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"Cabaret" is a song from the 1966 musical of the same name sung by the character Sally Bowles. It was composed by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb.

Background

In the musical, the song is performed by the character Sally Bowles in a night club setting in Weimar Germany in 1931. Her lover has told her that he is taking her back to America so that they can raise their baby together in safety. Sally protests as she thinks their life in Berlin is wonderful and she states politics have nothing to do with them or their affairs. After a heated row, Sally goes on stage singing “Cabaret” (“life is a cabaret, old chum”), thus confirming her decision to live in carefree ignorance of the impending problems in Germany.

The version of the song used in the musical includes a verse beginning:

"I used to have a girlfriend known as Elsie
With whom I shared
Four sordid rooms in Chelsea..."

The verse goes on to describe her friend's prostitution, alcoholism and early death. This section is often omitted in commercial recordings of the song by other artists, for example in the recording by Louis Armstrong.

Synopsis

A review by Robert Feldberg on NorthJersey.com explains Michelle Williams' interpretation of the song in the 2014 Broadway revival in relation to the musical's plot:

Urging us to "come to the cabaret," it’s not with joy or defiance, but (as Natasha Richardson also performed it in 1998) with increasing fear and sorrow. Unable to summon the strength to alter the course of her life, she breaks down.

Critical reception

AllMusic wrote that the 1972 film "contains some definitive Minnelli performances, particularly her rendition of the title song".

Reviews of the 2014 Broadway revival included: The Guardian described the song as "the hardest scene in the show, so shopworn as to have long ago collapsed into kitsch". Broadway World wrote Michelle Williams's "version of the title song has a wrenching, dead-eyed quality that hauntingly undercuts its light lyrics". It has been described as "stirring" and "jaunty".

Notable recordings

• Louis Armstrong (1966) - Armstrong's version was released together with "What a Wonderful World" in the UK, which reached No. 1 on the chart. "Cabaret" is listed together with "What a Wonderful World" in the chart.
• Frankie Vaughan - (1966)
• Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormé - for their 1967 album Steve & Eydie – Together On Broadway
• Mamie Van Doren (1967)
• Brenda Lee - for the album For the First Time (1968)
• Max Bygraves (1968)
• Judi Dench (includes the 'Elsie' verse) - for the London cast recording (1968).
• Ella Fitzgerald - included in the 'live' album Ella in Budapest (1970)
• Liza Minnelli (includes the 'Elsie' verse) - for the film soundtrack (1972), and for numerous other recordings, including "Liza With a Z" (1972), "Liza Minnelli Live at the Winter Garden" (1974), and "Liza Minnelli at Carnegie Hall" (1987). On the latter recording, she changed one word of the "Elsie" verse to emphasize her (Liza's) commitment to a drug- and alcohol-free lifestyle.
• Vikki Carr (1972)
• Mantovani - included in the album An Evening with Mantovani (1973)
• Bing Crosby - included in his album At My Time of Life (1976)
• Russ Conway included in the album Russ Conway Presents 24 Piano Greats (1977)
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes on their album “Are a Drag” (1999) https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3o7xfJ08anw
• Ashleigh Murray for the Riverdale third season soundtrack (2019)

Chart history

Marilyn Maye

Mike Douglas

Ray Conniff

Herb Alpert

References

1. Kutner, Jon; Leigh, Spencer (2010). 1,000 UK Number One Hits. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857123602 – via Google Books.
2. ^ FELDBERG, ROBERT. "Theater review: 'Cabaret'".
3. "Cabaret [Original Soundtrack Recording] - Original Soundtrack - Songs, Reviews, Credits - AllMusic". AllMusic.
4. Brockes, Emma (24 April 2014). "Cabaret review – Alan Cumming is saucy and menacing in a sly revival". The Guardian.
5. Roundups, Review. "Review Roundup: CABARET Opens on Broadway - All the Reviews!".
6. Stasio, Marilyn (25 April 2014). "Broadway Review: 'Cabaret' Starring Michelle Williams and Alan Cumming".
7. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
8. "Louis Armstrong". The Official Charts Company.
9. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
10. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1967. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
11. "Syracuse University Libraries". library.syr.edu. Retrieved May 9, 2021.
12. "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
13. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
14. "allmusic.com". allmusic.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
15. "45cat.com". 45cat.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
16. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1973. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
17. "Discogs.com". Discogs.com. 1977. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
18. "Single page on Spotify". Spotify.com. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
19. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 285.
20. ^ Joel Whitburn's Bubbling Under the Billboard Hot 100 1959-2004
21. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 285.
22. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 285.
23. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 17 July 2013. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
24. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
25. Whitburn, Joel (1993). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961–1993. Record Research. p. 285.
26. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, May 4, 1968

External links

• Marilyn Maye - Cabaret on YouTube
• Ray Conniff - Cabaret on YouTube
• Herb Alpert - Cabaret on YouTube
• Liza Minnelli - Cabaret on YouTube
• Emma Stone - Cabaret ~ Broadway, 2014 on YouTube

• Songs about Berlin
• Songs about theatre
• 1966 songs
• 1966 singles
• 1967 singles
• 1968 singles
• 1972 singles
• Songs from Cabaret (musical)
• Songs with music by John Kander
• Songs with lyrics by Fred Ebb
• Liza Minnelli songs
• Marilyn Maye songs