Happy End - Bilbao Song.avi

From the musical, Happy End, written by Kurt Weill, Elisabeth Hauptmann, and Bertolt Brecht; the Bilbao Song, as performed by Christopher Lloyd circa July 5th, 1977. This performance also included the talents of Meryl Streep.
An interesting bit of trivia: Due to a leg injury, Christopher Lloyd did not perform on opening night; Bob Gunton went on until Mr. Lloyd could resume the role on crutches. According to Meryl Streep: The Reluctant Superstar, Lloyd fell onstage the day before the play's formal opening, ripping two ligaments in his right leg. His leg was in a cast from his hip to his ankle.

[@smithrs]

My parents were NYC theater junkies when I was a kid. Any time there was a revival of anything by Kurt Weill they would always go. As a kid I didn't understand. Now I'm just mad because they never took me.

[@SirChezarie]

I remember when the show ran in NY in the 70s-a clip of this number was done for the tv ad . Its so fantastic beyond belief to find this production .

[@suzieqtruth6377]

Chris Lloyd. And the whole company Brilliant. Thank you so much for posting this

[@mrcarp55]

I keep going back to this one myself. I was lucky to actually have seen it on Broadway. What a cast!

[@246zxc12]

I saw this at BAM, and I believe it was Meryl Streep, though I could be wrong-- it was about 45 years ago. Lloyd had broken his foot or something, and came on stage with the crutches, as you can see here. As he came in, he turned toward the audience and gave us a sly smile. At first, we didn't know it the crutches were part of the character's outfit. Then we got it-- he was hurt, but the show . . . etc.. It seems a lifetime away. Someone else's lifetime-- not mine.

[@lilyhogwart]

This is from the Tony Awards telecast on June 5, 1977. It was rumored at the time that Streep refused to do "Surabaya Johnny" on the Tonys because she hadn't received a nomination. An audio circulates of the first preview of this production from when it started at the Brooklyn Academy of Music with Shirley Knight as Hallelujah Lil. Sometimes it gets circulated identified as being with Streep. If you ever come across a recording that you're told is of Streep in this production, it may be Knight.

[@msmazahs]

Terrific energy not to mention that I adore this song!

[@eleanorforman7321]

Bill's beer hall in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao, Was the most fantastic place I'd ever known. For just a dollar you'd get all you wanted, All you wanted, all you wanted Of whatever kind of joy you called your own. But if you had been around to join the fun Well I don't know if you'd've liked what you'd have seen. (you might not like) The stools at the bar were damp with rye. On the dance floor the grass grew high, Through the roof the moon was shining green, And the music really gave you some return on what you paid. Hey Joe, play that old song they always played. That ol' Bilbao moon Down where we used to go That ol' Bilbao moon I've forgotten the words! That ol' Bilbao moon Da da da da da dum (It was too long ago!) That ol' Bilbao moon Why does it haunt me so? I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but I just don't know if you'd have liked what you'd have seen but It was fantastic, It was fantastic, It was fantastic Beyond belief. Bill's beer hall in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao, Came a day the end of May in Nineteen-eight Four guys from 'Frisco came with bags of gold dust, (sacks) Bags of gold dust, bags of gold dust, And the time they showed us all was really great. But if you had been around to join the fun Well I don't know if you'd've liked what you'd've seen, (you might not like) The brandy bottles smashing everywhere And the chairs flying through the air Through the roof the moon's still shining green, And those poor guys were going crazy with their pistols blazing high, "Think you can stop 'em? Well, go ahead and try!" That ol' Bilbao moon, Down where we used to go, That ol' Bilbao moon, Casting its golden glow, That ol' Bilbao moon (Something with "love" in it!) I've forgotten the words! Da da da da da da, Wah wah wah wah wah wah. I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but It was fantastic It was fantastic It was fantastic Beyond belief. Bill's beer hall in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao, Now they've cleaned it up and made it middle class With potted palms and ice cream Very bourgeois, very bourgeois Just another place to put your ass. But if you should come around to see the fun Well, I don't know, you might not find it such a pain, (Ha!) (strain) They've cleaned up all the booze and broken glass, And on parquet floors you can't grow grass, They've shut the green moon out because of rain, And the music makes you cringe now when you think of what you paid. Hey Joe, play that ol' song they always played; That ol' Bilbao moon, Down where we used to go, That ol' Bilbao moon, Casting its golden glow, That ol' Bilbao moon, Love never laid me low, That ol' Bilbao moon, Why does it haunt me so? I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but It was fantastic, It was fantastic, It was fantastic Beyond belief. Just too long ago! Bilbao-Lied (Brecht/Weill) Bills Ballhaus in Bilbao War das Schönste auf dem ganzen Kontinent. Dort gab's für einen Dollar Krach und Wonne Und was die Welt ihr eigen nennt. Aber wenn Sie da hereingekommen wären Ich weiß ja nicht, ob Ihnen so was grad gefällt. Ach! Brandylachen waren, wo man saß Auf dem Tanzboden wuchs das Gras Und der rote Mond schien durch das Dach. 'ne Musik gab's da, man konnte sich beschweren Für sein Geld! Joe, mach die Musik von damals nach. Alter Bilbaomond Wo noch die Liebe lohnt - 's ist doll mit dem Text 's ist schon so lange her - Ich weiß ja nicht, ob Ihnen so was grad gefällt, doch Es war das Schönste Es war das Schönste Auf der Welt. 2 Bills Ballhaus in Bilbao An 'nem Tag gen Ende Mai im Jahre acht Da kamen vier aus Frisco mit 'nem Geldsack Die haben damals mit uns was gemacht. Aber wenn Sie da dabeigewesen wären Ich weiß nicht, ob Ihnen so was grad gefällt. Ach! Brandylachen waren, wo man saß Auf dem Tanzboden wuchs das Gras Und der rote Mond schien durch das Dach Und vier Herren konnten Sie mit ihren Brownings schießen hören. Sind Sie 'n Held? Na, dann machen Sie's mal nach ... Alter Bilbaomond Wo noch die Liebe lohnt - Ich kann den Text nicht mehr 's ist schon zu lange her - Ich weiß ja nicht, ob Ihnen so was grad gefällt, doch Es war das Schönste Es war das Schönste Auf der Welt. 3 Bills Ballhaus in Bilbao Heute ist es renoviert - so auf dezent Mit Palme und mit Eiscreme ganz gewöhnlich Wie 'n anderes Etablissement. Aber wenn Sie da jetzt hereingesegelt kämen 's ist ja möglich, daß es Ihnen so gefällt. Spaß! Auf dem Tanzboden wächst kein Gras Und der Brandy ist auch nicht mehr das. Und der rote Mond ist abbestellt. 'ne Musik machen sie, da kann man sich nur schämen Für sein Geld! Joe, mach die Musik von damals nach. Alter Bilbaomond Das hab ich oft betont Ich hab sie nie geschont - Na, das ist ja der Text - Alter Bilbaomond 's ist zu lange her... Ich weiß ja nicht, ob Ihnen so was grad gefällt, doch Es war das Schönste Es war das Schönste Auf der Welt.

[@wilfriedwinter9644]

Merci

[@hannureittu4310]

Magic! Vivat Weill/ Brecht

[@waldolydecker8118]

The percussionist really adds nice flavor

[@keithm1812]

Fantastic! Beyond belief! Es war das schonste, auf dem weld.

[@cindiu43]

Oh my gosh, I remember seeing this as a little girl on the Tony Awards and every once in a while the song would haunt me! I was beginning to think it was all in my head as I couldn’t find it! Finally, here it is! It’s just as extraordinary as I remembered! Thank you, thank you for posting this! ❤

[@Perrosiutico]

Das war die schoenste! Und ich war da.

[@jennytawler2653]

Pretty damn good. Not a patch on Lotte Lenya signing the German language original, but really pretty damn good.

[@richardwilliams5387]

I've seen good solos of this but I think as far as full casts go this is tops, really two different experiences...this has a lot more theatricality (no pun intended) than one person at a mic. Love the way Lloyd plays it with the facial expressions and all.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

@@richardwilliams5387 it's really a top rate ensemble performance, isn't it?

[@richardwilliams5387]

@@Marcel_Audubon Certainly, shame Meryl Streep's performance isn't exactly floating around though.

[@MercuryMay94]

I love it!

[@irateofwatford]

Great song!

[@hannureittu4310]

Great performance!

[@cocoo299]

5:12 love the way he drops the crutches lmao

[@jeremycline9542]

Great verision.

[@saintagil]

Beyond Belief...love it

[@JakePerry-uj5sy]

Good

[@MrAallpp]

Bill's be all in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao, Was the most fantastic place I've ever known. For just a dollar you'd get all you wanted, All you wanted, all you wanted Of whatever kind of joy you called your own. But if you had been around to see the sun Well I don't know you might not like for you to see The stools at the bar were damp with rye On the dancefloor the grass grew high, Through the roof the moon was shining green And the music really gave you some return on what you paid Hey Joe, play that old song they always played. That ol' Bilbao Down were we used to go Da da da da da ... I can't remember the words ... Da da da da da da It's so long ago. I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but It was fantastic It was fantastic It was fantastic Beyhond belief. Bill's be all in Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao, Came a day the end of May in '98 Four guys from Bristol came with sacks of coal dust, Sacks of coal dust, sacks of coal dust And the time they showed us all was really great. But if you had been around to see the sun Well I don't know you might not like what you'd've seen. The brandy bottles smashing through the air And the chairs flying everywhere Through the roof the moon's still shining green And those fog eyes all went going crazy with their pistols blazing high, "Think you can stop 'em ? Well, go ahead and try!" That ol' Bilbao Down were we used to go Da da da da da da... Who remembers the words ? Da da da da da da Something with love in it. I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but It was fantastic It was fantastic It was fantastic Beyond belief. Bill's be all in, Bilbao, Bilbao, Bilbao, Now they've cleaned it up and made it middle class With potted palms and aspree Very bourgeois, very bourgeois Just another place to put your ass, But if you could come around to see the fun Well, I don't know, you might not find it such a strain, They've cleaned up all the pools of broken glass, On parquet floors you can't grow grass, They've shut the green moon out because of rain And the music makes you cringe now when you think of what you paid Hey Joe, play that ol' song they always played; That ol' Bilbao Down where we used to go That ol' Bilbao Casting its golden glow That ol' Bilbao moon Love never laid me low That ol' Bilbao Why does it hurt me so ? I don't know if it would have brought you joy or grief but It was fantastic It was fantastic It was fantastic Beyond belief.

[@franklinshepard]

Bill's beer hall, not Bill's be all.

[@Marcel_Audubon]

ahaha. What's a "be all"? is it across the street from Bill's Beer Hall?

[@1cultural]

Other songs di include "Mandalay" and "Surabaya Johnny". The show was unsuccessful back in 1929, but the songs are very noteworthy.

[@MatthewLevine79]

I was just reading that they actually only had the first 2 acts written when the show premiered, and the audience loved it up to that point. But then for the third act, they just had some dialogue that Brecht had thrown together the night before or something, so the audience got pissed off and the show flopped. IDK when the third act finally was actually written, or if the full show even got a premiere in Germany.

[@jmfurgerot]

génial

[@cjvining17]

Do you have any other songs from this show? Please post, if so.

[@unclenogbad1509]

Wow, where did you get this from? I knew about the production, but never knew there was any recording of it. Christopher Lloyd is brilliant here, as is the whole ensemble. Many, many thanks for putting this up.

[@merccadoosis8847]

I believe this is a clip from a TV presentation of the Tony Awards back in '77

[@unclenogbad1509]

@@merccadoosis8847 Thanks, I'll look for more footage, if there is any.

[@charleshow2052]

Merryl Streep was on this cast

[@Marcel_Audubon]

so was Grayson Hall

[@saskia316]

I can't find the printed play, nor the soundtrack in English. THanks for publishing this...the only my wife and I heard was the castrated Andy Williams version ( no offense meant to Andy!)

[@LukeWittz]

do u have a clip of meryl singing surabaya johnny

[@jorgeolivares8766]

Where can i get the soundtrack?

[@joshuagrodsky921]

Lyrics

[@mushmorant9253]

Lamentably, so many forms of diversion and entertainment nowadays are "just another place to put your ass", so to speak. It's simply about making money now and giving increasingly less knowledgeable and unsophisticated customers the bare minimum return on their investment.