Broadway’s Babes in Arms–Part II

As we promised in Saturday’s post, here is the second part of our examination of the Rodgers and Hart 1937 musical, Babes in Arms. The kids decide to work together to stay at home and not have to report to the work farm (“Babes in Arms”); the song is sung by Douglas McPhail, with help from Mickey, Judy and a large chorus. We would like to point out a couple of things: one, the song has been expanded for the screen; and, two, when McPhail is on the stage, the studio inserted some music from Richard Wagner, not Richard Rodgers. This is probably the most dramatic song in the show; however, it does not lead to dramatic tension in the plot.

The two feuding, former spouses, flirt with the idea of getting back together again in “I Wish I Were in Love Again.” In the movie biopic of Rodgers and Hart (Words and Music, 1948), this song is sung by Mickey and Judy. In the show, these two individuals are not part of the group of children who are at risk. Thus, the music is nice; the words are among the most bitterly cynical lyrics ever published; for example, try this on for size: “When love congeals, it soon reveals/The faint aroma of performing seals.” The song might be used as comic relief, but the plot would have to be altered to indicate that these lyrics were meant as a joke.

Billie sings of her fondness for Val, even though they have just had a fight, in “My Funny Valentine.” Here is Judy Blazer on the 1989 New World recording. Again, this lyric has the same tender capacity to suggest undying love, as we saw with “Bill” in Show Boat. However, it has not been used in this manner.

Baby Rose, a former child star in the plot, rehearsed the finale (“Johnny One Note”), which then would move from song to dance (“Johnny One Note Ballet” to be danced by the DeQuincy Brothers). Here is Judy Garland from Words and Music. Now, this is an example of a wonderful comic number that could have been used as a counterpoint to any serious plot structure. However, we didn’t see either element fully developed in the libretto.

We also have a Boston Pops version of the song; Kim Criswell sings the original orchestration under the baton of John McGlinn.

In Act Two, Billie sings about her desire to live on her own and how independence for women causes consternation among the men (“The Lady Is a Tramp”). Our comment is simple: not much has changed in the last 80 years. Here is Lena Horne singing the song from the movie, Words and Music. We have often pondered some of the lyrics; while they are all wonderfully witty, some of the lyrics may not reveal anything meaningful about Billie’s character.