by Lehman
Engel)
5. Vienna So Gay, Decca (M) DL 8810 (Hans Carste and his
Orchestra)
6. Thanks For The Memory, CD/Pavilion PASTCD 7024 (Hubert Gregg)
7. Kalman On Broadway: The Music Of Emmerich Kalman Volume 3,
CD/Operetta Archives OA 1002 (Nancy Carr and Chorus)
Overture:
1. Treasury Of Great
Operettas, Reader’s Digest 46-N3 (orchestra conducted by Lehman
Engel)
2. Operetta: Hot & Romantic, CD/Capriccio 10 849 (WDR
Rundfunkorchester Koln conducted by Michail Jurowski)
3. Countess Maritza, CD/Operetta Archives OA-1006 (Ohio
4. Countess Martiza, CD/JAY CDJAY 1258 (Sadler’s Wells
5. The Magical World Of Operetta, CD/Reader’s Digest RDCD1191-6
(The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Eric Hammerstein)
6. Kalman On Broadway: The Music Of Emmerich Kalman Volume 3,
CD/Operetta Archives OA 1002 (radio orchestra)
Unrecorded Material:
Act Two, Scene 3
Finaletto
Ali-Up (cut)
The Banishment
Captive Maids Of War (precursor of “My Little Castagnette”)
Farewell
Fifi’s Song (M: Sigmund Romberg; L: Jack Scholl) (written for
the 1943 film version)
Has Anybody Seen My Bennie (L: Oscar Hammerstein II; Otto
Harbach; Harry B. Smith) (ASCAP/Library Of Congress only)
I’ll Be A Buoyant Girl
Let’s Have A Love Affair (cut after opening)
Not For Him (cut)
Tropics (not in program)