LPCDreissues: Looking forward to the past

The story of a Hollywood movie star who descends on a boy's military prep school as a publicity stunt, Best Foot Forward marked the 1941 Broadway debut of Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane, the songwriting team later responsible for scoring the immortal Meet Me In St. Louis. The original Broadway production featured Gene Kelly as choreographer and emerging stars June Allyson and Nancy Walker, and put the song "Buckle Down Winsocki" on the Hit Parade. Impressed by the show and its talent, M-G-M producer Arthur Freed secured the screen rights and planned to star Lana Turner in the leading role. Although Turner became pregnant and had to be replaced by Lucille Ball, Freed signed Martin and Blane, as well as Allyson and Walker from the stage production. Also cast was the 18-year-old Gloria DeHaven, who had previously co-starred with Frank Sinatra in Step Lively. In his first assignment for the Freed unit, Lennie Hayton arranged, conducted, and created much of the film's underscoring. Best Foot Forward not only launched several careers; it earned rave reviews, turned a sizeable profit, and inspired a 1963 off-Broadway revival starring a 17-year-old Liza Minnelli. Now this stellar soundtrack recording is available for the first time in its entirety. In fact, only "The Three B's" and "Alive And Kickin'" have been previously issued. Also included are four previously unreleased Martin and Blane songs written for Abbott & Costello In Hollywood, including the Kay Thompson-arranged "Fun On The Midway" sequence, which is presented here in an expanded form. Best Foot Forward is available as an individually numbered limited edition of 2,500 copies.
TRACK LISTING OVERTURE - M-G-M Studio Orchestra (3:29) MAIN TITLE (BUCKLE DOWN WINSOCKI, YOU'RE LUCKY) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra & Chorus (solo: Ralph Blane) (1:57) OPENING (GYMNASIUM*/ARRIVAL OF GIRLS/BUCKLE DOWN WINSOCKI) - M-G-M Studio Orchestra (3:04) WISH I MAY - June Allyson, Ralph Blane (for Jack Jordan) Kenny Bowers, Sara Haden, Gloria DeHaven, Donald MacBride & the M-G-M Studio Chorus (3:00) THREE MEN ON A DATE - Tommy Dix, Ralph Blane (for Jack Jordan) & Kenny Bowers (2:35) TWO O'CLOCK JUMP - Harry James & His Orchestra (3:11) EV'RY TIME (Orchestral Version) - Harry James & His Orchestra (3:03) EV'RY TIME (Vocal Reprise) - Jeanne Durrell (for Virginia Weidler) (2:52) THE FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE - Harry James & His Orchestra (1:47) THE THREE B'S - June Allyson, Gloria DeHaven, Nancy Walker, the M-G-M Studio Chorus with Harry James & His Orchestra (5:37) I KNOW YOU BY HEART (Orchestral Version) - Harry James & His Orchestra (2:34) I KNOW YOU BY HEART - Tommy Dix (2:34) SHADY LADY BIRD - Helen Forrest & B. Saul with Harry James & His Orchestra (4:14) MY FIRST PROMISE (THE RING WALTZ) - Helen Forrest & Beverly Tyler with Harry James & His Orchestra (5:12) ALIVE AND KICKIN' - Nancy Walker with Harry James & His Orchestra (3:46) WHAT DO YOU THINK I AM? (Outtake) - June Allyson & Kenny Bowers (3:11) YOU'RE LUCKY - Gloria Grafton (for Lucille Ball) (2:48) BUCKLE DOWN WINSOCKI/FINALE - Tommy Dix & The M-G-M Studio Orchestra (3:53) EXIT MUSIC - M-G-M Studio Orchestra (1:19) WISH I MAY (Alternate Take) - June Allyson, Ralph Blane (for Jack Jordan) Kenny Bowers, Sara Haden, Gloria DeHaven, Donald MacBride & the M-G-M Studio Chorus (3:00) I HOPE THE BAND KEEPS PLAYING - Bob Stanton & The Lyttle Sisters (5:12) THE COCABOLA TREE - Jean Porter & The Lyttle Sisters (3:10) AS I REMEMBER YOU - Bob Stanton with Arthur Shutt, Piano (3:20) FUN ON THE WONDERFUL MIDWAY - Bob Stanton, Frances Rafferty & Chorus (4:43)