With Oliver!, Lionel Bart created one of the most enduring musicals of all time.  Yet there was more to Bart than just the one show - though it was the only international hit he would ever write.  In between palling around with The Rolling Stones and Andrew Loog Oldham at the height of Swingin' London, Bart dominated the pop charts and the musical theatre stage.  Now, Cherry Red's el label has celebrated this quintessential British songwriter on a new 5-CD box set.  Consider Yourself! The Highs of Lionel Bart explores both the theatrical and pop sides of the late legend.

Though he began his career in amateur theatre, Lionel Bart first made his mark writing rock and roll songs for the likes of Anthony Newley, Cliff Richard, Tommy Steele and Adam Faith.  Never mind that he couldn't read or write music; in 1957, Bart won three Ivor Novello Awards, and he picked up four more in 1958 and yet another two in 1960.  His profile was high when he was selected to write the Matt Monro-sung theme song to the second James Bond film, 1963's From Russia with Love, but by that point he had already turned back to musical theatre.  The prolific Bart penned Lock Up Your Daughters in 1959 and Fings Ain't Wot They Used t'Be in 1960, but his next musical turned out to be his international breakthrough: Oliver!, also from 1960.  Oliver! was a smash hit on the West End and on Broadway, winning Bart a Tony Award and spawning a film adaptation and countless revivals.  He was never quite able to repeat its success, though.

Blitz! (1962) and Maggie May (1964) had decent enough runs, but Twang! (1965) was a major flop despite his delightful score; and none of those three musicals made it to Broadway.  La Strada (1969) did return Bart to New York with promising newcomer Bernadette Peters starring, but sans most of his songs.  It closed after just one performance.   He soon began a downward spiral into alcoholism and depression, and spent much of the rest of his life struggling with these personal demons as well as bankruptcy and a string of poor business decisions.  Bart died in 1999 at the age of 68 following a bout with cancer, having lived long enough to see his work and career recognized and applauded once again.

Consider Yourself! The Highs of Lionel Bart features on its first CD two cast recordings.  First up is the 1962 World Record Club studio cast recording of Oliver!, with future Small Faces vocalist Steve Marriott as The Artful Dodger opposite Ian Carmichael's Fagin.  It's joined by the 1959 London Cast Recording of Lock Up Your Daughters (previously reissued on CD by Bayview Records).  Disc Two is devoted to further versions of Bart's most famous musical and most enduring accomplishment.  Oliver! is presented here in its first recording, the Original 1960 London Cast as first released on Decca, and subsequently issued on CD by Deram and Decca Broadway.  This seminal LP is joined by selections from the 1961 HMV Studio Cast Recording featuring Alma Cogan and My Fair Lady's Stanley Holloway (released in full on CD by Broadway Angel) and pop covers by Max Bygraves, The Limeliters, Shirley Bassey, and Russ Conway.

The third CD has the 1960 HMV Original Studio Cast Recording of Fings Ain't Wot They Used t'Be featuring Adam Faith, Tony Tanner, and Bart himself, plus Lionel's album Bart for Bart's Sake.  (Both of these albums have been released on CD before.)  Disc Four brings the HMV cast recording of Blitz! back into print (it was released on CD by EMI in 2005) and adds a treasure trove of rare show covers by Bassey, Bygraves, Conway and Jack Jones, plus Bart's own recordings of "Give Us a Kiss for Christmas" and "How Now Brown Cow."

The fifth and final disc is a compelling and fun overview of Lionel Bart's pop years, featuring sixteen tracks by Tommy Steele (Half a Sixpence, The Happiest Millionaire) including the soundtrack EP Tommy the Toreador and 10-inch soundtrack LP The Duke Wore Jeans, as well as songs from Anthony Newley, Alma Cogan, Cliff Richard, Adam Faith, Marty Wilde, Andy Williams, future film maestro John Barry and more.

All of these recordings are accompanied by a 24-page booklet with full liner notes and credits.  Each disc is housed within the compact clamshell box in an individual sleeve with front cover artwork from one of the albums represented. These tracks have been licensed from Ember Records or released pursuant to current U.K. public domain laws.  Consider Yourself: The Highs of Lionel Bart is a major treat for longtime fans of the composer seeking to fill in a few gaps, or new fans looking to delve a bit further into his oeuvre beyond Oliver! .  It's available now in the U.K., and this Friday, March 3, in the U.S., at the links below!

Various Artists, Consider Yourself! The Highs of Lionel Bart (Cherry Red/el, 2017) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)

CD 1

Tracks 1-12: Oliver! 1962 London Studio Recording  (World Record Club S 2446, 1962)

Tracks 13-28: Lock Up Your Daughters: Original London Cast Recording

Tracks 29-30: Laurie Johnson, "There's a Plot Afoot" & "Lock Up Your Daughters" (from Pye NEP 24156, 1962)

CD 2

Tracks 1-20: Oliver! Original London Cast Recording (Decca, 1960)

Tracks 21-23 excerpted from Oliver! 1961 Studio Cast Recording (HMV, 1961)

Track 24: The Limeliters, "Who Will Buy?" (RCA Victor 47-8094, 1962)

Track 25: Max Bygraves, "Consider Yourself" (Decca F 11251, 1961)

Track 26: Shirley Bassey, "As Long As He Needs Me" (Columbia U.K. DB 4490, 1960)

Track 27: Russ Conway, "Oliver! Medley" (Columbia U.K. DB 4875, 1962)

CD 3

Tracks 1-16: Fings Ain't Wot They Used t'Be: Original 1960 Studio Cast Recording (His Master's Voice CSD 1298, 1960)

Tracks 17-26: Bart for Bart's Sake (Decca LF 1324, 1959)

CD 4

Tracks 1-20: Blitz! Original London Cast Recording (HMV, 1962)

Track 21: Shirley Bassey, "Far Away" (Columbia U.K. DB 4836, 1962)

Track 22: Max Bygraves, "Down the Lane" (Decca F 11457, 1962)

Track 23: Russ Conway, "Blitz! Medley" (Columbia U.K. DB 4875, 1962)

Track 24: Max Bygraves, "Fings Ain't Wot They Used t'Be" (Decca F 11214, 1960)

Track 25: Jack Jones, "Big Time" (Kapp K 380X, 1961)

Track 26: Russ Conway, "Medley of Tunes from Fings Ain't Wot They Used t'Be" (Columbia U.K. DB 4422, 1960)

Track 27: Lionel Bart, "Give Us a Kiss for Christmas" (Decca F 11405, 1961)

Track 28: Lionel Bart, "How Now Brown Cow" (Decca F 11405, 1961)

CD 5

Tommy Steele - The Duke Wore Jeans (Decca LF 1308, 1958)

1. It's All Happening
2. What Do You Do
3. My Family Tree
4. Happy Guitar
5. Hair-Down, Hoe-Down
6. Princess
7. Photograph - with June Laverick
8. Thanks a Lot

Tommy Steele - Tommy the Toreador (Decca DFE 6607, 1959)

9. Tommy the Toreador
10. Take a Ride
11. Where's the Birdie? - with Sidney James and Bernard Cribbins
12. Little White Bull
13. Singing Time
14. Amanda

Other Pop Songs and More

15. Rock with the Caveman - Tommy Steele (Decca F 10795, 1956)
16. A Handful of Songs - Tommy Steele (Decca F 10923, 1957)
17. A Handful of Songs - Annie Ross (from Ember LP NR 5008, 1963)
18. Living Doll - Cliff Richard (Columbia U.K. EP SEG 7895, 1959)
19. No Turning Back - Cliff Richard (Columbia U.K. EP SEG 7895, 1959)
20. Mad About You - Cliff Richard (Columbia U.K. EP SEG 7895, 1959)
21. The "I Love You" Bit - Alma Cogan and Lionel Bart (HMV POP 760, 1960)
22. Do You Mind? - Anthony Newley (Decca F 11220, 1960)
23. Do You Mind? - Andy Williams (Cadence 1381, 1960)
24. Wild Cat - Marty Wilde and His Wildcats (Philips JK 1028, 1957)
25. Hide and Seek - Marty Wilde (Philips PB 1161, 1961)
26. Sometime, Somewhere - Frankie Vaughan (Philips PB 930, 1959)
27. Walkin' Tall - Frankie Vaughan (Philips PB 931, 1959)
28. Kickin' Up the Leaves - Mark Wynter (Decca F 11279, 1960)
29. Jellied Eels - Joe Brown and The Bruvvers (Decca F 11246, 1960)
30. Too Young for Bad Memories - Shane Fenton and the Fentones (Parlophone R 4951, 1962)
31. Wave Your Little Handkerchief - Bruce Forsyth (Parlophone R 4637, 1960)
32. Why the Chicken? - Dave Samson and the Hunters (Columbia U.K. DB 4597, 1961)
33. From Russia with Love - The John Barry Seven (Ember EMBS 181, 1963)