R/H–Conn Yank, 1943, Vivienne, Keep My love

In our final installment, we are going to feature a new song written for the 1943 revival of A Connecticut Yankee: “To Keep My Love Alive.” It was written for Vivienne Segal, a good friend of Larry Hart. The song represents Hart at his best, for the lyrics are witty and stingingly sharp. It is also the last song that Larry would write for the Broadway stage, as he died very shortly after the song was finished.

Many tributes have been written about Larry, and they are all heart-felt and earnest reminders of Hart’s greatness. At the same time, one must wonder about what he could have created if he had not been so keen on his own self-destruction. RIP, Larry Hart.

Here is the 1943 recording by Vivienne Segal. We will feature two other versions shortly.