An American In Paris (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Various Artists

Released on 11/11/51 by WaterTower Music
Main artist: Various Artists
Genre: Film Soundtracks

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In its original form, the soundtrack album for the 1951 MGM film An American in Paris, starring Gene Kelly, ran 25 minutes on a 10" LP (also released on 78s and 45s). Later reissues by CBS/Sony and Rhino vastly expanded that running time with outtakes and other bonus tracks. But after 50 years, the soundtrack went out of copyright in Europe, enabling Britain's Prism Leisure label, which specializes in unlicensed reissues, to come up with its own version. Thus, here are the original 25 minutes, consisting of Kelly and/or co-star Georges Guetary warbling their way through the Gershwin favorites "S'Wonderful," "Love Is Here to Stay," "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise," and "I Got Rhythm," plus a 13-minute abridgement of the 16-and-a-half-minute "An American in Paris Ballet" that appeared in the film. Then, Prism adds 42 minutes of bonus tracks not actually related to An American in Paris, except that all of the songs were written by George Gershwin. Eight tracks are studio recordings from the 1930s by Fred Astaire of songs from his films Shall We Dance and A Damsel in Distress. The album's 14th track, "Stiff Upper Lip," is also credited to Astaire on the back cover, but he never sang that high! In fact, the singer is Gracie Allen, who also appeared in A Damsel in Distress, and the track is taken directly from the soundtrack. Next up are two studio recordings of songs from the last film Gershwin worked on, The Goldwyn Follies. Kenny Baker sings "Love Walked In," as he did in the picture. He also sang "Love Is Here to Stay," but the recording here is done by Ella Logan, another performer in the film. The final three tracks feature Judy Garland, who sings Gershwin's early hit "Swanee" then joins Dick Haymes for two songs from The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, a 1940s film featuring previously unheard Gershwin melodies in which Haymes starred, "Aren't You Kind of Glad We Did?" and "For You, for Me, for Evermore." With all the bonus material, Prism's An American in Paris is more of a compilation of Gershwin movie music from the 1930s to the 1950s than a simple soundtrack recording.

© William Ruhlmann /TiVo

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An American In Paris (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Various Artists

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Main Title (An American In Paris / 'S Wonderful / I Got Rhythm)

MGM Studio Orchestra