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

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...

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 physical arr ...

Moss Hart Moss Hart (October 24, 1904 – December 20, 1961) was an American playwright, librettist, and theater director. Early years Hart was born in New York City, the son of Lillian (Solomon) and Barnett Hart, a cigar maker. He had a younger brother ...

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, Both ...

, and music by

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

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

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

about Washington politics and political figures such as President

Franklin D. Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

. 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 Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

at the

Alvin Theatre The Neil Simon Theatre, originally the Alvin Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 250 West 52nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for ...

on November 2, 1937, produced by Sam H. Harris, and transferred to the

Music Box Theatre The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street ( George Abbott Way) in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, the Music Box Theatre was designed by C. Howard Crane in a Palladian-inspir ...

, and ran for 290 performances. It starred

George M. Cohan George Michael Cohan (July 3, 1878November 5, 1942) was an American entertainer, playwright, composer, lyricist, actor, singer, dancer and theatrical producer. Cohan began his career as a child, performing with his parents and sister in a vaudev ...

. In such pieces as "Off the Record", Cohan, as FDR, danced—not possible in real life for the President.

Reception

H. G. Wells Herbert George Wells"Wells, H. G."
Revised 18 May 2015. ''

Collier's ''Collier's'' was an American general interest magazine founded in 1888 by Peter Fenelon Collier. It was launched as ''Collier's Once a Week'', then renamed in 1895 as ''Collier's Weekly: An Illustrated Journal'', shortened in 1905 to ''Collie ...

'' on January 28, 1938, and reprinted in his ''

World Brain ''World Brain'' is a collection of essays and addresses by the English science fiction pioneer, social reformer, evolutionary biologist and historian H. G. Wells, dating from the period of 1936–1938.Wells, H.G. (1938). ''World Brain''. Lond ...

'' (1938).

Cultural references

The musical is prominently featured in the 1942 Cohan biopic ''

Yankee Doodle Dandy ''Yankee Doodle Dandy'' is a 1942 American biographical musical film about George M. Cohan, known as "The Man Who Owned Broadway". It stars James Cagney, Joan Leslie, Walter Huston, and Richard Whorf, and features Irene Manning, George Tobias, Ro ...

'', 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? "Have You Met Miss Jones?" is a popular song that was written for the musical comedy '' I'd Rather Be Right''. The music was written by Richard Rodgers and the lyrics by Lorenz Hart. The song was published in 1937. Background In the musical the ...

"—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 The Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum holds the records of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States (1933–1945). Located on the grounds of Springwood, the Roosevelt family estate in Hyde Park, New ...

''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