Hi, Peter. The first Broadway performance of "Pal Joey" was December 25, 1940, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. There were 374 performances in that run, which starred Vivienne Segal, Gene Kelly, June Havoc, and Jack Durant. I couldn't find an original cast recording, but Sony has a CD of the 1952 revival (which had 542 performances), starring Vivienne Segal and Harold Lang. Seems a shame there's no recording of Kelly's stage performance. There's also a CD of a 1995 revival, starring Patti Lupone and Peter Gallagher. There's also a reissue of a 1940 London performance, so maybe that would be a good one to get.

I have the DVD of the 1957 movie, starring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, and Kim Novak. I really like it, but I gather the original Broadway show had a lot more bite to it. Take a look at the review at http://www.allmovie.com. the review says the original lyrics of "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered" aren't heard in most recordings.

BEWITCHED, BOTHERED, AND BEWILDERED
(Rodgers & Hart, 1940/41)

VERSE
After one whole quart of brandy,*
Like a daisy I awake.
With no Bromo Seltzer handy,
I don't even shake.
Men are not a new sensation;
I've done pretty well, I think.
But this half-pint imitation
Put me on the blink.

REFRAIN 1
I'm wild again,
Beguiled again,
A simpering, whimpering child again—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.

Couldn't sleep
And wouldn't sleep
Until I could sleep where I shouldn't sleep—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.
Lost my heart, but what of it?
My mistake, I agree.
He's a laugh, but I love it
Because the laugh's on me.
A pill he is,
But still he is
All mine and I'll keep him until he is
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered
Like me.

REFRAIN 2
Seen a lot— I mean a lot—
But now I'm like sweet seventeen a lot—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.

I'll sing to him,
Each spring to him,
And worship the trousers that cling to him—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.
When he talks, he is seeking
Words to get off his chest.
Horizontally speaking,
He's at his very best.
Vexed again,
Perplexed again,
Thank God I can be oversexed again—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.

REFRAIN 3
Sweet again,
Petite again,
And on my proverbial seat again—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.

What am I?
Half shot am I.
To think that he loves me
So hot am I—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.

Though at first we said, "No, sir,"
Now we're two little dears.
You might say we are closer
Than Roebuck is to Sears.
I'm dumb again
And numb again,
A rich, ready, ripe little plum again
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.

ENCORE
You know,
It is really quite funny
Just how quickly he learns
How to spend all the money
That Mr. Simpson earns.
He's kept enough,
He's slept enough,
And yet where it counts
He's adept enough—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered am I.


REPRISE (at end of show)
Wise at last,
My eyes at last
Are cutting you down to your size at last—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more.

Burned a lot,
But learned a lot,
And now you are broke, though you earned a lot—
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more.

Couldn't eat— Was dyspeptic,
Life was so hard to bear;
Now my heart's antiseptic,
Since you moved out of there.
Romance—finis;
Your chance—finis;
Those ants that invaded my pants—finis--
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered no more.

*In the published script the first four lines are:
He's a fool, and don't I know it—
But a fool can have his charms;
I'm in love and don't I show it,
Like a babe in arms.