Song 127 - America from West Side Story by Sondheim and Bernstein

With it being International Woman's day being today, it has taken me most of the day to decide on a track that would celebrate women in music. Then, it came to me, America from the musical West Side Story, which is vibrate, lively and brave sung by women who are setting up a new life in New York City; whilst the males are trying to convince them that life would be better back where they came from. I also think it is rather fitting to have this track to celebrate the life of Nancy Regan, who died yesterday at the age of 94. She became the first lady of America when Ronald Regan took office in 1981 and became the 40th President of the United States of America. Nancy Regan was strong and independent whilst standing by her man and sticking up for him when others laughed at the first stages of his memory loss.

Anyway I am getting side tracked, lets get back to the music, America is one of the outstanding tracks from West Side Story written by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein. In the original stage version, Anita praises America while a fellow Puetro Rico. This version of the song deprecates of the island and highlights the positive qualities of American life. The irony of this supposedly pro-American number, however, is its vibrantly Hispanic musical style, with Latin percussion, complex cross-rhythm and Spanish guitar.

West Side Story arrived on Broadway in 1957 and since then had been sparkling the world. Based on Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, the music together to the excellent choreography by Jerome Robbins, has ensured that the music never ages; and issues over people moving countries to create a better life are as relevant today as they were in the 1960s. When the film version of musical was released in 1961, it was nominated for 11 Oscars; winning 10 including the best supporting actress for Rita Moreno, who played Anita in the film. The image of Anita in her purple dress dancing on the roof top in this number is one of the stronger image of musical film I have.


To bring some colour into this Monday; enjoy this clip and take an action to watch the whole film:

America, sung by Rita Moreno from West Side story.

Written by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein
Released: 1957