Although
he was best known as a comedian, Steve Allen's primary gift was for the composition of
music. For more than 50 years he enjoyed a stellar career as a composer, lyricist,
conductor, singer and pianist. Click here for a list of
prominent artists who have performed Allen songs.
In 1999, Steve released "Steve Allen's Songs: 100 Lyrics with
Commentary" with a foreword by noted author, critic and jazz historian Gene
Lees. In the book are collected lyrics to 100 of his favorites, including "This
Could Be The Start of Something Big," "Gravy
Waltz," "The South Rampart
Street Parade," and the themes to Picnic,
On the Beach, and
Bell,
Book, and Candle.
Honored in the 1985 edition of the Guinness Book
of Records as the most prolific composer of modern times, Steve
Allen wrote more
than 8,500 songs during his extraordinary lifetime. |
|
Although Steve
produced more than 75 albums/CD's, his
musical training was limited to three years of piano lessons, starting at the age of
seven. Despite his lack of training, he continued to create highly melodic numbers
at the rate of about 40 per month, and in one recent instance, in the sight of over 200
witnesses in the lobby of a Kalamazoo, Michigan, hotel, wrote a total of 400 songs in one
day. Many of his songs, strangely enough, were not created at the piano.
They "happened" while he was driving, taking a shower, at work, even asleep.
(He actually dreamed one of his biggest hits: "This Could be the Start of Something
Big.")
Among the dozens of prominent
artists who have recorded and performed Steve's work are Aretha Franklin, the Andrews
Sisters, Bing Crosby, Judy Garland, Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Joe
Williams, Andy Williams, Ann Jillian, Perry Como, Tony Bennett, Steve Lawrence and Eydie
Gorme, Sarah Vaughn, Ella Fitzgerald, Diane Schuur and Mel Torme.
Among his hits are such popular
standards as "South Rampart Street Parade," Gravy Waltz," "Pretend You
Don't See Her," "Picnic," "Impossible," and "Cool Yule."
He composed the music for his
award-winning PBS series, Meeting of Minds, and has written the title lyrics for
such films as Picnic, Houseboat, On the Beach, Sleeping
Beauty, and Bell, Book and Candle, as well as the musical scores for the MGM
film A Man Called Dagger and the NBC-TV documentary film, Remember Illinois.
Musical Theater
For the musical theater, Steve wrote:
- The Bachelor, which was presented on NBC
Television in the mid-50's, earning the composer/lyricist a Sylvania Award. Two
lasting standards "This Could Be the Start of Something Big" and
"Impossible," emerged from its score.
- Sophie, based on the life of Sophie Tucker, which
premiered on Broadway.
- Belle Starr, starring Betty Grable, which toured
the British Isles.
- The Al Chemist Show, starring Georgia Brown, which
had its premiere in 1980 at the Los Angeles Actors' Theatre.
In October 1982, Steve's comedy musical review Seymour
Glick is Alive but Sick (a satire on Jaques Brel Is Alive and Well) opened
at the St. Regis Hotel, New York, to critical approval. In 1983, the show played at
The Horn in Los Angeles, with Bill Maher its emcee.
Also in 1983, Steve wrote the score for a Fantasy Island
show.
In 1985, he wrote the words and music for Irwin Allen's
CBS-TV all-star production of the Lewis Carroll classic
Alice in Wonderland.
Click here for list of songs and artists from this show.
Also in 1985, at the invitation of the Professional Football
Hall of Fame, Steve composed "Ten Feet Tall," a march played each year at the Enshrinees Hall of Fame Weekend in Canton, Ohio.
In 1986, Steve provided 12 songs for an Ann Jillian album and
another dozen highly melodic compositions for an album by jazz pianist Paul Smith.
In the 1990's, his music has been featured on CD's with vocalists Frankie Randall,
Roseanna Vitro, and
George Bugatti.
In Fall 1999, Theatre West in Los Angeles produced Allen's
version of the Charles Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol" for which Steve
provided music and lyrics. Click
here for more information.
Allen's hundreds of concert engagements with symphony and pop orchestras
featured entirely his own compositions.
The entertainer was also a jazz pianist. His rewards as
a piano player, he stated, were largely selfish in nature, which is the reason he
frequently played small jazz clubs around the country, for modest fees, as a way to relax
and stir his creative juices. Over the years, he had also been featured in major
jazz concerts and in 1993 released, on the Concord label, the highly praised CD
"Steve Allen Plays Jazz Tonight."
Embedded in hundreds of popular recordings,
TV Shows and major motion pictures, Steve Allen's music will live on
forever.
During the 2001 Holiday Season Steve's songs can be heard in the major
motion pictures Serendipity,
Blow, and
Small Time
Crooks.
His Jazz Christmas classic Cool Yule
recorded by Louis Armstrong, is featured on three new Christmas Season
CDs. It's also available right here at the Steve Allen Store on the
Songs of Steve Allen CD.
Be sure to check out these great Steve Allen
music items:
|
A Rare
Collector's Item! Personally-autographed
sheet music "The Saturday Evening Post" - words and music
by Steve Allen
SPECIAL SALE - $9.95+ s&h
WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
Personally autographed
by Steve Allen. Sheet music from "Saturday Evening Post"
-- words and music by Steve Allen. To quote Steve Allen, "In my
youth the Post was a true American institution. Its covers alone,
many which were done by Norman Rockwell, were charming and the
contents were warmly typical of the time when American dreams were
simpler and more civilized than at present. The melody is structured
in sort of Vaudeville, soft-shoe style."
Click
here to order online |
|
A Rare
Collector's Item! Personally-autographed
sheet music -- "I'll Show Them All" words & music by
Steve Allen (from
the Broadway musical Sophie).
SPECIAL SALE - $9.95+ s&h
WHILE SUPPLIES LAST
Personally autographed by Steve Allen! Sheet music from "I'll
Show Them All" -- words and music by Steve Allen. From the
original Broadway musical score "Sophie," I'LL SHOW THEM
ALL was originally sung on Broadway by Libi Staiger. This song
became a popular hit after Judy Garland included it on her album
"The Unforgettable Judy Garland."
Click
here to order online |
|
ON SALE WHILE SUPPLIES
LAST
Rare!
The Steve Allen Song Book
--
$7.95 plus s&h
The Steve Allen Song
Book includes sheet music for 27 Steve Allen standards
including "This Could Be The Start of Something Big,"
"Gravy Waltz," "Impossible," "Picnic,"
and "South Rampart Street Parade."
Click
here for ordering information. |
|
Steve
Allen's 75th Birthday Celebration -- The Steve Allen Big Band -- CD
On Sale
For The Holiday Season
- $11.95 plus
(s&h)
Enjoy the Steve
Allen Big Band recorded at Steve Allen's 75th Birthday Celebration.
The CD features 15 clips including "This Could Be The Start Of
Something Big," "South Rampart Street Parade," "Gravy Waltz," and
"Skipping Along The Rainbow." Also includes Steve's classic comedy sketches including "Senator
Buster" (with Jayne Meadows, and
"Steve-On-The-Street."
Click
here for ordering information. |
|
The Songs of
Steve Allen -- All-star CD
-- $9.95 plus
shipping and handling.
A
terrific collection of Steve Allen's greatest songs sung by some of
music's greatest artists. 17 tracks including: "This Could Be
The Start Of Something" sung by Steve Lawrence & Eydie
Gorme; "Picnic" sung by The McGuire Sisters; "Oh What
A Night For Love" sung by Ella Fitzgerald; "Gravy
Waltz" sung by Mel Torme; "Impossible" sung by Nat
King Cole; "South Rampart Street Parade" sung by Bing
Crosby & The Andrews Sisters; "Cool Yule" sung by
Louis Armstrong; "I Love You
Says It Very Well" by Ann Jillian. A must for any collector of
Steve Allen music!
Click
here for ordering information. |
|
Steve Allen
Plays Jazz Tonight -- CD
-- $10.95 plus
shipping and handling.
13
tracks with Steve Allen at Piano, Frank Capp on drums, Ken Peplowski on clarinet and tenor saxophone,
Glenn Zottola on trumpet,
Howard Alden on guitar, and Chuck Berghofer on bass. Songs include
"Tangerine," "The One I Love Belongs To Somebody
Else," "Body and Soul," "After You've
Gone," "Don't Cry, Little Girl," "Steve's
Blues," "Gone With The Wind," "You Go To My
Head," "Fine and Dandy." Frank Capp writes: "A
few years back I was honored when Steve Allen wrote the liner notes
for the Capp-Pierce Big Band first album ("Juggernaut").
Now I'm delighted to return the favor with a few words about this
record, a spontaneous session where Steve and I joined forces with
some of the best jazz players in our business. The result of that
night's jamming is this fun-filled album of standards and some of
Steve's own ballads. It's usually a professional musician's worst
nightmare to have some celebrity who used to play an instrument, ask
to sit in with you. But in the case of Steve Allen -- who's not only
a celebrity but also a professional musician of the first caliber,
the nightmare is over. If you don't believe me, just listen to this
baker's dozen of swinging tracks!"
Click
here for ordering information. |
|
Steve Allen
Plays Hi-Fi Music for Influentials -- CD
-- $9.95
plus shipping and handling.
A soothing instrumental CD
with 16 tracks including: "Love For Sale,"
"Laura," "You're So Influential," "This
Could Be The Start Of Something," "Easy To Love,"
"Adios," "Theme From Lawrence Of Arabia,"
"Impossible," "Take Up The Slack,"
"Tonight," "Stormy Weather," The Peanut
Vendor," "Lovely To Look At," ""A
Pretty
Girl Is Like A Melody," "Theme From A Man Called
Dagger," and "Leave It To Me."
Click
here for ordering information. |
|