Broadway musicals have played a huge role in my life. When I was growing up, musicals were the thing I listened to the most, other than the Beatles. So I thought I'd share with you what happen to be some of my favorite songs from Broadway musicals.
1. A Wild, Wild Party
This song is from the musical The Wild Party by Andrew Lippa. I played in the pit for this show and it instantly became one of my favorites. You can bet I was lip syncing from behind the stage! Based on Joseph Moncure March's 1928 narrative poem of the same name, it coincidentally made its debut during the same theatre season (1999–2000) as a Broadway production with the same name and source material.
2. No One Is Alone
This is a song from another Sondheim musical, Into the Woods, and performed toward the end of Act II as the piece's penultimate number.
3. We Can Do It
This song is featured in the musical The Producers - adapted by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan from Brooks' 1968 film of the same name. As in the film, the story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by overselling interests in a Broadway flop. Complications arise when the show unexpectedly turns out to be successful.
4. Put On A Happy Face
This song literally just makes me happy. From the musical, Bye Bye Birdie, it is set in 1958. The story was inspired by the phenomenon of popular singer Elvis Presley and his draft notice into the Army in 1957. The rock star character's name, "Conrad Birdie", is word play on the name of Conway Twitty. Twitty is best remembered today for his long career as a country music star, but in the late 1950s, he was one of Presley's rock 'n' roll rivals.
5. Sue Me
This is from Guys and Dolls, a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. This song is between Nathan and Adelaide, she asks herself why she keeps putting up with Nathan's lies, and he tells her that he loves her.
6. Move On
This song is towards the end of the musical Sunday in the Park with George. A musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine, it was inspired by the painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat.
7. Hold On
If you need a song to lift your spirits, this is definitely the one. Hold On is from The Secret Garden. The Secret Garden is a musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The musical's script and lyrics are by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon. It premiered on Broadway in 1991 and ran for 709 performances.
There are literally thousands of songs from the Broadway stage, and I certainly could talk about even more of them. Take the time out of your day and find your own!
