A Jerry Herman Blog

Love, Look in My Window [*]
Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman sings “Love, Look In My Window,” a number written for her in Hello, Dolly!, that she got to sing when she joined the company in 1970. Happy Birthday Ethel!

Love, Look in My Window
Merman, Goode, Nype, Helmers, Lockin, Engel, Lewis; Schechtman

me2ism:

“Love Look in My Window” from Hello, Dolly! (Final Performance, 27-Dec 1970)

written by Jerry Herman

performed by Ethel Merman

—

When The Merm went into Hello, Dolly! to close the run of the original Broadway production, they put in this ballad for her.  It immediatey proceeds “Before the Parade Passes By”.  The song essentially surrounds the “oak leaf monologue”—and Merman’s performance of that sweet speech is one of the chief reasons I’m posting this! Such a tenderness and sensitivty not typically associated with The Merm.  

I also imagine the conversation leading to adding this number going something like this:

Merman - Come on boys, don’t you have anything else for me to sing in this show?  

Merrick/Gower Champion/Jerry Herman - well we have this song “Love, Look in My Window”, but…

Merman - But What?

M/GC/JH - Well, it’s a big song.  And it’s right before “Before the Parade Passes By”

Merman - So?

M/GC/JH - Then it’s just 2 big numbers in a row with Dolly coming to the same realization.

Merman - 2 big numbers in a row?  Now you fellas are talking my language.

M/GC/JH - But it;s redundant!

Merman -

Merman - 

Merman - 

M/GC/JH - 

Merman - 

M/GC/JH - Fine.

(and listen to that applause)

So Long, Dearie
Merman, Goode, Nype, Helmers, Lockin, Engel, Lewis; Schechtman

Ethel Merman sings “So Long, Dearie” on the closing night of Hello, Dolly! 

It was her last show on Broadway, not counting her one night concert with Mary Martin in 1977.