Recent Listening: 1776
In recognition of Independence Day, I am 1776ing today.
This follows my recent series of historical musicals. Unlike the other shows I’ve listened to lately, it was financially successful. So more people reading this are likely to be familiar with the show. For instance, you probably know 1776 had a solid book, which was founded on research, subject to theatrical expediency.
But did you know 1776 is a football musical? Like Leave it to Jane and Horsefeathers, the suspense centers on whether the home team will score a touchdown and win the big game. 1776 has two opposing teams, a clock, a scoreboard, and a referee. The teams are the congressional caucuses for and against Independency; the clock is the daily calendar: the characters don’t know the deadline is July 4th, but we do; the scoreboard is the tally board of the colonies’ votes; and the referee is John Hancock. You may call this dumbing down history, or you may call it gilding the philosophic pill, but it works dramatically.
I put the songs into two groups: character (or fun) songs, and political songs. Some are both. The character songs were most appealing to me on first hearing this show in the early 1970s: The Lees Of Old Virginia; Yours, Yours, Yours; He Plays the Violin; The Egg. Today I think the show’s high points are the political songs. They put the issues and politics behind the Declaration into clear terms with emotional appeal. They make the dry politics entertaining.
Sit Down, John / Piddle, Twiddle and Resolve - This song opens the show, and brings the audience into the action. John Adams supports Independency, and the rest of Congress thinks he’s a blowhard. Adams returns the sentiments: “ … one useless man is called a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a congress.”
But, Mr. Adams - This song is definitely fun, one of my favorites from first hearing. The five members of the Declaration Committee try to decide upon whom they will foist the task of writing the declaration. Each begs off. Roger Sherman’s excuse is a rhyming tour de force:
But- Mr. Adams!
I cannot write with any style
Or proper etiquette
I don’t know a preposition
From a predicate.
I am just a simple cobbler
From Connecticut!
Cool, Cool, Considerate Men - The members of congress against independence rally, and dance a minuet for their comfortable lifestyle. A line for John Dickinson sounds like a historical quote, but I’ve never read whether it is: “ … most men with nothing would rather protect the possibility of becoming rich than face the reality of being poor.” This song was cut from the film version at the request of Richard Nixon. It, along with many other edits, have been restored to the director’s cut version of the DVD.
Mama Look Sharp - Three minor characters in the show are “ordinary men,” not aristocrats or members of congress. They are the ones who fight on the front lines, and whose lives will be sacrificed by a vote of congress. This affecting song personalizes the loss of friends and sons at Lexington.
Molasses To Rum - the issue of slavery was a key point; Jefferson’s original text called for its abolition. Gaining approval from all thirteen colonies required giving in to the south on this issue. John Adams made a prophetic observation: “if we give in on this issue, there will be trouble a hundred years hence; posterity will never forgive us.” It was not included in the show “because audiences wouldn’t believe it.” In this song, the Southern members of congress accuse the New England members of hypocrisy: they profit from slavery through the triangle trade. As dialogue, this would’ve been a dry political issue; as a song, the characters come to life, and we see that it was not all good guys-bad guys.
The published libretto includes a lengthy author’s note, which discusses the research and sources, and what was added, deleted, or changed from history to the play. There were originally twenty-some songs, about half of which have been cut. I’d be interested in hearing what got cut from the show.
Two scenes were cut from the show during tryout. They involved the visit to see the continental army in New Brunswick, and staying overnight in an inn, next door to a brothel. The DVD commentary explains that cutting these scenes made all the difference between a show that didn’t work and one that did. The libretto commentary suggests that these scenes will be restored when they make a movie of 1776. Interesting, but obviously it didn’t happen.
Which brings me to the subject of the movie. It is very close to the stage play, including most of the cast. Plan on watching it twice. This is one of the few movies I’ve seen where the commentary is really worth listening to.