Surprise
1958



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Highlights
  • Written for the 1958 Broadway show Oh Captain!, based on the screenplay The Captain’s Paradise by Alec Coppel. Lyrics and music by Livingston and Evans, book by Al Morgan and Jose Ferrer.
  • The original cast included Ronny Randall, Alexandra Danilove, Susan Johnson, Abbe Lane, Jacquelyn McKeever, Edward Platt and Paul Valentine.
  • Oh Captain! opened on Broadway February 4, 1958 at the Alvin Theatre and ran for 192 performances.
  • Tony nominee for Best Musical 1958.



Recording History
The Bob Prince Quintet, Dancing with Oh Captain!, Columbia Harmony Records, #HL 7097
Rosemary Clooney, Hits from Oh Captain!, Columbia Records, #CL 1167
Michael Feinstein, 2002
Jacquelyn McKeever and Ensemble, Oh Captain! The Original Cast Album, Columbia Records, #OL 5280
Jazz Instrumental Quartet and Vibes
Jud Conlon's Rhythmaires, The Ferrers, Rosemary Clooney and Jose Ferrer sing selections from the Broadway Musical Comedy Oh Captain!, MGM Records, #E3687
Stan Freeman and his Quartet, play Oh Captain!, Columbia Records, #CL 1126
Lyrics
Surprise!
I'm glowing with a wonderful surprise;
I know it must be showing in my eyes
What a joy! What a prize!

Goodbye to my humdrum affairs
Countless night that went by with no rockets or flares!
My lucky star looked down on me and said,
"So there you are!
If I can help at all you're going far!"?
Lucky me! Lucky star!

Whoever dreamed
I'd be swept to the skies!
Surprise! Surprise!

Surprise!
I'm glowing with a wonderful surprise;
I know it must be showing in my eyes
What a joy! What a prize!

Goodbye to my humdrum affairs
Countless night that went by with no rockets or flares!
My lucky star looked down on me and said,
"So there you are!
If I can help at all you're going far!"?
Lucky me! Lucky star!
SURPRISE from Jose Ferrer’s Production of Oh Captain!, A musical comedy, Livingston and Evans Inc., 1958. Music and Lyrics by Jay Livingston and Ray Evans (Commercial Score)