Hearing the Unheard Harnick

The other day, I mentioned how the NPR radio show, Fresh Air with Terry Gross, had an hour-long interview with Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick -- both in honor of his 90th birthday, and to discuss a new double-CD just released of his lesser-known songs and songs cut from shows, called Sheldon Harnick: Hidden Treasures.

The show was wonderful, full of terrific stories and fascinating, little-known material.  (Generally, when songs are cut from musicals, it's for a reason -- they don't work and aren't all that good.  In this case, the pieces they played ranged from very interesting to great.  The former includes what was supposed to be the opening number to Fiddler on the Roof, a rousing production number called "We Haven't Missed a Sabbath Yet".  And the latter includes two songs: "Where Do I Go From Here?" cut from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Fiorello!" and "What Is It Like?", from Tenderloin, sung by two young virgin women on a religious retreat, wondering what it's like to be with a man before you're married.

I said that I'd try to post a link to the broadcast if it got posted, but I'll do one better.  Here's the entire show below.  Just click the "Play" button at the bottom left.