The Best of Broadway: The Late '40s (1996)

About this title: For any listener curious about the wonderful Broadway songs written for musicals during the '40s, The Best of Broadway: The Late '40s is a swell place to start. The generous disc -- 20 compositions -- 70 minutes -- draws from theater and film to build a collection of songs from the major musicals of the era including Finian's Rainbow, Brigadoon, and Gentlemen Prefer Blonds. Ethel Merman and Ray Middleton offer the bouncy "There's No Business Like Show Business" and the ballad "They Say It's Wonderful," from Annie Get Your Gun. Multiple songs are also taken from South Pacific and Carousel. ... read more

Tracks:

1. There's No Business Like Show Business [Berlin]
2. They Say It's Wonderful [Berlin]
3. Doctor, Lawyer, Indian Chief [Carmichael/Webster]
4. June Is Bustin' Out All Over [Hammerstein/Rodgers]
5. You'll Never Walk Alone [Rodgers/Hammerstein]
6. Come Rain or Come Shine [Arlen/Mercer]
7. Blue Skies [Berlin]
8. Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah [Wrubel/Gilbert]
9. How Are Things in Glocca Morra? [Harburg/Lane]
10. Almost Like Being in Love [Lerner/Loewe]
11. A Fellow Needs a Girl [Hammerstein/Rodgers]
12. It's Magic [Styne/Cahn]
13. Easter Parade [Berlin]
14. Once in Love With Amy [Loesser]
15. So in Love [Porter]
16. Some Enchanted Evening [Hammerstein/Rodgers]
17. A Wonderful Guy [Rodgers/Hammerstein]
18. Let's Take an Old Fashioned Walk [Berlin]
19. Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend [Styne/Robin]
20. On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe [Mercer/Warren]

Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is further described below.