Rodgers and Hammerstein

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote nine musicals together. Five of their shows were outstanding successes: Oklahoma! (their first collaboration); Carousel; South Pacific; The King and I; and The Sound of Music. Hammerstein would write the lyrics first and then Rodgers would write the music.

As a starry-eyed teenager, Rodgers and Hammerstein's music filled my head and my heart. The memories of these movies and these songs continue to bring me joy. (It was only later in life that I realized that some of the lyrics may have had a negative influence!)

Here's an external link to the lyrics for all the songs in these movies.

Oklahoma

Oklahoma was the first movie Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae made together. (Shirley was 19 and this was her first movie.)

Of course, there's the title song, Oklahoma and Oh, What a Beautiful Morning! , The Surrey With The Fringe On Top , and "People Will Say We're In Love".

The movie Oklahoma was actually filmed in Arizona and New Mexico.

Here's a review of the DVD release.

From DVDtown.com by John J. Puccio (November 11, 2005)

The wide open spaces of the American West were never more wide or more open than in this 1955 movie adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's "Oklahoma!," even if the spaces were filmed in Arizona and New Mexico instead of the movie's namesake.

"Oklahoma!" is one of America's most important musicals for several reasons. Most notably, it contains a surplus of memorable songs and tunes that are instantly recognizable and that people have loved for generations. It was the first collaboration between Richard Rodgers, who wrote the music, and Oscar Hammerstein II, who wrote the book and lyrics, a team that would go on to do such classics as "State Fair," "Carousel," "The King and I," "South Pacific," "Flower Drum Song," and "The Sound of Music." And "Oklahoma!" is credited as being the first musical in which all of the songs and dances were directly related to the story's action. You'll get some argument from "Showboat" fans about that, but "Oklahoma!," first presented on Broadway in 1943, is generally regarded as the father of the modern stage musical.

Carousel

Released in 1956, Carousel immediately became a favorite. Young Shirley Jones, playing the role of Julie, was the epitome of a devoted, loving, wife who forgave her wayward (but not really evil) spouse, Billy (played by Gordon MacRae).

Some of the more popular songs from Carousel are If I Loved You, June is Bustin' Out All Over, You'll Never Walk Alone, and Billy Bigeloe's Soliloquy .

One song, "What's the Use of Wonderin'?", has Julie telling her friends that it really doesn't matter "If he's good or if he's bad" because "He's your feller and you love him, That's all there is to that."...which is really bad advice!

This website has lots of information and midi files for all the songs in Carousel.

The King and I

"The King and I" was released in 1956 and my mother and I must have seen it together at least five times. It remained my favorite until the release of The Sound of Music. In 1984 I was fortunate to be living in Corpus Christi, Texas and went with a friend (Barbara) to San Antonio to the Majestic Theater to see a live performance with Yul Brenner. Fond memories!

Some of my favorites include I Whistle a Happy Tune, Hello Young Lovers, "Getting to Know You" and "Shall We Dance?"

One of the lesser known ditties is called "Song of the King" and goes like this:

[KING}
A woman is a female who is human,
Designed for pleasing man, the human male.
A human male is pleased by many women,
And all the rest you hear is fairy tale.

[ANNA]
Then tell me how this fairy tale began, sir.
You cannot call it just a poet's trick
Explain to me why many men are faithful
And true to one wife only.

[KING]
[Spoken] They are sick!
[Singing] A girl must be like a blossom
With honey for just one man.
A man must be like honey bee
And gather all he can.
To fly from blossom to blossom
A honey bee must be free,
But blossom must not ever fly
From bee to bee to bee.

Imagine feminists responding to The King in today's politically correct atmosphere.

South Pacific

South Pacific opened on Broadway in 1949 as a musical play based on James Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific", and ran for more than five years. It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1950. The original cast starred Mary Martin as the heroine Nellie Forbush and opera star Ezio Pinza as Emile de Becque, the French plantation owner.

Mitzi Gaynor and Rossano Brazzi starred in the 1958 film along with John Kerr, Juanita Hall as Bloody Mary, and Ray Walston. It was one of the first films to openly discuss interracial marriage or interracial dating.

Some of the songs from South Pacific are:
There Is Nothing Like a Dame , Bali Ha'i , I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair , Some Enchanted Evening , I'm In Love With A Wonderful Guy , and Younger Than Springtime .

The Sound of Music

Released in 1965, The Sound of Music starring Julie Andrews is probably the greatest musical ever, and definitely my favorite. It has everything from drama to humor, cute kids, great songs, a spectacular wedding, suspense and adventure. And how can any movie go wrong with Julie Andrews?

Great songs from the movie include the title tune, The Sound of Music; the nuns singing How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? ; My Favorite Things ; Do-Re-Mi ; So Long, Farewell ; Edelweiss ; and Climb Every Mountain.

According to Wikipedia.org:

"Edelweiss" is a Rodgers and Hammerstein song from musical and film The Sound of Music, in which it was sung as a defiant statement of Austrian nationalism in the face of the Third Reich. It is named after the Edelweiss, the white flower found high on Alpine hills. The great popularity of the song has led many Americans to believe that it is the official national anthem of Austria. In actuality, Austria's official anthem is "Land der Berge, Land am Strome". The edelweiss, however, is the Austrian national flower.

The music was written by Richard Rodgers with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and was the final song that the great duo wrote together.

I hope you've enjoyed some of Rodgers and Hammerstein's music and sharing some of my memories. I've sure enjoyed preparing this page!

I was able to find midi files all over the internet. Thanks to many websites who provided the music used here. The links below will take you to those websites so you can enjoy other offerings. All links worked at the time this was written.

From "Carousel": June is Bustin' Out All Over,
(http://www.geocities.com/televisioncity/studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Bill/carousel.htm)
From "Oklahoma": Oklahoma
(http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Judd/OK.htm); Oh, What a Beautiful Morning!
(http://members.tripod.com/~alien98/show.htm; The Surrey With The Fringe On Top
(http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/Judd/OK.htm); People Will Say We're In Love
(http://members.tripod.com/~alien98/show.htm)
From "The King and I": I Whistle a Happy Tune
(http://www.hamienet.com/midi7612.html); Hello Young Lovers
(http://www.gitpicker.com/broadway2.html); Getting to Know You
(http://www.hamienet.com/midi7615.html); Shall We Dance?
(http://www.hamienet.com/midi7620.html)
From "South Pacific": There is Nothing Like a Dame
(http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/); Bali Ha'i
(http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/midi/Broadway/index.shtml); "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair"
(http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/; Some Enchanted Evening
(http://www.hamienet.com/Broadway_Musical/S/South_Pacific/); I'm In Love With A Wonderful Guy
(http://www.hamienet.com/Broadway_Musical/S/South_Pacific/); Younger Than Springtime
(http://www.hamienet.com/Broadway_Musical/S/South_Pacific/)
From "The Sound of Music": How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?
(http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/; Do-Re-Me
(http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/; So Long, Farewell
(http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/Studio/8849/Moviemusicals/; Climb Every Mountain
(http://www.garyrog.50megs.com/midi1.html)

DISCLAIMER: All the songs contained in this site are believed to be in the public domain. The music and information are intended only for personal enjoyment. I have tried to give credit to every website on which I found either the midi or the lyrics for this file. If there is any material used on this site that the author objects to, it will be removed upon notification