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[0:00] Paul Lazarus: Hi, this is Paul Lazarus. In the 1980s, I produced and hosted a radio series called Anything Goes, a celebration of the American musical theater. Now the Broadway Podcast Network is bringing back these shows. This is the second of a three-part program featuring noted composer Alan Menken. This program originally aired in 1982, before Menken won eight Oscars for his music in films like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Enchanted. Back in the 80s, we spoke primarily about two of Alan's theater shows, God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, and Little Shop of Horrors.

[0:43] Paul Lazarus: Alan, when you were setting out to create the voice of this plant, do you have any imagery in mind specifically for what that sound would be?

[0:53] Alan Menken: Well, I guess the original imagery is the plant from the movie, which... What was the voice in the movie? I don't even... I don't think I've ever seen it, actually.

[1:02] Alan Menken: Well, the voice in the movie was not the baso-soulful voice that we use now. It was kind of a...

[1:10] Alan Menken: Feed me more, more. Kind of a...

[1:14] Alan Menken: Like a robot kind of thing? I don't know how you describe it. It's just sort of a weird, wimpy, nerdy kind of sound. Sort of this whining creature. The sound of the plant, I think, also dictated itself. When Howard, for instance, came up with the concept of doing this kind of... It's a rock me all night long kind of number called Get It, which is a feed me. And we put that to that style of music. It instantly sort of defined itself. And then I had done a show called Battle of the Giants.

[1:51] Alan Menken: Which we'll talk a little bit about later. But in that show was Ron Taylor, who I think whose voice was always in the back of my head for this particular role.

[2:04] Alan Menken: And here's Ron singing Feed Me or Get It from this cast of Little Shop of Horrors.

[2:11] ♪ Musical number: "Feed Me (Get It)" — performed by Ron Taylor ♪

[7:33] Alan Menken: And also, as a singer-songwriter, you cross really into both worlds more easily than most people. I mean, you sing your stuff, you could easily be in that Paul Simon vein.

[7:43] Alan Menken: Oh, I hope so. I don't know how easily. It's been pretty hard, but I'm trying.

[7:48] Paul Lazarus: Yeah, but your stuff certainly works in that world, too. And I'm anxious to see how this record crosses over into a more pop-rock kind of area.

[8:00] Alan Menken: Makes two of us. This is a song called With a Dollar in My Pocket.

[8:04] Paul Lazarus: When was this written?

[8:06] Alan Menken: Oh, God, a couple years back.

[8:09] Paul Lazarus: Is this just an inspiration in the shower, or what?

[8:12] Alan Menken: Not in the shower. Very few inspirations in the shower. Mostly by the checkbook or by the piano. No, I just, this is the kind of number that I wanted to write. A feeling I wanted to capture of being ruthless and traveling.

[8:57] Alan Menken: And said, I'm going. Now, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady luck. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady chance. Well, I'm a pair of dice, so roll me. I'm a winning hand, so hold me. With a dollar in my pocket and a ticket in my hand.

[9:40] Alan Menken: With a name that I've discarded and a love that let me down. I'm ready for a whole new life to find me. I'm young enough to start out in another lonely town. And I'm not leaving any clues here behind me. Now, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady luck. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady chance. Well, I'm a pair of dice, so roll me. I'm a winning hand, so hold me. With a dollar in my pocket and a ticket in my hand.

[10:40] Alan Menken: Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady luck. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady chance. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady luck. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady luck. Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, lady chance. Well, I'm a pair of dice, so roll me. I'm a winning hand, so hold me. With a dollar in my pocket and a ticket in my hand.

[11:39] Paul Lazarus: Alan, you've had a really fruitful collaboration with Howard Ashman. It began with a show called God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, which was our main emphasis last time you were on the air. And you've worked on, I guess, three shows together now, Real Life Funnies and Little Shop.

[12:02] Alan Menken: Really, Rosewater and Little Shop were the two shows that Howard conceived the shows that we were going to do together and came to me and we worked on together. Funnies was something that was more spur of the moment. Manhattan Theater Club called me up and I called Howard in on that. But there were three shows we worked on together. Plus, I did a little bit of incidental music for a play he was directing. And we've written pop tunes together and some things for Sesame Street, etc.

[12:30] Alan Menken: I don't know many young writers who've had three shows on the board. A collaboration that's lasted that long and been that fruitful. I'm sad to say, but I'm real happy that it's lasted. When you get a good thing, hang on to it.

[12:45] Paul Lazarus: Did you meet Howard at the BMI workshop?

[12:48] Alan Menken: Well, no, he wasn't in the workshop, but Layman Engel brought us together and recommended that Howard meet with me and that's how we got together.

[13:01] Alan Menken: And then we brought a material to the workshop. Both Rosewater and Little Shop came in and played material.

[13:09] Paul Lazarus: Yeah, I noticed that you dedicated the album of Little Shop to Layman Engel, who passed away this year, much to everyone's regret.

[13:21] Alan Menken: I actually had gotten a copy of the tape to play for him. And it was on Sunday morning that he died. I'm sure he probably wasn't in any condition to listen to it at that time. But actually the timing of this last year was good in a way. He got to see Maury have Nine, he got to see me have Little Shop.

[13:43] Alan Menken: Yeah, Maury asked him. And Herringbone with Skip Cannon and Alan Fitzhugh. Yeah, many of the students.

[14:19] Alan Menken: Because I really like the score, and this is once again a case of your adopting styles and working within them, wouldn't you say?

[14:27] Alan Menken: Well, I aim for finding a style and sticking with it. I also like to write a show in a confined period. I don't like, if possible, I don't like to have the writing process drag on for years. I prefer to take a concentrated period with the collaborator and just do it. Often what comes out has a cohesion to it, but I think with God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater has tried to capture an Americana kind of feel, and also just some sort of indefinable Kurt Vonnegut kind of feel.

[15:01] Alan Menken: One of the songs we're going to do, which features, oddly enough, you and Howard Ashman performing it, Thank God for the Volunteer Fire Brigade. I don't know why, but when I saw it in the theater, it struck me as a Frank Lesser number.

[15:13] Alan Menken: It is that kind of thing. Yeah, I know what you mean. And we're also going to feature Fred Coffin, who was the original Elliot Rosewater, the hero of the story, singing Dear Ophelia, and lastly, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken performing Since You Came to This Town.

[15:34] Alan Menken: You are listening to Anything Goes with composer Alan Menken. Do we need to set these up, Alan, in any way?

[15:42] Alan Menken: Unless I describe the whole plot, I guess just play the song.

[15:48] Alan Menken: Yeah, maybe just basically the plot is Elliot Rosewater. Elliot Rosewater is head of the Rosewater Foundation, which is the 14th largest family fortune in America. Oh boy, it's been a long time since I've described this plot. To make a long story short, I guess he goes off in search of the forgotten Americans who live in Rosewater County, and at the same time, there's a lawyer who's trying to prove him insane and therefore have the fortune wrested from him and given to the Rhode Island Rosewaters, another branch of the family.

[16:25] Alan Menken: Okay, and these are three songs from the score to God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater.

[16:33] ♪ Musical number: "Dear Ophelia" — performed by Alan Menken ♪

[18:40] ♪ Musical number: "Thank God for the Volunteer Fire Brigade" — performed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman ♪

[21:09] ♪ Musical number: "Since You Came to This Town" — performed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman ♪

[25:58] Alan Menken: I should also say that this was an interim recording. Tape done and lyrics did change. Yeah, and also the quality of the tape does not befit the quality of the songs.

[26:54] Paul Lazarus: You've been listening to Alan Menken Part 2, the second of a three-part series. Anything Goes – Backstage with Broadway's Best is produced and hosted by Paul Lazarus. For more information, visit anythinggoespl.com. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to rate and follow us. Thanks for listening.