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'My Personal Property' replacing original opener

posted 17 years ago by reldevik
12 replies | jump to latest

Years ago I saw the movie "Sweet Charity" and fell in love with it because the opening song, "My Personal Property," was so good.

Last night for the first time I saw a live-stage "Sweet Charity," and it went back to what I guess is the original opening number, "Look At Yourself." I hate that blah song! "My Personal Property" is so much better. I don't know why "My Personal Property" wasn't used in the first place. And I don't know why any theatrical troupe would use "Look At Yourself" now. Is there some legal reason they have to?

[–] SurferJoe101 17 years ago

Um, like the correct title for Charity's opening song/number in the stage-version of SWEET CHARITY is "You Should See Yourself".

Oy!

"...I love Jimmy Marsden so much I want to kick him in the face!" - Adam Shankman to Nikki

[–] reldevik 17 years ago

Well, that's how un-memorable the song was; I couldn't remember the exact name, even.

Do you have anything helpful about the history of how it got replaced by "My Personal Property"?

Thanks.

[–] SurferJoe101 17 years ago

Since exteriors were being shot on location in New York City, the creative team thought it would be a great idea to visually take advantage (in film terms) of the city by writing a new opening song for Charity to include in the lyrics different landmark/locations of New York City. This would allow the filming of Shirley MacLaine in these actual locations plus the Central Park location.

"My Personal Property" and "You Should See Yourself" carry the same basic plot scenario, though their lyrics are completely different. Also, both songs/numbers ends with Charity being pushed off the bridge and into the lake.

"...I love Jimmy Marsden so much I want to kick him in the face!" - Adam Shankman to Nikki

[–] Harold_Robbins 17 years ago

Apparently the SWEET CHARITY revivals have adhered to the original Neil Simon script and Fields/Coleman score. However, I've read that recent revivals of shows such as CAMELOT and THE SOUND OF MUSIC were "tweaked" so that they bore more resemblance to their film versions, since at this point audiences are more familiar with them than the stage versions.

"Stone-cold sober I find myself absolutely fascinating!"---Katharine Hepburn

[–] laurence01 17 years ago

With shows it is also a mater of copyright. Any new song written for a film version belongs to the studio, and the show would probably have to pay seperatly for using them. I did hear once that universal sued a stage production of "jesus christ superstar" because they used "then we are decided" without permission.

[–] Isaac5855 17 years ago

I prefer "You Should See Yourself" actually.

[–] mamacassfan 17 years ago

I love "My Personal Property" and was sad to see it missing when I bought the original cast album. Luckily, I also own the movie soundtrack. Yay!

[–] lzf0 16 years ago

"You Should See Yourself" is the jazz waltz which opens the stage version of "Sweet Charity". For the film, Cy Coleman and Dorothy Fields wrote three new replacement songs. "My Personal Property", a swinging gem, replaced "You Should See Yourself". It is the superior song, but "You Should See Yourself" is also fine writing. At their first combined Town Hall concert in New York, Mabel Mercer sang "You Should See Yourself". Two years later at their return engagement, Bobby Short opened the show with "My Personal Property". In addition to the opening number, Coleman replaced "I'm the Greatest Individual" with the ballad, "It's a Nice Face" and the title tune was replaced with a late 60s style pop song. When "Sweet Charity" was revived with Christina Applegate, the song "A Good Impression" was added to the score. "My Personal Property" would have been a better choice.

[–] sdgresham 16 years ago

Is there some legal reason they have to?

Yeah, it's in the script; the other song isn't. Changing the script is against the law, and if a theatre company is caught changing musical/play scripts severely (like rearranging songs), they can be banned from future performances of any title licensed by the company holding the rights to the show they mangled.

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S.D.G.
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[–] Isaac5855 15 years ago

Well, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I think "You Should See Yourself" was a far more interesting song than "My Personal Property". I also preferred the original song "Sweet Charity" than the version in the film. I also hated that song in the movie that MacLaine sings in the elevator to the unconsicous John McMartin "It's a Nice Face." That song was a total snooze.

[–] morgana-31 15 years ago

I've only ever seen the movie version, or heard the soundtrack, but it's the story of my life that the song I like best from the stage version will be the one that gets replaced in the movie. THE MUSIC THAT MAKES ME DANCE from Funny Girl is an example. In the film it was replaced with MY MAN.

Love is never having to say you're sober.

[–] 15 years ago

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