Camelot songs
Encyclopedia
The Camelot songs are musical numbers from the Broadway productions of Camelot (musical)
and the 1967 Camelot (film)
.
In October 1960, Camelot first opened in Toronto
, ran for a four-week engagement in Boston
, and finally opened on Broadway
two months later, at the Majestic Theatre on December 3, 1960, following the success of the two preview productions.
The role of Morgan Le Fey (played by M'el Dowd
in 1960), singing the song "The Persuasion" (Mordred and Morgan Le Fey), was eliminated from the 1967
film and 1980 Broadway revival (based on that film).
Particular songs are described further below.
Act II
" and "Guenevere" perform the title song "Camelot" musing on an imaginary "always-sunny" viewpoint of the kingdom. The song was sung on Broadway by Richard Burton
and in the film by Richard Harris
.
" as he ponders about his subjects, his position as King, and his nervousness about his fast approaching wedding night.
" performs the slow, pensive song "How to Handle a Woman" in reference to Guenevere. The song was sung on Broadway by Richard Burton
and in the film by Richard Harris
.
In the part of Lancelot 1960/1961, Robert Goulet
received favorable reviews, most notably for his rendition of the show-stopping romantic ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You" (that became his signature song
).
After Camelots run, Goulet appeared on The Danny Thomas Show
and The Ed Sullivan Show
, which made him a household name among American audiences.
Aretha Franklin
recorded the song for her album "Laughing on the Outside
" (1962).
Sergio Franchi
recorded this song for his 1963 RCA Victor Red Seal album, Broadway, I Love You.
, Homer is able to sing "If Ever I Would Leave You" when he is lying on his back.
Camelot (musical)
Camelot is a musical by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe . It is based on the King Arthur legend as adapted from the T. H. White tetralogy novel The Once and Future King....
and the 1967 Camelot (film)
Camelot (film)
Camelot is a 1967 film adaptation of the musical of the same name. Richard Harris stars as Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave as Guinevere, and Franco Nero as Lancelot. The film was directed by Joshua Logan.-Plot:...
.
In October 1960, Camelot first opened in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, ran for a four-week engagement in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and finally opened on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
two months later, at the Majestic Theatre on December 3, 1960, following the success of the two preview productions.
The role of Morgan Le Fey (played by M'el Dowd
M'el Dowd
M'el Dowd or Mel Dowd is an American stage, musical theatre and film actress whose career has spanned over 50 years. Beginning in Shakespeare roles and films in the 1950s, Dowd continued to perform on stage, film and television into the 21st century...
in 1960), singing the song "The Persuasion" (Mordred and Morgan Le Fey), was eliminated from the 1967
1967 in film
The year 1967 in film involved some significant events. It is widely considered as one of the most ground-breaking years in film.-Events:* December 26 - The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour airs on British television....
film and 1980 Broadway revival (based on that film).
Particular songs are described further below.
List of musical numbers
Act I- "I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight" (Arthur)
- "The Simple Joys of Maidenhood" (Guenevere)
- "Camelot" (Arthur and Guenevere)
- "Follow Me" (Nimue)
- "C'est Moi" (Lancelot)
- "The Lusty Month of May" (Guenevere and Company)
- "Then You May Take Me To the Fair" (Guenevere, Sir LionelSir LionelSir Lionel is the younger son of King Bors of Gaunnes and Evaine and brother of Bors the Younger in Arthurian legend. He is a double cousin of Lancelot and cousin of Lancelot's younger half-brother Ector de Maris...
, Sir SagramoreSagramoreSir Sagramore of Hungary is a Knight of the Round Table in the Arthurian legend. His characterization varies from story to story, though he is surprisingly prolific; he appears in a number of early stories, such as Chrétien de Troyes' works, and he turns up in all the cyclical versions...
, and Sir DinadanDinadanSir Dinadan is a Knight of the Round Table in Arthurian legend. He is the son of Sir Brunor Senior, the 'Good Knight without Fear,' and brother of Sirs Breunor le Noir and Daniel. A close friend of Tristan, Dinadan is known for his good humor and joking nature...
) - "How To Handle a Woman" (Arthur)
- "The Jousts" (Arthur, Guenevere and Ensemble)
- "Before I Gaze at You Again" (Guenevere)
Act II
- "If Ever I Would Leave You" (Lancelot)
- "The Seven Deadly Virtues" (MordredMordredMordred or Modred is a character in the Arthurian legend, known as a notorious traitor who fought King Arthur at the Battle of Camlann, where he was killed and Arthur fatally wounded. Tradition varies on his relationship to Arthur, but he is best known today as Arthur's illegitimate son by his...
) - "What Do the Simple Folk Do?" (Arthur and Guenevere)
- "Fie on Goodness!" (Knights)
- "The Persuasion" (Mordred and Morgan Le Fey)
- "I Loved You Once In Silence" (Guenevere)
- "Guenevere" (Company)
- "Camelot" reprise (King Arthur and Tom of Warwick)
Song: Camelot
As major roles in the 1960 Broadway play, "ArthurArthur
Arthur is a common masculine given name. Its etymology is disputed, but its popularity derives from its being the name of the legendary hero King Arthur....
" and "Guenevere" perform the title song "Camelot" musing on an imaginary "always-sunny" viewpoint of the kingdom. The song was sung on Broadway by Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
and in the film by Richard Harris
Richard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
.
Song: I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight
"I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight" is a comical song performed by "King ArthurKing Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
" as he ponders about his subjects, his position as King, and his nervousness about his fast approaching wedding night.
Song: How to Handle a Woman
As a major role in the 1960 Broadway play, "King ArthurKing Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
" performs the slow, pensive song "How to Handle a Woman" in reference to Guenevere. The song was sung on Broadway by Richard Burton
Richard Burton
Richard Burton, CBE was a Welsh actor. He was nominated seven times for an Academy Award, six of which were for Best Actor in a Leading Role , and was a recipient of BAFTA, Golden Globe and Tony Awards for Best Actor. Although never trained as an actor, Burton was, at one time, the highest-paid...
and in the film by Richard Harris
Richard Harris
Richard St John Harris was an Irish actor, singer-songwriter, theatrical producer, film director and writer....
.
Song: If Ever I Would Leave You
As a major role in the 1960 Broadway play, Sir Lancelot du Lac performs the highly dramatic composition "If Ever I Would Leave You" contrasting the 4 seasons and concluding that he could never leave Guenevere.In the part of Lancelot 1960/1961, Robert Goulet
Robert Goulet
Robert Gerard Goulet was a Canadian American entertainer as a singer and actor. He played the role of Lancelot in the Broadway musical Camelot of 1960.-Early life:...
received favorable reviews, most notably for his rendition of the show-stopping romantic ballad "If Ever I Would Leave You" (that became his signature song
Signature song
A signature song is the one song that a popular and well-established singer or band is most closely identified with or best known for, even if they have had success with a variety of songs...
).
After Camelots run, Goulet appeared on The Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show
The Danny Thomas Show is an American sitcom which ran from 1953-1957 on ABC and from 1957-1964 on CBS...
and The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show
The Ed Sullivan Show is an American TV variety show that originally ran on CBS from Sunday June 20, 1948 to Sunday June 6, 1971, and was hosted by New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan....
, which made him a household name among American audiences.
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
recorded the song for her album "Laughing on the Outside
Laughing on the Outside
Laughing On The Outside is the fourth studio album recorded by soul singer Aretha Franklin for Columbia Records. The album was recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in New York and Hollywood, and released in late 1963.-Release:...
" (1962).
Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi
Sergio Franchi was an Italian tenor.Franchi was born in Cremona, Italy. His father wanted him to become an electrical engineer, so he studied both music and engineering simultaneously. The family moved to South Africa in 1952, where Sergio worked part-time as a draftsman, while continuing to study...
recorded this song for his 1963 RCA Victor Red Seal album, Broadway, I Love You.
See also
- Camelot (disambiguation)Camelot (disambiguation)Camelot, the legendary stronghold of King Arthur, may refer to:*Camelot , a musical loosely based on the legend*Camelot , based on the musical*Camelot , a 2011 television series...
. - SpamalotSpamalotMonty Python's Spamalot is a musical comedy "lovingly ripped off from" the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Like the film, it is a highly irreverent parody of the Arthurian Legend, but it differs from the film in many ways, especially in its parodies of Broadway theatre...
- BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production with rhymed name.
Pop culture
In the simpsons episode Homer of SevilleHomer of Seville
"Homer of Seville", also known as "The Homer of Seville", is the second episode of The Simpsons nineteenth season. It first aired on the Fox network in the United States on September 30, 2007. In the episode, Homer gains an operatic ability to sing following an accident, and becomes a professional...
, Homer is able to sing "If Ever I Would Leave You" when he is lying on his back.