After graduating from high school in 1967, she worked as a secretary and performed part-time as a singer for a local folk band called Sweet Rain. Her singing caught the attention of Russ Regan (then head of 20th Century Records) in 1972 when he heard a demo she had recorded. At the time, Regan was searching for a singer to record "The Morning After" (the theme from The Poseidon Adventure) for release as a record. He hired McGovern sight unseen to record the song, which led to her signing with 20th Century Records. After it won an Oscar for Best Original Song, "The Morning After" quickly climbed the pop charts, reaching #1 in 1973.
In 1974, she recorded two movie themes: "We May Never Love Like This Again" (from the disaster film The Towering Inferno, in which she made a short appearance when she is seen singing the song as the evening's entertainment) and "Wherever Love Takes Me" (from the British disaster film Gold). The former won an Oscar (though it was only a minor pop hit), and the latter received an Oscar nomination. These two songs (along with "The Morning After") led the media to call McGovern "the Disaster Theme Queen."
McGovern's contract with 20th Century ended in 1976. By this time, her career went downhill and she ended up broke, due to being cheated out of her earnings by her managers and producers. To begin her life over again, she moved to Marina del Rey and took a secretarial job under an assumed name. However, she was still in demand occasionally for international live concerts. Her career made a turn for the better when she was asked to record a version of "Can You Read My Mind," the love theme from 1978's Superman, which was not recorded for the film. The single achieved minor success on the Pop charts. Toward the end of the decade, she recorded "Different Worlds," the theme from a short-lived TV sitcom entitled Angie. The song was her only other Top 40 single aside from "The Morning After," reaching #18 on the Pop charts in 1979 and also spending two weeks at #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart. In 1980, she made a cameo appearance as the singing nun, Sister Angelina, in the comedy-disaster movie Airplane!.
At the beginning of the 1980s, McGovern gave up movie themes to begin a career on Broadway, despite having no acting experience. In 1981, she made her Broadway debut as Mabel in a revival of Gilbert & Sullivan's musical The Pirates of Penzance. She then performed in two productions with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera: The Sound of Music (1981; as Maria) and South Pacific (1982; as Nellie Forbush). She continued her theatrical career throughout the eighties and originated the role of Mary in the Off-Broadway production of Brownstone in 1985.
In 2005, McGovern returned to the Broadway stage as Marmee opposite Sutton Foster's Jo in the musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. Plagued by negative reviews, it quickly closed, but McGovern reprised her role for the successful subsequent national tour.
She slowly returned to music in the mid-eighties, contributing songs to musical soundtracks and recording for various-artist compilations. She also returned to touring and performing in concerts and began establishing herself as a classy, jazzy nightclub and cabaret performer. Starting in 1987, she released three albums for CBS in three years - Another Woman in Love (a voice/piano album), State of the Heart (a fully orchestrated album), and Naughty Baby (a live album).
In 1989, she performed her debut concert in Carnegie Hall, singing a collection of songs by George Gershwin. The concert was recorded live and released that year as an album entitled Naughty Baby; it features a very first recording of a lost Gershwin song "A Corner of Heaven With You" (written ca. 1917).
From the nineties into the 21st century, McGovern continued her careers in musical theatre, performing in concerts, and recording albums, and she occasionally made guest appearances on television. Other recordings include Baby I'm Yours (1992), a collection of her favorite songs from 1955 to 1970, and Out of This World (1996), a collection of songs by Harold Arlen. She was twice nominated for a Grammy, for her albums The Music Never Ends (1997), a collection of songs by Alan & Marilyn Bergman, and The Pleasure of His Company (1998), another voice/piano album.
In 2003, Out of This World and The Music Never Ends were rereleased by Fynsworth Alley Records; both albums included bonus tracks, the former two, and the latter three.
Lullaby of Broadway
Maureen McGovern Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The lullaby of Broadway
The hip-hooray and bally-hoo
The lullaby of Broadway
The rumble of the subway train
The rattle of the taxis
The daffydils who entertain
At Angelo's and Maxie's
When a Broadway baby says good night,
It's early in the mornin'
Manhattan babies don't sleep tight
Until the dawn
Good night, baby
Good night, milkman's on his way
Sleep tight, baby
Sleep tight, let's call it a day, hey!
The lullaby of Broadway
The lullaby of old Broadway
The lullaby of Broadway
The lullaby of Broadway
"Hush-a-bye, I'll buy you this and that",
You hear a daddy sayin'
And baby goes home to her flat
To sleep all day
Good night, baby
Good night, milkman's on his way
Sleep tight, baby
Sleep tight, let's call it a day
Listen to the lullaby of Broadway!
The song "Lullaby of Broadway" by Maureen McGovern is an ode to the bustling city of New York, especially the famous street of Broadway. The lyrics start with an invitation to listen to the melody of the city and how it lulls people to sleep. The hip-hooray and bally-hoo refer to the exuberance of the people on Broadway - performers, audience, and passersby. The sound of the subway train and taxis contribute to the rush of the city. Angelo's and Maxie's were popular nightclubs and restaurants in the Times Square area. The daffydils who entertain could be a reference to the showgirls who performed in Broadway theaters, dressed in elaborate costumes.
The second stanza implies that the nightlife of New York continues till early morning, unlike other cities where babies sleep tight until dawn. The milkman's delivery early in the morning is a symbol of the start of a new day. The following verses are like a parent's lullaby to their child - promising to buy them everything they want and tucking them into bed. The catchy tune and upbeat melody of "Lullaby of Broadway" express the energy and excitement of the city which never sleeps.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on along and listen to
Join along and listen to
The lullaby of Broadway
The soothing sounds of the city that never sleeps
The hip-hooray and bally-hoo
The excitement and enthusiasm that fills the air
The lullaby of Broadway
The soothing sounds of the city that never sleeps
The rumble of the subway train
The deep, steady vibrations of the underground transit
The rattle of the taxis
The clanking of metal and horns blaring in the streets
The daffodils who entertain
The actors and performers who bring life to the stages of Angelo's and Maxie's
At Angelo's and Maxie's
A reference to the popular nightlife spots on Broadway
When a Broadway baby says good night,
When someone who lives and breathes the Broadway lifestyle says farewell
It's early in the mornin'
Their day is just beginning even though it feels like the night before has just ended
Manhattan babies don't sleep tight
Those who reside in the bustling city don't get much rest
Until the dawn
Until the sun rises and a new day begins
Good night, baby
A sweet way of saying goodbye and wishing them a peaceful rest
Good night, milkman's on his way
A reminder of the next day's arrival and routine
Sleep tight, baby
An affectionate phrase hoping that they get some quality sleep
Sleep tight, let's call it a day, hey!
Rest well and let's end this day on a high note!
The lullaby of Broadway
The soothing sounds of the city that never sleeps
The lullaby of old Broadway
The comforting sounds of Broadway's past
The lullaby of Broadway
The soothing sounds of the city that never sleeps
The lullaby of Broadway
The soothing sounds of the city that never sleeps
"Hush-a-bye, I'll buy you this and that"
A father's comforting words to his child
You hear a daddy sayin'
The sound of a parent's voice
And baby goes home to her flat
A young woman returns to her home
To sleep all day
A gentle way of saying that she will be resting and enjoying her time off
Listen to the lullaby of Broadway!
Take a moment to appreciate the calmness of the city amidst the chaos
Contributed by Chase A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
S.F.Q. Jr
Spectacular voice 👑
pbamse
Thanks ! Could you please upload the rest of the album ?
diane hind
or could you please tell me the name of the album i know its on an lp with her sister, back in 1975 i think my mum had it but its now lost would love to buy the lp for the memories it brings back
Satiro Nunes
Come on along and listen to
The lullaby of Broadway
The hip hooray and bally hoo
The lullaby of Broadway
The rumble of the subway train
The rattle of the taxis
The daffodils who entertain
At Angelo's and Maxie's
When a Broadway baby says good night
It's early in the morning
Manhattan babies don't sleep tight until the dawn
Good night baby
Good night milkman's on his way
Sleep tight baby
Sleep tight let's call it a day hey
Come on along and listen to
The lullaby of Broadway
The hidee hi and boopa doo
The lullaby of Broadway
The band begins to go to town
And everyone goes crazy
You rock-a-bye your baby round
Till everything gets hazy
Hush-a-bye I'll buy you this and that
You hear a daddy saying
And baby goes home to her flat
To sleep all day
Good night baby
Good night milkman's on his way
Sleep tigh baby
Sleep tight let's call it a day
Listen to the lullaby of old Broadway
david waterworth
I think that is brilliant.
Geffrey Winn
I remember a Drag Act called _ Sheer Camp _ they were very good and very funny _ They used to open up there show with this exact song they had a great routine to it