I'd like to give a nod of appreciation to technical virtuosity of this scene. This was television when cameras were huge and hard to move around smoothly yet they glide around like they are weightless. Marvelous direction and staging. Also lighting was crucial to television in the early days and some programs were harsh and unsubtle but this set was lit beautifully for a good sized area. Finally I think this was before video tape. I might be mistaken, but if it is filmed live television it is amazing.
Great voice! From one of the Rodgers and Hammerstein tribute shows. This song comes from "Oklahoma" as did perhaps all the songs performed on this episode.
One of the very first songs I learned to sing as a little girl . I’ve always loved Ms Barbra Cook - one of the finest voices in American Musical Theatre!! Perfect pitch, tone and incredible range . My favourite recording of hers was Candide’s “Glitter and be Gay”!
By the way, if you listened to her sing this song 48 years later, she'd have sounded virtually the same. No 'key change'. Same pure tone, impeccible pitch and consistent vibratto. Just a few high notes shy of her youth. The woman was singing the same songs in concert and on Broadway in her one woman show, into her mid 70's. In 2006, she stood on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera again and performed and with the New York Philharmonic at the age of 80 and was back on Broadway singing in 2010!
She recorded her last album ("Loverman") when she was 86! And it is glorious; search it out. Who else could do an a cappella version of "House of the Rising Sun" at 86 and make it real?
That comes from disciplined training in technique when you’re young, and continued practice, study and rehearsals throughout one’s career. She was a pro.
She was a true and gifted natural. The voice you hear is the real voice she has; no need for amplifiers, syntthesizers, etc...She opens her mouth and it just comes out and she makes it look so effortless.
I consider Shirley Jones's rendition to be the best, but Barbara Cook gives Shirley a run for the money with a scintillating performance. Great dancing too.
I thought Cook played Ado Annie but this is sung by the Laurie or Laurey character in the play. I kind of know this one a bit because a friend of the family sang the Ado Annie part in the high school production which also had an excellent lead in the Laurie part. We all thought she would make it in show biz, but I guess it's pretty tough.
Greetings from Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪 Before finding this, I was only familiar with the movie rendition with Shirley Jones & with all due respect to Shirley, if it were a 2 horse 🐎 race with herself & Barbara, I think Barbara just shades it by a nose. If I could think of a more modern artist with similar effortless vocals, I'd probably say Whitney Houston who like Barbara had that God given gift, of singing in any key or octave. We won't see their likes again 😢
How could Barbara with an 18 in waistline here have gotten so so big? She gradually lost her high soprano voice but still sang well into her 80's So pretty and the best singer on the stage and TV in the 50's and 60's and 70's. If you want to see her in a completely different role than she would normally do, then find her in Alfred Hitchcock's episode "A Little Sleep" where she plays a sexy, rich, spoiled doll who drives men crazy and is eventually murdered. There is no singing here.
One of the worst lyrics in history - "scrubbed my neck and I'll brush my hair" what was Oscar thinking? Could have said changed my dress. Still a great song.
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Knew she was a great singer but she held her own dancing too. Impressed
She was one of the original members of the Music Man cast on Broadway!
She was the original Marian Paroo.
I'd like to give a nod of appreciation to technical virtuosity of this scene. This was television when cameras were huge and hard to move around smoothly yet they glide around like they are weightless. Marvelous direction and staging. Also lighting was crucial to television in the early days and some programs were harsh and unsubtle but this set was lit beautifully for a good sized area. Finally I think this was before video tape. I might be mistaken, but if it is filmed live television it is amazing.
Cook's amazing ability to combine American vowels as vocal colors without compromising excellent tone production remains unique.
Great voice! From one of the Rodgers and Hammerstein tribute shows. This song comes from "Oklahoma" as did perhaps all the songs performed on this episode.
One of the very first songs I learned to sing as a little girl . I’ve always loved Ms Barbra Cook - one of the finest voices in American Musical Theatre!! Perfect pitch, tone and incredible range . My favourite recording of hers was Candide’s “Glitter and be Gay”!
By the way, if you listened to her sing this song 48 years later, she'd have sounded virtually the same. No 'key change'. Same pure tone, impeccible pitch and consistent vibratto. Just a few high notes shy of her youth. The woman was singing the same songs in concert and on Broadway in her one woman show, into her mid 70's. In 2006, she stood on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera again and performed and with the New York Philharmonic at the age of 80 and was back on Broadway singing in 2010!
Amazing singer. Got better as she aged!
She recorded her last album ("Loverman") when she was 86! And it is glorious; search it out. Who else could do an a cappella version of "House of the Rising Sun" at 86 and make it real?
“Impeccable”, “vibrato”
That comes from disciplined training in technique when you’re young, and continued practice, study and rehearsals throughout one’s career. She was a pro.
👏👏👏👏Well done. Fine voice. And the dancers did a great job.
Pay attention Barbara dancing at the begining with the Agnes dr Mille dancers
I've never seen her this young and thin singing before. She's lovely.
Such a waste she wasn't allowed to play her Broadway roles in the movies.
Just wow!
She was a true and gifted natural. The voice you hear is the real voice she has; no need for amplifiers, syntthesizers, etc...She opens her mouth and it just comes out and she makes it look so effortless.
absolutely NONE BETTER!!
Such a talent!
I consider Shirley Jones's rendition to be the best, but Barbara Cook gives Shirley a run for the money with a scintillating performance. Great dancing too.
I thought Cook played Ado Annie but this is sung by the Laurie or Laurey character in the play. I kind of know this one a bit because a friend of the family sang the Ado Annie part in the high school production which also had an excellent lead in the Laurie part. We all thought she would make it in show biz, but I guess it's pretty tough.
Love the Ado Annie role, wonderful.
She player Ado Annie on.stage but could play Laurie too .Here she danced with the dancers too
Greetings from Dublin, Ireland 🇮🇪 Before finding this, I was only familiar with the movie rendition with Shirley Jones & with all due respect to Shirley, if it were a 2 horse 🐎 race with herself & Barbara, I think Barbara just shades it by a nose. If I could think of a more modern artist with similar effortless vocals, I'd probably say Whitney Houston who like Barbara had that God given gift, of singing in any key or octave. We won't see their likes again 😢
A different time.
How could Barbara with an 18 in waistline here have gotten so so big? She gradually lost her high soprano voice but still sang well into her 80's So pretty and the best singer on the stage and TV in the 50's and 60's and 70's. If you want to see her in a completely different role than she would normally do, then find her in Alfred Hitchcock's episode "A Little Sleep" where she plays a sexy, rich, spoiled doll who drives men crazy and is eventually murdered. There is no singing here.
3:59 Very nice, but Shirley Jones's version was less harsh.
You're comparing a live television performance to one from a movie... Shirley was a nice singer. Barbara was a force of nature...
Dear God i wasnt expecting so much talent!!!!!!
I have a feeling Agnes DeMille did not do this choreography! haha
One of the worst lyrics in history - "scrubbed my neck and I'll brush my hair" what was Oscar thinking? Could have said changed my dress. Still a great song.