More Merkin
I've been posting a bunch of songs from the truly awful, erotic, semi-autobiographical film that Anthony Newley wrote, starred in and directed, Can Heironymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humpe and Find True Happiness?
As I've mentioned, the movie is pretty dismal, something even Newley himself said years later is probably should never have made. But -- this was a musical, and most of the songs are not only not bad, but actually pretty good. Newly wrote the music, and the lyrics were by Herbert Kretzmer, who's best known for writing the English lyrics to Les Miserables. Not to mention The Four Musketeers, a British stage show I've written about that starred my fave Harry Secombe.
In recent days, I've thought that the score is so enjoyable for the most part (there are a few clunkers) that someone should get the rights, completely thrown out the dreadful script and come up with a new story, and develop it as a stage show.
Here's one more song. (If you missed the others and want to hear them, just search for "Merkin.") Alas, I couldn't find any video of it, but this is from the soundtrack album. It's the song, "Oh, What a Son of a Bitch I Am," and it has some extremely clever lyrics.
One example --
Kid, if you want to know who your dad is
Look at the last of the bigtime baddies.
Anthony Newley does most of the singing here, supported by the great Stubby Kaye, along with Ron Rubin.
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