Showtunes is the result of collaboration between Stephin Merritt with Chen Shi-zheng on three pieces of musical theatre; Orphan of Zhao (2003), Peach Blossom Fan (2004), and My Life as a Fairy Tale (2005). Select tracks from these are featured on this album. It was released on Nonesuch Records on March 16, 2006 but was available from peer-to-peer networks from February 20, 2006. The remainder of songs from the shows were released exclusively through digital music stores.
Reception
The album received generally favorable reviews from critics; on Metacritic, it has a score of 69 out of 100.
Track listing "Theme from The Orphan of Zhao" – 00:59 "At Madam Plum's" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 02:35 "The Top and the Ball" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 01:49 "What a Fucking Lovely Day!" [From Orphan of Zhao] – 01:22 "Auntie Toothache" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 02:48 "It's Hard to Be the Emperor" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:08 "Sounds Expensive" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:36 "The Red Shoes" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 01:43 "Fan Dance Cha-Cha" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:17 "The Little Maiden of the Sea" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 03:53 "Ukulele Me!" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:08 "Train Song" [From Orphan of Zhao] – 01:17 "The Little Hebrew Girl" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 02:10 "Shall We Sing a Duet?" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 00:55 "The Song of the Humble Serf" [From Orphan of Zhao] – 00:56 "The Collar and the Garter" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 01:40 "Shall We Sing a Duet?" (Reprise) [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:38 "Sorry, Wrong Show" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:41 "The Storks" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 01:24 "In the Spring, When I Was Young" [From Orphan of Zhao] – 02:02 "The Ugly Little Duck" [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 03:41 "And He Would Say..." [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 03:02 "The World is Not Made of Flowers" [From Orphan of Zhao] – 01:14 "Behold the Lowly Centipede" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:41 "In China, Said the Moon..." [From My Life as a Fairy Tale] – 03:37 "Hail! Son of Heaven" [From Peach Blossom Fan] – 01:06
References