Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's fifth musical, The King and I, was their first to be designed as a star vehicle -- written at the behest of British stage star Gertrude Lawrence to mark her return to the New York musical stage after ten years in 1951. Rodgers and Hammerstein were somewhat hamstrung by the principal cast members. Neither Lawrence nor Yul Brynner, a television director hired to play the part of the king, had much of a singing voice. The songwriters solved this problem by giving the rangy songs -- ...
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Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's fifth musical, The King and I, was their first to be designed as a star vehicle -- written at the behest of British stage star Gertrude Lawrence to mark her return to the New York musical stage after ten years in 1951. Rodgers and Hammerstein were somewhat hamstrung by the principal cast members. Neither Lawrence nor Yul Brynner, a television director hired to play the part of the king, had much of a singing voice. The songwriters solved this problem by giving the rangy songs -- "We Kiss in a Shadow," "Something Wonderful," and "I Have Dreamed" -- to the secondary characters. As the star, Lawrence had to have several numbers, but Rodgers and Hammerstein played upon her role as a teacher to give her two simple tunes to be sung to children -- "I Whistle a Happy Tune" and "Getting to Know You" -- as well as a patter song expressing her anger with the king, "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?" Even "Hello, Young Lovers" and her duet with Brynner, "Shall We Dance?," were pleasant ditties rather than demanding theater songs. And yet, the musical restrictions made for a highly enjoyable, pop-oriented score with slight Oriental touches. "Hello, Young Lovers" and "We Kiss in a Shadow" became minor hits, but the most memorable songs over time ended up being "I Whistle a Happy Tune" and "Getting to Know You," which became children's standards. The original Broadway cast album just missed topping the bestseller charts and remained listed there for over a year. It has remained in print through various reissues over the years, including a 50th-anniversary edition in 1993 and a 24-bit remastering in 2000. ~ William Ruhlmann, Rovi
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Add this copy of The King and I (Original Broadway Cast) to cart. $1.69, good condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published by MCA.
Add this copy of The King and I (Original Broadway Cast) to cart. $1.69, fair condition, Sold by Dream Books Co. rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Denver, CO, UNITED STATES, published by MCA.
Add this copy of The King and I: a Decca Broadway Original Cast Album to cart. $2.57, good condition, Sold by Seattle Goodwill rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Seattle, WA, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Decca Broadway.
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All our items include the original disc(s) in the original case. Your purchase funds free job training and education in the greater Seattle area. Thank you for supporting Goodwill's nonprofit mission!
Add this copy of The King and I (Original Broadway Cast) to cart. $3.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Emerald rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by MCA Classics.
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Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The King and I (Original Broadway Cast) to cart. $3.00, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by MCA Classics.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The King and I (Original Broadway Cast) to cart. $3.00, good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by MCA Classics.
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Seller's Description:
Good. Providing great vinyl and media since 1972. All used records are inspected and guaranteed. May have wear and minor issues from previous owner. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The King and I (Original Broadway Cast) to cart. $3.01, good condition, Sold by Good Books Will Follow rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Blue Springs, MO, UNITED STATES, published by MCA.
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Good. This is an ex library or rental disc, may have stickers and/or markings and/or may be repackaged. All items shipped Monday-Friday, fast shipping!
Add this copy of The King and I (Original Broadway Cast) to cart. $3.24, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Diamond rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 1993 by MCA Classics.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The King and I: a Decca Broadway Original Cast Album to cart. $3.38, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Verve.
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Seller's Description:
Very good. Providing great media since 1972. All used discs are inspected and guaranteed. Cases may show some wear. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of The King and I: a Decca Broadway Original Cast Album to cart. $3.39, very good condition, Sold by Goodwill rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Brooklyn Park, MN, UNITED STATES, published 2000 by Decca Broadway.
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