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I Went to a Marvellous Party
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Wikipedia article
"'I Went to a Marvellous Party'" (sometimes known as "I've Been to a Marvellous Party") is a song with words and music by Nol Coward, written in 1938 and included in his Broadway revue, 'Set to Music', in which it was performed by Beatrice Lillie in January 1939. Lillie introduced the song to London audiences in June of that year in cabaret at the Caf de Paris. It was later included in the revues 'All Clear' (1939), 'Cowardy Custard' (1972) and 'Oh, Coward!' (1972). Both Lillie and Coward made recordings of the song, which is among his most popular.
Description
The lyric of 'I Went to a Marvellous Party' is a first-person description of five parties attended by the singer on the French Riviera. The character of the song is humorous and giddy. It has been suggested that the activities described in the lyrics were typical of the "frantic, addleheaded search for amusement" of the Train bleu society, which flocked to the Riviera each summer in the 1920s and '30s.
In 1953 Coward described the background to the writing of the song:
Coward added, "This whole glittering episode was my original inspiration for 'I went to a Marvellous Party'. Beattie eventually sang the song in 'Set to Music' wearing slacks, a fisherman's shirt, several ropes of pearls, a large sun-hat and dark glasses".Coward, p. 76
Although Coward wrote a melody for the song, the text is most often recited over a piano accompaniment.[http://www.noelcowardmusic.com/ncmi/i.html#iwtamp "I Went to a Marvellous Party"], Nol Coward Music. Retrieved 22 September 2021 Out of Coward's approximately 300 songs, this is one of his most popular, ranking among the top 30 in royalty payments.
Performance history
Coward wrote the song with Lillie in mind, and included it in his revue 'Set to Music' which opened at the Music Box Theatre in New York on 18 January 1939.Mander and Mitchenson, p. 339 The show was a much revised version of his 1932 West End show 'Words and Music'.Mander and Mitchenson, p. 345
Lillie introduced the song to London audiences in June 1939 in cabaret at the Caf de Paris,"The Listeners", 'The Tatler', 28 June 1939, p. 566 and later in the year it was included in the revue 'All Clear' at the Queen's Theatre. At the midnight gala at the Phoenix Theatre on 5 December 1969, marking Coward's seventieth birthday, Danny La Rue performed the song.Mander and Mitchenson, p. 529 Both the British and American retrospective Coward revues in 1972 included the number, performed by Patricia Routledge in 'Cowardy Custard' and Roderick Cook in 'Oh, Coward!'.Mander and Mitchenson, pp. 532 and 535 'The New York Times' commented on the former that Routledge "incredible as it may seem, actually tops Beatrice Lillie's memorable performance".[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/02/16/archives/records-two-views-of-noel-coward.html " Records: Two Views of Noel Coward"], 'The New York Times', 16 February 1973, p. 26
Sheet music
The song is published separately as sheet music or in a number of collections, including the following:
*'The Nol Coward Songbook', London: Michael Joseph, 1953
*'Nol Coward Songs to Amuse', London: Chappell & Co. 1970
*'A Nol Coward Gala, Volume 1', Chappell & Co./Random House, 1972(?)
*'Cowardy Custard', John Hadfield, ed., London: Heinemann, 1973
Lyrics alone
*'The Lyrics of Nol Coward', London: Heinemann, 1965
*'The Complete Lyrics of Nol Coward', Barry Day (ed.) London: Methuen, 1998.
Discography
Nol Coward
*1939. Orchestra conductor, Emmet Dolan. LP AIE 2122.*1947. 'Nol Coward on the Air', piano accompaniment, Mantovani. Past CD 7840
*1956. 'Nol Coward Album', piano accompaniment, Peter Matz. Sony CD MDK 47253 AAD; CD DRG 19028 (2003).
Other recordings
*1939. Beatrice Lillie ('A Marvellous Party'), piano accompaniment, Will Irwin. AIE CD 006; PLATCD 118*1972. Patricia Routledge ('Cowardy Custard'), piano accompaniment, John Burrows. RCA LSO 60160 LP
*1994. Kernan, Robertson, Gold ('Nol/Cole-Let's Do It'), Song CD 910
*1998. The Divine Comedy ('Twentieth-Century Blues: The Songs of Noel Coward')
*2002. Elaine Stritch ('At Liberty'), DRG Theater 12994
*2017. Beverly Knight [The Halcyon TV Show]
Notes
Sources
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Category:1938 songs
Category:Comedy songs
Category:Songs about parties
Category:Songs written by Nol Coward
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