"ST. LOUIS WOMAN" A MUSICAL WITH GREAT SONGS

" St. Louis Woman"  A Musical With Great Songs: Having had success with E.Y.Harburg in creating " Bloomer Girl ", Harold Arlen now considered collaborating with Johnny Mercer on a musical version of little-known play God Sends Sunday. The play was based on a novel by Arna Bontemps who converted the novel in a collaboration with Countee Cullen. Both authors were part of the Harlem Renaissance movement which led to the emergence of African American writing in the 1920's.
Set in turn-of-the-century St. Louis, it tells the story of Little Augie, a black jockey who falls in love with the sultry Della Greene. She is the property of Biglow Brown, a saloon owner who is shot by a former mistress. Brown believes that Little Augie shot him and places a dying man's curse on the superstitious jockey. Little Augie's winning streak comes to an end and the ever fickle Della leaves him. Ultimately, Della and Little Augie are rejoined in a happy ending.
 The musical provides a number of excellent songs, beautiful costumes, colourful characters and settings like stables, a bar, a funeral parlor and a ballroom. Given the earlier success of
Porgy and Bess ,  an all-black cast seemed logical and commercially viable.
There are a number of songs to be presented in the correct sequence  allowing the listener to follow the various characters and the storyline.

The first song is  " L'il Augie Is a Natural Man." introduces the main male  character who brags of his prowess and luck as a jockey. In the original 1946 production, he was played by Harold Nichols, one half of the fabulous Nichols Brothers dance team. His brother Fayard played a rival jockey and, at one time, was married to actress/.singer ,Dorothy Dandridge.

The song is performed by Johnny Mercer, lyricist. He created the colourful and authentic
Afro American vernacular of such phrases as " Sleep Peaceful Mr. Used to be" .Even the song titles like " Any Place I Hang  My Hat Is Home" " Come Rain Or Come Shine" 'Ridin' on the Moon' are replete with local colour . Mercer, a true Southern boy is right at home not only with his own lyrics but the exuberant performing styles of black performers ,


MERCER LINK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf3EFOS0r6U