Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman

Ethel Merman (born Ethel Agnes Zimmermann, January 16, 1908 – February 15, 1984) was an American actress and singer. Known for her distinctive, powerful voice, as well as her leading roles in musical theater, she has been called "the undisputed First Lady of the musical comedy stage." She performed on Broadway in Anything Goes, Annie Get Your Gun, Gypsy, and Hello, Dolly! She is also known for her film roles in Anything Goes (1936), Call Me Madam (1953), There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963). Among many accolades, she received the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in Call Me Madam, a Grammy Award for Gypsy, and a Drama Desk Award for Hello, Dolly! Merman introduced many Broadway standards, including "I Got Rhythm" from Girl Crazy, "Everything's Coming Up Roses", "Some People", and "Rose's Turn" from Gypsy, and the Cole Porter songs "It's De-Lovely" (from Red, Hot and Blue), "Friendship" (from Du Barry Was a Lady), and "I Get a Kick Out of You", "You're the Top", and "Anything Goes" (from Anything Goes). The Irving Berlin song "There's No Business Like Show Business", written for Annie Get Your Gun, became Merman's signature song.

Birth and Death Data: Born January 16, 1908 (Astoria), Died February 15, 1984 (Manhattan)

Date Range of DAHR Recordings: 1931 - 1955

Roles Represented in DAHR: vocalist

= Recordings are available for online listening.
= Recordings were issued from this master. No recordings issued from other masters.

Recordings (Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Company	Matrix No.	Size	First Recording Date	Title	Primary Performer	Description	Role
Victor	BS-73708	10-in.	9/29/1932	How deep is the ocean (How high is the sky)	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
Victor	BS-73709	10-in.	9/29/1932	I'll follow you	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
Victor	BS-73710	10-in.	9/29/1932	Satan's li'l lamb	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
Victor	BS-73711	10-in.	9/29/1932	I gotta right to sing the blues	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with jazz/dance band	vocalist
Victor	BS-075659	10-in.	12/8/1942	(We'll be singing Hallelujah) marching thru Berlin	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with male vocal quintet	vocalist
Victor	BS-075660	10-in.	12/8/1942	Move it over	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with male vocal quintet	vocalist
Victor	BRC-Test-475	10-in.	10/1/1931	Life is just a bowl of cherries	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
Victor	BRC-Test-476	10-in.	10/1/1931	Ladies and gentlemen, that's love	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo, with piano	vocalist
Brunswick	TCL1444	10-in.	2/2/1931	Boy, what love has done to me!	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo	vocalist
Brunswick	TCL1445	10-in.	2/2/1931	I got rhythm	Ethel Merman	Female vocal solo	vocalist
Decca	68425	10-in.	12/2/1940	My mother would love you	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	68426	10-in.	12/2/1940	I've still got my health	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	68427	10-in.	12/2/1940	Let's be buddies-1	Joan Carroll ; Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	68428	10-in.	12/2/1940	Make it another old-fashioned, please	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	73592		5/26/1946	I'm so lonesome I could cry	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	73593		5/26/1946	I got lost in his arms	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	73594		5/26/1946	I got the sun in the morning	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	73597		5/26/1946	Doin' what comes natur'lly	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	73599		5/26/1946	They say it's wonderful	Ethel Merman ; Ray Middleton		vocalist
Decca	73600		5/28/1946	Moonshine lullaby-1	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	73603		5/28/1946	Anything you can do	Ethel Merman ; Ray Middleton		vocalist
Decca	74188		12/1/1947	Eadie was a lady, part 1-1	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	74189		12/1/1947	Eadie was a lady, part 2-1	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	74190		12/1/1947	Blow, Gabriel, blow-2	Ethel Merman		vocalist
Decca	74208		12/8/1947	I get a kick out of you-1	Ethel Merman		vocalist

(Results 1-25 of 92 records)

Citation

Discography of American Historical Recordings, s.v. "Merman, Ethel," accessed November 17, 2024, https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103314.

Merman, Ethel. (2024). In Discography of American Historical Recordings. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://adpprod2.library.ucsb.edu/names/103314.

"Merman, Ethel." Discography of American Historical Recordings. UC Santa Barbara Library, 2024. Web. 17 November 2024.