Perhaps minor Fields but a tremendously enjoyable disk, with treasurable performances from Gwen Verdon and rich-voiced Richard Kiley, and a tuneful, vigourous score from Albert Hague. This recording has real energy. The lyrics are more playful and contrived than Fields normal work, not just in Erbie Fitch's Twitch, but also in The Simpson Sisters, which is crammed with inventive rhymes for door. The music hall feel is reinforced by the frequent spoken interpolations in several numbers.
NOTE: The original CD release by RCA in the early 90s has
been out of print for a while. In January 2003 Fynsworth Alley reissued
the recording on CD, with lots of information on the production
in the liner notes. They also tracked down three cut songs, never
previously recorded, and have issued them as bonus tracks: You
Love I sung by Jennifer Piech and Mark Price, It
Doesn't Take A Minute by Liz Callaway and What
Has She Got? by Faith Prince. None of them are major rediscoveries
but it's great to have them. Thanks, Fynsworth Alley.
Fields tracks: The Simpson Sisters, The Right Finger Of Me Left Hand, Just For Once, Merely Marvellous, The Uncle Sam Rag, Erbie Fitch's Twitch, She's Not Enough Woman For Me, Behave Yourself, Look Who's In Love, My Girl Is Just Enough Woman For Me, Two Faces In The Dark, I'm Back In Circulation, We Loves Ya, Jimey, I'll Try, You Love I, It Doesn't Take A Minute, What Has She Got?
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