Track Listing Announced for Second "Sondheim Sings" Disc, Tracing 1946-60

By Kenneth Jones
September 8, 2005

Even the most studied experts of the songs of Stephen Sondheim may learn a thing or two with the fall release of "Sondheim Sings: Volume II (1946-60)."

PS Classics Inc., the nonprofit company dedicated to the preservation of American musical theatre heritage, has announced the track listing for the second volume of its acclaimed "Sondheim Sings" CD series. The disc will be in stores Oct. 25.

Philip Chaffin, co-founder of PS Classics Inc., told Playbill.com, "Where the first volume of 'Sondheim Sings' had its share of rarities, the second volume is mostly rarities — material Sondheim wrote in college, or for early and often unproduced professional productions, or for the amusement of friends and colleagues in the 1950s. It's an amazing overview of Sondheim's early writing career, and as a CD, it doesn't just feel like an extension of the first volume — this edition really has its own energy and feel, a kind of brash, youthful optimism that's very appealing."

The second volume of Sondheim Sings, like the first, includes newly remastered demos from the composer-lyricist's private collection. A 40-page color booklet will accompany the CD.

The track listing of "Sondheim Sings: Volume II (1946-60)" follows. The "Steve Greets Ockie" tracks refer to a brief Christmas greeting Sondheim recorded for his mentor Oscar Hammerstein II in 1943.

1. "You're Only as Old as You Look" (1955)
2. "Do I Hear a Waltz?" (from Do You Hear a Waltz?, 1960)
3. "Pour le Sport" (from The Last Resorts, 1956)
4. "Men" (from By George, 1946)
5. Steve Greets Ockie 1 (1943)
6. "What to Do at George School" (from By George)
7. "How Do I Know?" (from Phinney's Rainbow, 1948)
8. When I Get Famous (from Climb High, 1952)
9. "A Star Is Born" (1954)
10. "I Remember That" (from Saturday Night, 1953)
11. "In No Time At All"/"A Moment With You" (from Saturday Night)
12. "New York Song" (from The Clock, 1953)
13. "The Girls of Summer" (from The Girls of Summer, 1956)
14. "I Wouldn't Change a Thing" (from The Last Resorts)
15. "Ten Years Old" (from The Fabulous Fifties, 1960)
16. "High Life" (from The Last Resorts)
17. "Where Do I Belong?" (from Climb High)
18. "Bitterness" (from By George)/Steve Greets Ockie 2

Sondheim archivist Peter E. Jones, who is also a board member of PS Classics Inc., again serves as album producer.

As with the earlier "Sondheim Sings (Volume I: 1962-72)," a portion of the proceeds will go to Young Playwrights Inc., which Sondheim helped found and continues to champion.

Chaffin is also A&R Director of the Grammy-nominated record label PS Classics LLC, whose association with Stephen Sondheim includes Broadway cast albums of Assassins, The Frogs and Pacific Overtures. For more information, visit www.psclassics.org.