"Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" Soundtrack Lyrics

"Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? (Original Cast Recording)" Soundtrack Description

Overview

Is a Catholic-school coming-of-age story better told with a wink or with a hymn? This musical does both. The 1985 studio session—later issued on CD—captures James Quinn & Alaric Jans’s score in clean, close-miked form: brisk book numbers, doo-wop pastiche, and parlor-song sincerity sitting side by side. It’s less about star turns and more about ensemble storytelling.

Context matters: the show opened in Chicago (1979), reached Broadway briefly in 1982, then lived on through licensing and this recording. Album metadata and credits are consistent across AllMusic (session date/locations) and CastAlbums (label/cat. nos.); IBDB and Playbill verify the production timeline. Wikipedia also notes a later, non-musical film script in development—no released feature exists.

Questions & Answers

Is there actually a 1985 movie?

No. It’s a stage musical. 1985 refers to the recording session; a film script was drafted years later but no feature was released.

Who wrote the music and lyrics?

James Quinn and Alaric (Rokko) Jans.

When and where was the cast recording made?

Recorded September 4, 1985; sources list Olympic Studio No. 1 (London) and RCA Studio B (New York).

What labels issued it?

First on LP via Columbia/CBS Special Products (DP-18852, mid-80s); CD issues followed on Bay Cities (3033) and later Original Cast Records (1995).

What’s the show about?

1950s Catholic school life in Chicago—Eddie Ryan and classmates navigate nuns, crushes, confession, and growing up; Eddie’s long arc with Becky is the spine.

Is there an official full digital release?

Availability varies by territory and edition; physical CD/LP releases are verifiable, while streaming entries mirror those masters irregularly.

Who handled music direction/orchestrations on the album?

Music direction/conducting: Larry Hochman; orchestrations credited to Gary Anderson and William David Brohn.

Notes & Trivia

• The Broadway run at the Alvin Theatre lasted five performances (May 27–30, 1982).
• The show became a staple of regional/community theatres afterward via Samuel French/Concord Theatricals.
• Album credits list Larry Hochman (later a Tony winner) as music director/conductor.
• Multiple disc editions exist: CBS Special Products LP, Bay Cities CD, and an Original Cast Records CD reissue.
• Trusted sources cited in text: IBDB; AllMusic; CastAlbums.org; Playbill; Wikipedia.

Genres & Themes

Doo-wop & 50s pop pastiche → school-dance innocence, crush logic, and group dynamics.

Comic patter & novelty → classroom/nun set-pieces; rhythm sells the punchlines.

Prayer-tinged ballads → moral dilemmas sung softly, not shouted.

Ensemble finales → memory as community; the adult voice looks back with affection and sting.

Tracks & Scenes

“Get Ready, Eddie”
Where it lands: Early Act I, the class sizes Eddie up; book number led by peers.
Why it matters: Frames Eddie as our POV and stakes the “Catholic kid survival kit.”

“The Greatest Gift”
Where it lands: Act I catechism beat; teacher-led but student-felt.
Why it matters: Sincere theology collides with adolescent subtext—earnest and a little crooked.

“Little Fat Girls”
Where it lands: Act I; the hallway pecking order in song.
Why it matters: Bites down on body-image cruelty, then flips perspective as Becky’s arc unfolds.

“It’s the Nuns”
Where it lands: Act I classroom set-piece.
Why it matters: Patter writing and choral asides nail the fear-and-fondness paradox.

“Cookie Cutters”
Where it lands: Mid-Act I; conformity anthem—ironically bouncy.
Why it matters: Hooks mask critique; the show’s thesis in miniature.

“Queen of the May”
Where it lands: School ritual sequence.
Why it matters: Ceremony meets crush; the melody softens satire.

“Private Parts”
Where it lands: Late Act I sex-ed gag.
Why it matters: Blue humor by implication; laugh lines carried by rhythm.

“How Far Is Too Far?”
Where it lands: Act I boundary test for Eddie/Becky.
Why it matters: Confession and desire share a verse—classic teen-musical tension.

“Doo-Waa, Doo-Wee”
Where it lands: Act II opener vibe/reset.
Why it matters: Doo-wop glow that resets the social board before bigger choices.

“I Must Be in Love”
Where it lands: Act II turn; Eddie names it.
Why it matters: Straight-arrow melody that lets Becky/Eddie feel real, briefly.

“We’re Saving Ourselves for Marriage” (with “Mad Bomber” tag)
Where it lands: Act II comic centerpiece.
Why it matters: Virtue rhetoric sung at full tilt; the joke lands because the tune is sticky.

“Late Bloomer & Prom Montage”
Where it lands: Act II rite-of-passage sequence.
Why it matters: Montage writing pushes time forward and rebalances the hallway hierarchy.

“Thank God”
Where it lands: Closing beat/reflection.
Why it matters: A modest benediction: older voices blessing younger selves.

Music–Story Links

Quinn & Jans toggle satire and sincerity. The novelty numbers let you laugh at the rulebook; the ballads ask what the rules cost. Becky’s “late bloomer” arc retrofits earlier jokes, and Eddie’s confession-tinged love songs turn school myths into adult memory. The album sequencing preserves that swing—gag → grace → gag.

How It Was Made

Writers: James Quinn (lyrics/music) and Alaric “Rokko” Jans (music/lyrics). Source: John R. Powers’s 1975 novel. Production timeline: Chicago run (1979), brief Broadway engagement (May 27–30, 1982). Recording: studio session dated September 4, 1985; music direction by Larry Hochman; orchestrations credited to Gary Anderson and William David Brohn. Editions: mid-80s LP on Columbia/CBS Special Products (DP-18852); CD on Bay Cities (3033); later reissue on Original Cast Records (1995).

Reception & Quotes

“Hugely successful in Chicago … a staple of regional theaters.” —IBDB/Playbill summaries

“Studio-clean, ensemble-first presentation of a memory-musical score.” —AllMusic album entry

“A brief Broadway stop, then a long afterlife in licensing.” —CastAlbums.org/Concord overview

Additional Info

• Licensing currently administered by Concord Theatricals (formerly Samuel French).
• The Broadway company played the Alvin Theatre (now Neil Simon Theatre).
• Some editions are branded “Members of the Original Cast” rather than “Original Broadway Cast.”
• Collectors track both the CBS LP (DP-18852) and Bay Cities CD (3033); later OCR CDs reuse the 1985 session.
• If shopping used, confirm label/catalog to match the track sequence you want.

Technical Info

• Title: Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? (Original Cast Recording)
• Year (session): 1985; not a feature film
• Type: Stage musical cast album
• Music & Lyrics: James Quinn; Alaric Jans
• Music Direction/Conductor: Larry Hochman
• Orchestrations: Gary Anderson; William David Brohn
• Recording date/locations: Sept 4, 1985; Olympic Studio No. 1 (London) and RCA Studio B (New York)
• Labels/editions (selected): Columbia/CBS Special Products LP DP-18852 (mid-80s); Bay Cities CD 3033 (c. 1985); Original Cast Records CD (1995)
• Availability: Physical media widely traded; digital availability varies

Canonical Entities & Relations

Sources: IBDB; AllMusic; CastAlbums.org; Playbill Vault; Wikipedia; Concord Theatricals.

November, 09th 2025