America - West Side Story (Stage&Film Hybrid, 1957x1961)

RITA MORENO TURNS 90 NEXT WEEK ...the day after her 2021 remake opens in the theaters.
Last week, Stephen Sondheim breathed his last, living to the ripe age of 91.

Along with Leonard Bernstein, they worked to create one of the most famous musical pieces of all time. But the 1961 movie adaptation of America from West Side Story DROPPED some of the best verses which were in Bernstein/Sondheim's original Broadway song.

These are some of the BEST LINES of the song,
now spliced back into the movie soundtrack:
(1957 original play)
------
Automobile in America ...
Very big deal in America
I'll drive a Buick through San Juan (Rosalia)
If there's a road you can drive on (Anita)
I'll give my cousins a free ride (Rosalia)
How you get all of them inside? (Anita)

Immigrant goes to America
Many hellos in America
NOBODY KNOWS IN AMERICA
PUERTO RICO'S IN AMERICA!

I'll bring a T.V. to San Juan. (Rosalia)
If there a current to turn on! (Anita)
...
I like the shores of America
Comfort is yours in America
Knobs on the doors in America
Wall-to-wall floors in America
------

This verse added to the 1961 movie
is sadly the most resonant back then,
and even more sadly 60 years later:
-----
Life can be bright in America (Women)
If you can fight in America (Men)
LIFE IS ALRIGHT IN AMERICA (Women)
IF YOU'RE ALL-WHITE IN AMERICA (Men)
-----

...but Rita Moreno has proven that that line has notable exceptions. This song encapsulates both the highlights and the lowlights of the United States of America. Aspects which make this country amazingly great, but also other things which are embarrassments by standards in other parts of the globe.

So this hybrid mashup version is offered as the best of both worlds, stage & film.
As to why it got changed:
"Some lyrics were changed in order to avoid censorship, ..."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Side_Story_(1961_film)#Score_and_soundtrack

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WPgrwwrOLc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_e2igZexpMs (6,992,308 views)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhSKk-cvblc (6,024,777 views)
Audio splices from 1957 original Broadway cast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zI5c8qCff2w

Copyright belongs to the owner of this song from the 1961 movie, and also the audio from the 1957 recording. I own nothing. All I did here was mash the parts together.

Side-by-side lyrics comparison
1957&1961 versions:
https://www.westsidestory.com/america

Lyrics as mashed up here in this 2021 HYBRID:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ROSALIA
Puerto Rico
You lovely island
Island of tropical breezes
Always the pineapples growing
Always the coffee blossoms blowing

ANITA
Puerto Rico
My heart's devotion
Let it sink back in the ocean
Puerto Rico
You ugly island
Island of tropic diseases

Always the hurricanes blowing
Always the population growing
And the money owing
And the sunlight streaming
And the natives steaming

I like the island Manhattan (I know you do)
Smoke on your pipe and put that in!

WOMEN (chorus)
I like to be in America
OK by me in America
Everything free in America

BERNARDO
For a small fee in America

ANITA
Buying on credit is so nice

BERNARDO
One look at us and they charge twice

ROSALIA
I'll have my own washing machine

JUANO
What will you have, though, to keep clean?

ANITA
Skyscrapers bloom in America

WOMAN
Cadillacs zoom in America

ANOTHER WOMAN
Industry boom in America

MEN
Twelve in a room in America

ANITA
Lots of new housing with more space

BERNARDO
Lots of doors slamming in our face

ANITA
I'll get a terrace apartment

BERNARDO
Better get rid of your accent

ANITA AND THREE WOMEN
Life can be bright in America

ALL MEN
If you can fight in America

ALL WOMEN
Life is alright in America

ALL MEN
If you're all-white in America

ALL MEN
La la la la la, America
... America
La la la la la, America
... America

ANITA AND CONSUELO
Here you are free and you have pride

BERNARDO
Long as you stay on your own side

ANITA
Free to be anything you choose

ALL MEN
Free to wait tables and shine shoes

BERNARDO
Everywhere grime in America
Organized crime in America
Terrible time in America

ANITA
You forget I'm in America

BERNARDO
I think I go back to San Juan

ANITA
I know a boat you can get on (bye bye!)

BERNARDO
Everyone there will give big cheer (hey!)

ANITA
Everyone there will have moved here

ALL WOMEN
Automobile in America
Chromium steel in America
Wire-spoke wheel in America
Very big deal in America

ROSALIA
I'll drive a Buick through San Juan

ANITA
If there's a road you can drive on

ROSALIA
I'll give my cousins a free ride

ANITA
How you get all of them inside?

ALL WOMEN
Immigrant goes to America
Many hellos in America
Nobody knows in America
Puerto Rico's in America!

ROSALIA
I'll bring a TV to San Juan

ANITA
If there a current to turn on

ROSALIA
Hundreds of flowers in full bloom

ANITA
Hundreds of people in each room

ALL WOMEN
I like the shores of America
Comfort is yours in America
Knobs on the doors in America
Wall-to-wall floors in America
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Видео America - West Side Story (Stage&Film Hybrid, 1957x1961) канала Da Hawk