Broadway: Here I'll Stay — The Words of Alan Jay Lerner
| Here I'll Stay | ||||
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1996 | |||
| Genre | Show tune | |||
| Label | Philips | |||
| Julie Andrews chronology | ||||
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Here I'll Stay (official title including subtitle: Broadway: Here I'll Stay — The Words of Alan Jay Lerner) is the tenth studio album by English singer Julie Andrews. It was released in 1996 by Philips Records. The album was the second (and last to date) in a series of Broadway-themed records that Philips proposed for the singer. The first one was The Music of Richard Rodgers, a tribute to Richard Rodgers, whom Andrews admires.[1]
This second album features a repertoire centered on the compositions of Alan Jay Lerner, with songs from Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, and Camelot. The CD is structured into four suites, each based on a specific soundtrack, without the use of medleys, allowing the full performance of each song. The instrumentation includes instrumental sections interspersed with solo and choral performances. There is also an unplugged section, in which Julie Andrews performs some songs accompanied only by piano, including a recording made in London. The arrangements were created by Ian Fraser, who had worked with Julie since she was 24 years old.[2] According to Andrews, the album includes all the people Lerner ever worked with, such as Kurt Weill, Frederick Loewe, and Leonard Bernstein".[1]
As a promotional effort, the singer appeared in a record store, in October 1996, showcasing and speaking to the public about her new CD and the cast recording of the musical Victor/Victoria (1995).[3][4] During the interviews given to promote the album, the singer mentioned that the upcoming albums in the series would include tributes to George Gershwin, Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin, and Cole Porter. However, due to a problem with her vocal cords, the artist was unable to sing again, and the project was abandoned.[5] Two compilations featuring the best moments from the two released albums in the Broadway series, along with the cast recordings of The King and I (1992) and Victor/Victoria (1995), were released in 2001, under the title Classic Julie, Classic Broadway,[6] and in 2006, At Her Very Best.
The album was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 40th Grammy Awards, held in 1998.[7][8]
Critical reception
[edit]| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [9] |
| Billboard | Favorable[10] |
| Jornal do Brasil | Favorable[2] |
Rodney Batdorf of AllMusic wrote that Here I'll Stay matches the quality of Broadway: The Music of Richard Rodgers. He praised Andrews for revisiting iconic songs from My Fair Lady and Camelot while also exploring other Broadway hits. Batdorf highlighted the crisp production, lively music, and Andrews’ theatrical conviction, calling it a wonderful experience for fans of show tunes.[9]
The critic from Billboard praised the album as a well-crafted tribute to Alan Jay Lerner’s lyrics, allowing Julie Andrews to explore beyond her iconic roles in My Fair Lady and Camelot. They highlighted the richness of Lerner’s work, including "Brigadoon" and "Paint Your Wagon", and commended Andrews for performing lesser-known but beautiful collaborations. The review also noted her playful take on "My Love Is a Married Man" from The Day Before Spring.[10]
The Brazilian critic Frávio Marinho from Jornal do Brasil wrote that the album marks a return to Andrews roots, as she revisits the works of Alan Jay Lerner, the brilliant lyricist behind My Fair Lady and Camelot. The reviewer highlights that the album focuses on love songs—Lerner’s specialty—but also explores themes of loss, political ideals, and self-discovery, such as in There’s Always One You Can’t Forget and On a Clear Day. The critic emphasizes that the arrangements, led by Ian Fraser and performed by the London Musicians Orchestra and the Ambrosian Singers, are majestic, avoiding medleys in favor of full, richly orchestrated suites from Brigadoon, Paint Your Wagon, My Fair Lady, and Camelot. Furthermore, the review praises Andrews’ vocal evolution, noting how she balances technical precision with deep emotional interpretation, transforming songs like Come to Me, Bend to Me and My Love Is a Married Man into powerful theatrical performances. In the critic’s view, the album is both grand and moving, showcasing Andrews’ artistry and maturity.[2]
Commercial performance
[edit]Unlike its predecessor, which managed to appear on the Belgian music chart,[11] Broadway: Here I'll Stay – The Words of Alan Jay Lerner failed to chart.
Track listing
[edit]- All lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "On a Clear Day" | Burton Lane | 3:37 |
| 2. | "Brigadoon Suite: Brigadoon (Overture) / Almost Like Bein' in Love / Waitin' For My Dearie / The Heather on the Hill / Come To Me, Bend To Me / From This Day On" | Frederick Loewe | 10:21 |
| 3. | "My Love Is a Married Man" | F. Loewe | 6:12 |
| 4. | "Here I'll Stay" | Kurt Weill | 4:23 |
| 5. | "Paint Your Wagon Suite: Paint Your Wagon / They Call the Wind Maria / I Talk To The Trees / Another Autumn" | F. Loewe | 5:38 |
| 6. | "Someone on Your Side" | André Previn | 2:59 |
| 7. | "One More Walk Aroun the Garden" | B. Lane | 4:11 |
| 8. | "My Fair Lady Suite: Overture / Wouldn't It Be Loverly / Let a Woman in Your Life / Just You Wait / Poor Professor Higgins / The Rain in Spain / You Did It / Show Me / I Could Have Danced All Night / I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face" | F. Loewe | 12:28 |
| 9. | "Take Care of This House" | Leonard Bernstein | 3:55 |
| 10. | "What Did I Have That I Don't Have?" | B. Lane | 4:19 |
| 11. | "Camelot Suite: Camelot / The Simple Joys of Maidenhood / How To Handle A Woman / If Ever I Would Leave You / What The Simple Folks Do / I Loved You Once In Silence / Guinevere / Camelot" | F. Loewe | 9:09 |
| 12. | "There's Always One You Can't Forget" | Charles Strouse | 3:44 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b Conn, Earl L (May 1996). "Julie Andrews: Kicking up her heels". The Saturday Evening Post. 268 (3): 36. 207634290. Retrieved 14 March 2025 – via ProQuest.
- ^ a b c Marinho, Flávio (7 December 1996). "Vovó Julie arrasa em CD". Jornal do Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese): 8. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ "People". Record-Journal. No. 297. 23 October 1996. p. 2. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ "Victorious". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 6. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 8 February 1997. p. 53. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ Paget, Clive: Julie Andrews to tour Australia Archived 4 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine at Limelight, 18 May 2013
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Classic Julie: Classic Broadway - Julie Andrew... | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 21 March 2013. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ Flick, Larry (17 January 1998). "40th annual Grammy Awards: Final nominations". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 3. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. p. 78. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ "40th Grammy Awards". Rock on the Net. Archived from the original on August 11, 2013. Retrieved February 5, 2010.
- ^ a b Batdorf, Rodney. "Here I'll Stay: The Words of Alan Jay Lerner -... | AllMusic". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ a b "Reviews & Previews". Billboard. No. 45. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 9 November 1996. p. 67. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved 15 March 2025.
- ^ "Ultratop Albums Top 200 - ultratop.be". www.ultratop.be. Archived from the original on 14 March 2025. Retrieved 14 March 2025.