IRENE
Composer: Harry
Tierney
Lyricist: Joseph McCarthy
Opened: November 18, 1919, Vanderbilt Theatre, N.Y.C.;
April 7, 1920, Empire Theatre, London
Performances: 675 (N.Y.C.); 399 (London)
Note: Only
recordings of material not found on the 1973 Broadway revival
cast album, Columbia (S) KS 32266 [reissued as CD/Sony
Broadway SK 32266] are noted below. An
unidentified selection also appears on 78/Columbia 821 (Empire
Theater Orchestra conducted by Frank Tours).
Castle Of Dreams:
1. 78/Victor 35697 (Victor
Light Opera Company)
2. 78/Columbia A-6142 (Columbia Light Opera Company) [reissued
on Broadway Through The Gramophone – Volume III, CD/Pearl GEMS
0084]
3. 78/Columbia F-1045 (Edith Day with the Empire Theatre
Orchestra conducted by Frank Tours) [reissued on Music From The
New York Stage Vol. 4: 1917-1920, CD/Pearl GEMM CDS 9059-61]
4. 78/Columbia 821 (Empire Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank
Tours)
5. 78/Decca 3082 (Kenny Sargent with Glen Gray and The Casa Loma
Orchestra) [reissued on Glen Gray And The Casa Loma Orchestra
(1940), CD/Circle 61]
6. 78/Bluebird B 10644 (Mary Ann McCall with Charlie Barnet and
His Orchestra) [reissued on The Chronological Charlie Barnet And
His Orchestra 1940, CD/Classics 1318]
7. 78/Brunswick 2059 (Glen Rodemich’s Orchestra)
8. 78/Victor 26538 (Wayne King and His Orchestra) [also 45EP/RCA
Camden CAE 312]
9. Stage Left – Stage Right, Columbia (M) CL 1662 (orchestra
conducted by Jack Pleis)
10. The Earliest Black String Bands,
Vol. 3 (1919-1920), CD/Document (unknown performer)
A radio transcription performed by the Allen Roth Orchestra is
also known to exist.
Hobbies:
1. 78/Columbia F-5 (Daisy
Hancox with the Empire Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank
Tours) [reissued on Irene, Monmouth-Evergreen MES-7057]
I Can Dream, Can’t I? (M: Sammy Fain;
L: Irving Kahal) (added to the 1976 London revival):
I have not attempted to
compile discological information for this standard beyond
stage and composer renditions.
1. I'll Be Seeing You: The Music Of Sammy Fain As Sung By The
Composer, 10"/MGM (M) E241 (Sammy Fain)
2. Sammy Sings Fain, CD/Koch 3-7461-2 HI (Sammy Fain with
Freddie Martin and Chorus)
3. Sammy Sings Fain…Again, CD/Koch KIC-CD-7561 (Sammy Fain)
4. Irene, EMI EMC-3139 (Eric Flynn with the Adelphi Theatre
Orchestra conducted by Michael Reed)
If He Only Knew (M/L:
Norman Newell) (added to the 1976 London revival):
1. Irene, EMI EMC-3139
(Julie Anthony with the Adelphi Theatre Orchestra conducted by
Michael Reed)
Opening Act I:
1. 78/Columbia 821 (Empire
Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank Tours)
Sky Rocket (Skyrocket):
1. 78/Columbia A-6142
(Columbia Light Opera Company) [reissued on Broadway Through The
Gramophone – Volume III, CD/Pearl GEMS 0084]
2. 78/Columbia F-1046 (Edith Day with the Empire Theatre
Orchestra conducted by Frank Tours) [reissued on Music From The
New York Stage Vol. 4: 1917-1920, CD/Pearl GEMM CDS 9059-61]
3. 78/Columbia 821 (Empire Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank
Tours)
The Talk Of The Town:
1. 78/Columbia F-1047
(Winnie Collins, Margaret Campbell, and Robert Hale with the
Empire Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank Tours) [reissued on
Irene, Monmouth-Evergreen MES-7057]
2. 78/Columbia 821 (Empire Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank
Tours)
To Be Worthy (Of You):
1. 78/Columbia F-1045
(Edith Day with the Empire Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank
Tours) [reissued on Music From The New York Stage Vol. 4:
1917-1920, CD/Pearl GEMM CDS 9059-61]
2. 78/Columbia 821 (Empire Theatre Orchestra conducted by Frank
Tours)
To Love You:
1. 78/Columbia F-1046
(Edith Day and Robert Michaelis with the Empire Theatre
Orchestra conducted by Frank Tours) [reissued on Irene,
Monmouth-Evergreen MES-7057]
Up There On Park Avenue (M/L: Michael
Reed; Norman Newell) (added to the 1976 London revival):
1. Irene, EMI EMC-3139
(Jenny Logan and Janet Mahoney with the Adelphi Theatre
Orchestra conducted by Michael Reed)
Waltz:
1. 78/Columbia 823 (Empire
Theater Orchestra conducted by Frank Tours)
You’ve Got Me Out On A Limb (sheet music only):
1. 78/Decca 3082 (Kenny
Sargent with Glen Gray and The Casa Loma Orchestra) [reissued on
Glen Gray And The Casa Loma Orchestra (1940), CD/Circle 61]
2. 78/Bluebird B 10644 (Mary Ann McCall with Charlie Barnet and
His Orchestra) [reissued on The Chronological Charlie Barnet And
His Orchestra 1940, CD/Classics 1318]
3. 78/Davis 1436/1562 (Dick Haymes with Harry James and His
Orchestra) [also 78/Varsity 8221; reissued on The Chronological
Harry James And His Orchestra 1939-1940, CD/Classics 970]
Unrecorded Material:
Alicia (used in the film version)
Down Town East Of Broadway (M/L: Noel Gay) (added to the 1945
London revival)
Finale (Act 1)
Finale (Act 2)
Honeymoon Lane (M/L: Joseph Connor) (sheet music only)
Lucy (M/L: Noel Gay) (added to the 1945 London revival)
The Me That I Want To Be (M/L: Timothy Gray; Hugh Martin)
(written for but not used in the 1973 Broadway revival)
Opening Act II
Opening Chorus Act II Scene 2 (not in programs)
The “Paul Jones” (dance)
Reminiscence (not in programs)
Stepping On Butterflies (inst.) (M: Wally Harper) (added to the
1973 Broadway revival)
Sweet Vermosa Brown (used in the film version)
There’s Something In The Air
This Dear Lady (M: Charles Gaynor; L: Otis Clements) (written
for but not used in the 1973 Broadway revival)
Too Much Bowden (sheet music only)