CARNIVAL LOVE MAKESTHE WORLD GO ROUND recreating his Broadway role. Just prior to open - Tony Roberts, along with Elaine Joyce and Cyril ing, the original London was Ritchard) did make it into New York after a tor - n April 21, 1961, Broadway audiences made, in hopes that the show would repeat the tuous tryout and it was a success, running over and critics fell head-over-heels in love success it had . Alas, that was not five-hundred performances. In 1978, Merrill Owith the new musical Carnival . Produced to be the case – the show ran only thirty-four wrote music and lyrics for The Prince Of Grand by and adapted from the MGM performances. Why London didn’t embrace the Street , starring – sadly, it, too, film Lili by Michael Stewart (from the screen - show is anyone’s guess. closed in . After that, Merrill would only play by Helen Deutsch, itself adapted from a be represented with a new show on Broadway Paul Gallico short story entitled The Man Who The London cast album is a delight, and fea - – in 1993 – when he provided additional Hated People) , the show was directed and cho - tures a few little bits not found on the Broadway lyrics for ’s score to . reographed by and had a cast album. Merrill’s words and music shine – For that show, he wasn’t even credited as Bob tuneful and memorable score by . it’s just a wonderful score, musically and lyri - Merrill – he used the name Paul Stryker, along - According to Merrill, unlike most musicals cally. Merrill began his songwriting career in the side the show’s official lyricist, Marsha Norman. whose paths are fraught with endless pitfalls, pop world, writing such hits as “If I Knew You the road for Carnival was unusually smooth Were Comin’ I’d Have Baked A Cake” (with Al They don’t make ‘em like Bob Merrill anymore. from conception through opening – by Merrill’s Hoffman and Clem Watts), “Mambo Italiano” His scores, especially those for which he pro - account the first tryout performance in Wash - (recorded by Rosemary Clooney), and his huge vided both music and lyrics, are just fun to lis - ington was so well received that the town’s hit novelty song “(How Much Is) That Doggie In ten to in a way show songs sometimes aren’t major critic showed up at the theater to read his The Window.” He also wrote a chart-topper for anymore. They’re real old-fashioned Broadway love-letter review to everyone. Jimmie Rodgers, the infectious “Honeycomb.” tunes – some pretty, some touching, some hilari - He made his Broadway debut as composer and ous, some exciting – and a simple listen to Carni - Making a musical of the film Lili seemed like a lyricist with , a musical version val will be ample proof that Merrill was a major natural. It was a musical sort of film to begin of Eugene O’Neill’s , which talent. with, with the enchanting song “Hi-Lili, Hi-Lo,” starred . He stuck to O’Neill for his and some dream ballet sequences. David Mer - second Broadway show, , based When I was growing up, I was always excited rick, having seen the hit Bye Bye Birdie , on Ah, Wilderness, and provided an absolutely to see a new original cast album release. But the show Champion had directed and choreo - great score. Then came Carnival , and it was early on, I saw there was this other alternate graphed, which had featured a book by Michael three terrific scores in a row. universe out there, of cast albums from else - Stewart, hired both to do those same chores on where. I first became aware of this phenome - Carnival . Champion’s work was especially In 1964, Merrill was back on Broadway but this non with The Most Happy Fella and Flower clever, inventive, and highly theatrical. Carnival time writing lyrics only for what would become Drum Song (both of which had their London was one of the first shows to open without an his biggest hit, . That show’s score, cast albums issued stateside by Angel overture and without a curtain, just a bare stage written with composer Jule Styne, yielded a Records), as well as the London cast album of onto which actors arrive to assemble a circus huge hit song, “People,” for the show’s star Bar - Bye Bye Birdie . I began to seek out those setting during the opening music. Anna Maria bra , and several of the other songs recordings and frequently I ended up loving Alberghetti made a winsome Lili, and Jerry Or - also found long and fruitful lives – “Don’t Rain them more than the originals. Sometimes they’d bach, making his Broadway debut, was the bit - On My Parade,” “You Are Woman,” “Who AreYou include extra material, too, which was always ter, lonesome, crippled puppeteer Paul. Also in Now?,” and “The Music That Makes Me Dance.” fun. Eventually, I, like many collectors, even the were , Kaye Bal - After that, it was back to writing both music and branched out to foreign language recordings lard, Pierre Olaf, as well as some wonderfully lyrics, this time for what everyone hoped would (Columbia was especially wonderful with My emotive puppets, Carrot Top, Horrible Henry, be a hit musical version of Breakfast at Tiffany’s . Fair Lady , which seemed to have been done in Marguerite, and Reynardo the Fox. The critics Sadly, rather than the hoped-for smash, Break - many languages). Some of these wonderful raved – in the Daily News , John Chapman fast at Tiffany’s was one of the most troubled recordings have found their way to CD, albeit in wrote that Carnival was “enchantment from the musicals to ever try and wend its way to Broad - very limited releases. But some have lan - moment the houselights go down.” And so it way. When it finally limped in, it played exactly guished in the vaults of the companies that did was, pure enchantment, despite its darker ele - four preview performances and closed before them, so it’s a real treat to unearth some of ments – it ran on Broadway for 719 perform - opening. But Merrill wasn’t going to let a little these and make them available for the very first ances, and had a best-selling original cast flop rain on his parade and a year later he was time. recording (which debuted at number one on the back with Henry, Sweet Henry , a musical ver - Billboard chart) and “Love Makes The World Go sion of the novel and film, The World of Henry Carnival was mastered from the original album Round” became a much-sung song, covered by Orient . It was another non-starter, although it master tapes housed at EMI in the UK. Inter - many of the popular singers of the time. Carni - managed to eke out 80 performances. How - estingly, some of the song titles are slightly dif - val was nominated for seven , win - ever, his scores for both Tiffanys and Henry are ferent on the London recording and we’ve opted ning two (one for Alberghetti – in a tie with filled with wonderful numbers. to use those so that we match the way they Diahann Carroll – and one for Will Steven Arm - were listed on that original LP jacket. strong’s scenic design). The show had a suc - In 1971, Merrill once again teamed up with cessful national tour, as well. Styne, this time providing the lyrics for Pretty - Carnival has had any number of productions belle , starring , and reuniting over the years, from summer stock to Encores! It was a no-brainer that such a successful show Merrill with his Carnival director, Gower Cham - in NewYork. And each and every time it’s done would receive a London production, and so it pion. It was another troubled show that didn’t it captivates as it always has. did in 1963, opening at the Lyric Theater in Feb - even make it into New York, closing in Boston. ruary, after playing short engagements in Leeds But a year later, Merrill and Styne were back — Bruce Kimmel and Glasgow. Champion’s staging was recre - with , the musical version of Billy Wilder ated by his long-time associate, Lucia Victor, and I.A.L. Diamond’s . Sugar , and the cast included Sally Logan, Michael with its toe-tapping score, wonderful direction Maurel, Bob Harris, Shirley Sands, Francis de and choreography (by Gower Champion), and Wolff, Reg Lever, along with James Mitchell rollicking performances ( and