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[0:00] Paul Lazarus: Hi, this is Paul Lazarus. In the 1980s, I produced and hosted a radio series called Anything Goes, a celebration of the American musical theater. Now, the Broadway Podcast Network is bringing back these shows. This is the third of a five-part program paying tribute to composer Harold Arlen. Arlen wrote the classic movie score to The Wizard of Oz and composed countless unforgettable melodies like Stormy Weather and Get Happy. This program was guest-hosted by Ken Bloom and featured commentary by Arlen biographer Ed Jablonski. It originally aired in July of 1982.

[0:44] Paul Lazarus: In olden days, a glimpse of stocking was a look on something shocking. But now God knows, anything goes. We're going to finish up the Hollywood section with sort of a Hollywood medley, Diane Carroll singing What's Good About Goodbye in a recording she made after she had just opened Enhance the Flowers. It was lyrics by Leo Robin. Be sure we mention him. And then Tess's torch song, Dinah Shore in the movie Up in Arms. And who did the lyrics? Ted Kohler. And finally, This Time the Dream's on Me, which is really an unknown Arlen song. Lyrics by Johnny Mercer. And Priscilla Lane will be singing that.

[1:24] ♪ Musical number: "What's Good About Goodbye?" — performed by Diane Carroll ♪

[3:36] ♪ Musical number: "Tess's Torch Song" — performed by Dinah Shore ♪

[7:03] ♪ Musical number: "The Dream's on Me" — performed by Priscilla Lane ♪

[10:11] Ed Jablonski: You were talking before about his jots, and we have an example of him sort of noodling on the piano, and that he would send these tapes to, say, Ira Gershwin or whichever lyricist, and this song happened to turn out to be a lot in common with you. Well, initially, well, this wasn't a real jot. Later on, when recordings were being used more, he put things down on, these are discs, again, 19, probably 39 or 40. But in the beginning, he was never that sure of himself. He just felt he was just lucky with Get Happy, and he was lucky with Stormy Weather. So whenever anything came to him, he carried all these little slips of paper around with him, and if something did, he'd jot it down. Usually, it was only three or four notes, and it could take various forms.

Because I've seen him look at something, and after a while, sometimes he can just put his hand on the keyboard, and you're amazed at what comes out, with just four or five little tones. But later on, when they started using discs a lot, he would make various recordings and probably send them around to Ira Gershwin and to Kohler and to Johnny Mercer and whoever. If they were impressed or wanted to, and Yip Harburg would get one too, I'm sure, because he said he'd heard this thing. But it was only John Mercer who finally turned it into the final song that was used in the movie. It's a slight difference. It's interesting to show how one form evolves into the other, and yet it's still the same thing.

[12:31] ♪ Musical number: "A Lot in Common With You" — performed by Kevin Cole ♪

[14:40] Ken Bloom: You're listening to Anything Goes, featuring a tribute to composer Harold Arlen. This is Ken Bloom, and I want to thank Ed Jablonski, whose biography of Harold Arlen, Happy with the Blues, will be published this fall by DeCapo Press. And of course, we want to thank Harold Arlen himself for supplying a lot of the tapes, as well as Ed. And we want to thank Ceil Muller for doing the engineering for today's show. And we're going to close with Kevin Cole playing a medley of Arlen tunes. Ed, why don't you tell us a little bit about Kevin?

[15:20] Ed Jablonski: Kevin is something like 22 years old, and he's a wonderful Arlen interpreter, one of Harold's favourite interpreters. And he performed, this is a live performance during an actual concert. And of course, it opens up with Get Happy and closes with Get Happy and has a whole string of the known Arlen songs, as well as some of them that aren't so well known. And to me, the highlight of the thing is that tremendous performance of The Man That Got Away, which, when Harold heard, was delighted with. It's offbeat and unusual.

[20:23] Ken Bloom: Welcome back to Anything Goes. Today, we continue our tribute to the legendary composer Harold Arlen.

[20:26] Ken Bloom: Arlen's contributions to musical theatre and film are simply unparalleled.

[20:29] Ken Bloom: His ability to craft unforgettable melodies has left an indelible mark on the world of music.

[20:32] Ken Bloom: One of his most famous works is, of course, the score for "The Wizard of Oz."

[20:35] Ken Bloom: But he also wrote countless other classics that have stood the test of time.

[20:38] Ken Bloom: Joining me today is Ed Jablonski, biographer of Harold Arlen, to provide insight into Arlen's life and work.

[20:41] Ed Jablonski: Thank you, Ken. It's a pleasure to be here and discuss the remarkable legacy of Harold Arlen.

[20:44] Ken Bloom: Let's dive into some of his most memorable songs.

[20:47] Ken Bloom: One of the songs we’ll highlight today is "Stormy Weather," which showcases Arlen's unique ability to convey emotion through music.

[20:50] Ed Jablonski: Absolutely, "Stormy Weather" is a perfect example of his genius.

[20:56] Ken Bloom: Another song that stands out is "Get Happy," which has been performed by many artists over the years.

[20:59] Ed Jablonski: Yes, and it’s interesting to note how Arlen's music has been reinterpreted across generations.

[21:02] Ken Bloom: Speaking of reinterpretations, let’s listen to a performance of "What’s Good About Goodbye?"

[21:05] ♪ Musical number: "What’s Good About Goodbye?" — performed by an unknown artist ♪

[21:17] Ken Bloom: That was a beautiful rendition of "What’s Good About Goodbye?"

[21:19] Ken Bloom: Arlen's ability to capture the essence of a moment in his music is truly remarkable.

[21:22] Ed Jablonski: Indeed, and his collaborations with various lyricists brought out the best in his compositions.

[21:24] Ken Bloom: One of those collaborations was with Johnny Mercer, which produced many timeless classics.

[21:26] Ed Jablonski: Their partnership was incredibly fruitful, resulting in songs that are still beloved today.

[21:28] Ken Bloom: Another song we’ll explore is "Tess’s Torch Song," which highlights Arlen's versatility.

[21:30] ♪ Musical number: "Tess’s Torch Song" — performed by an unknown artist ♪

[21:41] Ken Bloom: That was "Tess’s Torch Song."

[21:43] Ken Bloom: It’s fascinating how Arlen's music can evoke such strong emotions.

[21:46] Ed Jablonski: Yes, and his ability to blend different musical styles is part of what makes his work so enduring.

[21:49] Ken Bloom: Let’s move on to "The Dream’s on Me," another beautiful piece from his repertoire.

[21:51] ♪ Musical number: "The Dream’s on Me" — performed by an unknown artist ♪

[22:01] Ken Bloom: That was "The Dream’s on Me."

[22:03] Ken Bloom: Arlen's melodies have a way of staying with you long after you’ve heard them.

[22:05] Ed Jablonski: Absolutely, and it’s a testament to his talent that his music continues to resonate with audiences.

[22:07] Ken Bloom: Now, let’s listen to "A Lot in Common With You."

[22:09] ♪ Musical number: "A Lot in Common With You" — performed by an unknown artist ♪

[22:19] Ken Bloom: That was "A Lot in Common With You."

[22:21] Ken Bloom: Each of these songs showcases a different facet of Arlen's genius.

[22:23] Ed Jablonski: And they all reflect his deep understanding of the human experience.

[22:25] Ken Bloom: As we continue our exploration of Harold Arlen's work, it’s clear that his influence is still felt today.

[22:27] Ed Jablonski: Indeed, and it’s important to celebrate his contributions to the world of music.

[22:29] Ken Bloom: Thank you for joining us as we pay tribute to this incredible composer.

[22:31] Ed Jablonski: Thank you for having me, Ken. It’s been a pleasure discussing Harold Arlen's legacy.

[22:33] Ken Bloom: Stay tuned for more insights and performances in our next segment.