“1961 The Musical” Soundtrack, released April 23, 2025, contains 19 studio-recorded songs from “1961 The Musical” (book, music, and lyrics by Clark Ford, 2014). Songs were produced and recorded by Underground Treehouse Studio, Nashville, TN, USA. Songs were written in genres popular in 1961, including Traditional Pop (jazz standards), Musical Theater, Rock, Doo-Wop, Blues, Motown, Operetta, Jazz combo, Big Band, and a Civil Rights March. The musical, a comedy-drama, and was presented as a staged reading in 2015, and a video is available online.
The storyline weaves together three love stories within the same extended family during the postwar early 1960s of American suburbia, with references to postwar prosperity and the cold war. Irene is 30, living at home, and desperately looking for a man (“I Believe In You”). Several men woo her (“Ring the Bell of Freedom!,” “God’s Country,” “Let’s Go Cruisin’ Tonight!”) and a fourth, Theo, is successful (“My Man/My Gal,” “For Better Or Worse”). Irene’s conservative and controlling father, Joseph, disapproves of women who don’t know their place (“In His Image”), and, with the other men, has a solution for Communists: “Nuke ‘Em!.” His wife, Rose, feels trapped (“Beautiful Bird”). She joins the other women asking ‘why can’t a man be “More Like A Woman?”‘ Joseph and Rose reawaken their love for each other after Rose has major surgery (“If Ever”). Irene’s older brother, Robert, and his wife Maureen are awaiting postwar prosperity. Robert has learned too much about women from his father, and Maureen sets him straight (“My Day,” “The M.R.S. Blues). They are still in love, however (“Meant To Be,” “Man of Mystery,” “Queen For Life,” and “A Dream Come True”). In the end, Irene and Theo get engaged, Joseph and Rose are in love, and Robert gets a raise so he and Maureen can move to the suburbs. All sing “Live It Up!.”
Clark Ford is a playwright and songwriter who has written and staged 6 other musicals, set in different decades, from 1972-2016. He has a catalog of over 50 recorded songs in a variety of genres: pop, country, sacred, holiday, musical theater, and traditional pop.
Sites / Socials
https://www.facebook.com/clarkfordmusic/
https://www.instagram.com/clarkfordmusic/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK0S_UsdyEMePQoLoQXFH7w
https://x.com/CffordFord/
