''I'd Rather Be Right'' is a 1937

musical Musical is the adjective of music Music is generally defined as the The arts, art of arranging sound to create some combination of Musical form, form, harmony, melody, rhythm or otherwise Musical expression, expressive content. Exact def ...

with a

book A book is a medium for recording information in the form of writing or images, typically composed of many pages (made of papyrus, parchment, vellum, or paper) bound together and protected by a cover. The technical term for this phys ...

by Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman, lyrics by

Lorenz Hart Lorenz Milton Hart (May 2, 1895 – November 22, 1943) was an American lyricist and half of the Broadway songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. Some of his more famous lyrics include " Blue Moon", " The Lady Is a Tramp", "Manhattan", " Bewitched, ...

, and music by

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most well-known American ...

. The story is a Depression-era political satire set in

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

about Washington politics and political figures such as President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The plot centers on Peggy Jones ( Joy Hodges) and her boyfriend Phil (Austin Marshall), who needs a raise in order for them to get married. The President steps in and solves their dilemma.

Production

''I'd Rather Be Right'' premiered on Broadway at the Alvin Theatre on November 2, 1937, produced by

Sam H. Harris Sam Henry Harris (February 3, 1872 – July 3, 1941) was a Broadway producer and theater owner. Career Sam Harris was born on Manhattan's Lower East Side to poor Jewish parents. After a stint as a cough drop salesman and boxing manager, Harris ...

, and transferred to the Music Box Theatre, and ran for 290 performances. It starred George M. Cohan as Franklin D. Roosevelt. In such pieces as "Off the Record", Cohan, as FDR, danced—not possible in real life for the President.

Reception

H. G. Wells wrote enthusiastically about the musical, and Cohan's performance as Roosevelt, in an article "The Fall in America 1937", published in ''

Collier's ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter F. Collier, Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened i ...

'' on January 28, 1938, and reprinted in his '' World Brain'' (1938).

Cultural references

The musical is prominently featured in the 1942 Cohan biopic '' Yankee Doodle Dandy'', in which it serves as a narrative bookend.

James Cagney James Francis Cagney Jr. (; July 17, 1899March 30, 1986) was an American actor, dancer and film director. On stage and in film, Cagney was known for his consistently energetic performances, distinctive vocal style, and deadpan comic timing. He ...

, playing Cohan, after meeting FDR in the Oval Office, performs a joyous tap dance as he walks back down the stairs of the White House. In the film, we also see Cagney as Cohan performing "Off the Record" during the show's run. Because the film was made during World War II, the film also anachronistically added some morale-boosting lyrics at the end of the song.

Musical numbers

Act I

*"A Homogeneous Cabinet"—Cabinet Members * " Have You Met Miss Jones?"—Peggy Jones and Phil Barker * "Take and Take and Take"—The Judge's Girl and Ensemble * "Spring in Vienna"—Tony * "A Little Bit of Constitutional Fun"—The Judge's Girl and Ensemble * "Sweet Sixty-Five"—Peggy Jones and Phil Barker * "We're Going to Balance the Budget"—The President of the United States and Company

Act II

* "American Couple"—Ensemble * "Labor Is the Thing"—James B. Maxwell and Ensemble * "I'd Rather Be Right"—Peggy Jones, Phil Barker, The Judge's Girl, The President of the United States and Ensemble * "Off the Record"—The President of the United States * "A Baby Bond"—The Secretary of the Treasury

References

External links

*
"The President on Broadway: FDR, George M. Cohan, and ''I’d Rather Be Right''"
(March 8, 2016) by William A. Harris, FDR Library Deputy Director — ''Forward with Roosevelt'', the blog of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum
''Time'' Magazine review, November 15, 1937Essay on ''I'd Rather be Right'' in ''Studies in Musical Theatre'', January 2007''I'd Rather Be Right''
Libretto {{Franklin D. Roosevelt 1937 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals by Rodgers and Hart New York City in fiction Cultural depictions of Franklin D. Roosevelt