Drake,Alfred Lucky To Be Me: A Life In Music CD

Lucky To Be Me - A Life in Music' represents the first time a solo album of Alfred Drake's recordings has been issued. Presented as a Deluxe 2CD set, the album includes an entire disc of "Demos, Live Performances and Rarities" culled from Drake's own private archive of recordings. Alfred Drake is undoubtedly one of the most iconic figures in the history of musical theatre. In a career that encompassed every possible aspect of the performing arts, from Gilbert and Sullivan operetta to classic Broadway musicals and the plays of Shakespeare, his legacy is unparalleled. However, when you listen to his elegant voice a true picture of his spectacular artistry emerges. Stage Door have selected beloved songs from 'Oklahoma!', 'Kiss Me, Kate', and 'Kismet', but have used less familiar performances to create a truly unique compilation with which to honour the great man. Of special note is the inclusion of the great "Soliloquy" from Carousel, the recording of which he was most proud. Highlights from these unreleased treasures on disc 2 include his 1940 Metropolitan Opera Audition and demos recorded for the Broadway musicals 'The Liar' and 'Courtin' Time'. Compiled with the assistance of Broadway historian and Alfred Drake archivist George Dansker, 'Lucky To Be Me - A Life in Music' showcases the brilliance of Alfred Drake's work on stage and in the recording studio. There were many great stars on Broadway in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. The distaff side had, of course, Mary Martin and Ethel Merman, to name only two of the most famous of that era. But there was only one comparable male star in this musical theatre galaxy - and that was the great Alfred Drake - who remains to this day Broadway's ultimate leading man.

1. Lucky to Be Me (From 'On the Town') 2. Maria (From 'West Side Story') 3. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top (From 'Oklahoma!') 4. Were Thine That Special Face (From 'Kiss Me Kate') 5. Wunderbar (From 'Kiss Me Kate) - Alfred Drake, Jane Pickens 6. Why Can't You Behave? (From 'Kiss Me Kate') - Alfred Drake, Jane Pickens 7. The Olive Tree (From 'Kismet') 8. And This Is My Beloved (From 'Kismet') 9. You're Devastating (From 'Roberta') 10. In the Spring of the Year 11. Spring Came Back to Vienna 12. Forgotten 13. Till the Sands of the Desert Grow Cold 14. The World Is Mine Tonight 15. The Happy Wanderer (Val-De-Ri, Val-De-Ra) 16. Destiny's Darling 17. Beyond the Sunrise (From 'The Adventures of Marco Polo') 18. So in Love (From 'Kiss Me Kate') 19. Greensleeves 20. Tea for Two (From 'No, No Nanette') - Alfred Drake, Mimi Benzell 21. The Nightmare Song (From 'Iolanthe') 22. If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You 23. Lonely Town (From 'On the Town') 24. Soliloquy (From 'Carousel') 25. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' (From 'Oklahoma!') - Introduced By Andy Williams 26. People Will Say We're in Love (From 'Oklahoma!') Piano Rehearsal 27. Where (From 'Sing Out, Sweet Land!) Piano Rehearsal 28. We're on Our Way (Infantry Song) - Fred Waring and His Pennsylvanians, Alfred Drake 29. Almost Like Being in Love (From 'Brigadoon') 30. The Heather on the Hill (From 'Brigadoon') - Alfred Drake, Roberta Roberts 31. A Glass Is a Glass (From 'The Liar') - Demo 32. Maiden Fair (From 'The Liar') - Demo 33. Rose By Any Other Name (From 'The Liar') - Demo - Alfred Drake, Esther Harvey Brown 34. The World Is So Dull (From 'The Liar') - Demo 35. You Often See Men at the Fair (From 'The Liar') - Demo 36. Fixing for a Long Cold Winter (From 'Courtin' Time) - Demo 37. Hat in Hand (From 'Courtin' Time) - Demo 38. In the Still of the Night - Practice Recording 39. I See Your Face Before Me - Practice Recording 40. Thoughts of You - Practice Recording 41. None But the Lonely Heart - Metropolitan Opera Audition 42. Crudel! Perch? Finora (From 'Le Nozze Di Figaro') - Metropolitan Opera Audition 43. Queen Mab Aria (From 'Rom?o Et Juliette') - Metropolitan Opera Audition 44. I Have a Song to Sing (From 'The Yeomen of the Guard') - Alfred Drake, Barbara Cook 45. Oh! a Private Buffoon (From 'The Yeomen of the Guard') 46. Love Me Tonight (From 'The Vagabond King') - Live 47. Where or When (From 'Babes in Arms') - Live 48. For Every Man There's a Woman - Live 49. Wandering (From 'Sing Out, Sweet Land!') - Live 50. Sweet Danger (From 'Kean') - Live 51. Let Her Not Be Beautiful (From 'Zenda') - Live