David Merrick hated this song so much that he went into the orchestra pit during the out of town tryout of The Baker’s Wife and stole the sheet music. I don’t think he had any clue that this one song, “Meadowlark,” would be the stand out hit from his then-ailing show. The producer went around muttering about this “bird song,” dismissing it as a show killer, even if it provided the heroine with a major act one finale showstopper. Patti LuPone was the first to record it (Carole Demas was the first to sing it before Merrick fired her), then Betty Buckley also put her dramatic stamp on it, even so much as influencing composer Stephen Schwartz to make a minor adaptation in the published sheet music. Pretty soon it became a staple of many musical theatre actresses, and it became one of those numbers that makes its way into audition rooms, recitals; you name it. There are lots of noted renditions and I manage to have several favorites. This is just one other one of them, sung by the delightful Liz Callaway, who is a favorite of Schwartz. This particular performance is at Carnegie Hall, though I am uncertain of the date. Tony nominee Callaway, who was part of the original casts of Merrily We Roll Along, Baby and Miss Saigon, hasn’t been on Broadway since The Look of Love in 2003 and I think she’s way overdue for a return. Enjoy.
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