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Carousel, Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical about life in rural New England, is a story of happiness and sadness, of strength and weakness. The heroine, Julie, loves the irresponsible, happy-go-lucky, smooth-talking carnival barker, Billy. That much is happy. But when Billy tries for some easy money, and then kills himself rather than be caught, Julie is overwhelmed in tears until her friend Nettie offers her some of the most beautiful comfort ever written in a song in "You'll Never Walk Alone." This modern-day anthem of trust, embraced by all religions and loved by all the world ever since 1945, has a new spirituality and an increased dramatic intensity that immediately distinguishes it from the songs Rodgers had written up to that time. Dorothy Rodgers, the composer's wife, listed this as one of her four top favorites among his work. |
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