Song writer Bob Green in his OG garden. PG photo.
By Paul Goldfinger. 1/27/2012. Blogfingner.net
We recently posted a little known song by Alan Arkin called “I Like You.” As a result of that, we heard from Ocean Grover Bob Green, whom we had interviewed in June, 2011, mostly about his years in the Grove and his work producing videos. But we did also mention that Bob has been writing for the musical theatre for many years. It turns out that Bob had written a different song entitled “I Like You.”
When Bob was in college at Upsala in East Orange he wrote and produced a show called “Follies” which attracted 5,000 people to the event. During that same period he wrote a show called “Penthouse,” and then subsequently the school put on that show. Bob wrote the book, music, and lyrics for “Penthouse.”
In 1961, Bob produced a recording from that musical. He hired a singer named Kenny Bowers, a veteran of stage and screen, to record some of the music. The song below is from that show, and it is called “I Like You.” The female voice is Carol Worth from Morristown, New Jersey who comes from a show biz family and who has appeared in many musicals in Morris County. Tony Tamburello was the pianist on this recording.
Kenny Bowers with June Allyson in the movie “Best Foot Forward” (1943)
Below are Kenny Bowers and Carol Worth singing “I Like You” from Bob Green’s “Penthouse.”
Reblogged this on Blogfinger and commented:
The late Bob Green was a champion of Ocean Grove and a generous supporter of the town. We interviewed him for this article in January 2012. It’s good to remember him again now.
These songs are terrific. They make you smile and wait and listen to hear the lyrics because they are smart and sweet and clever. A wonderful playfulness about both songs…timeless. You are truly a man of all seasons: In the Spring I’ve oohed and aahed over your garden. In Summer, the things you do with melons make the rest of us blush and in Winter your “Holiday (birthday, too) cards with “To a T” characterizations of Linda are so much fun to receive. Thank you for sharing.
Kathy
Lisa, well said! Bob is an amazing man…incredibly talented…so creative and brilliant! Loved the two songs…and can’t wait to see the show when it hits the stage. That will truly be a time to celebrate YOU! Thanks for sharing!!
Wow, although I am partial since Bob Green is my father, I have to say publicly that he is one of the most talented people that I have ever met. So proud of you dad and all that you have and continue to accomplish. You have been blessed with many gifts and generously share them with many others. Keep on doing what you love to do. You inspire us all. Love you!
There is more undiscovered talent in OG than we can imagine–thanks Bob for sharing some of it with us