My life is a walking Broadway musical. It's mostly my fault because wherever I go I like to hum, sing, belt, or rap (for the "Hamilton" fans) Broadway tunes. Some of the best pieces of Broadway history are the soulful, dramatic ballads, which I have so conveniently gathered in one sweet little article.
1. "I’m Not That Girl"
"Wicked"
Did Stephen Schwartz write this song or did he steal it from my high school diary? A ballad about unrequited love is always a popular (no musical pun intended) hit. I may not be green like Elphaba, but I fully get what she's saying when she feels like she isn't good enough for the guy she loves because she's different! It's OK Elphie, stay true to yourself and you'll find love eventually...even if it's with a scarecrow.
2. "Burn"
"Hamilton"
So imagine your husband not only had an affair, but wrote about it and published it for the world to read. Awk, right? Eliza Hamilton reacts in the only way by dramatically burning any and every letter from her unfaithful husband. It's one of the most heart breaking things as she reads the Reynolds Pamphlet and realizes he spent the entire text rescuing his political persona and in doing so ruins their marriage.
3. "The Hill"
"Once"
Ugh, this song. It hits me every single time I listen to it. The main female protagonist is only identified as "Girl" plays the song on the piano revealing her deepest feelings about "Guy" who his hiding and listening to her sing. It's hauntingly beautiful in the way that "Girl" is comparing herself to a ghost in front of "Guy". She is giving him everything and doing everything she can, yet it feels like he doesn't even notice or cannot see what she is doing for him.
4. "Someone Like You"
"Jekyll and Hyde"
Linda Eder, the Queen of Power Ballads, blew me out of the waters with this piece from "Jekyll and Hyde." The power behind her voice is the perfect choice for a song that talks about freedom in love. Similar to Not That Girl, Lucy sings about how if someone as wonderful like Dr. Jekyll could love her, anything could happen. Her voice soars when she sings the line "I feel so alive" and it sends shivers down my spine.
5. "On My Own"
"Les Misérables"
Because the only way to get over a crush is to walk the cold, rainy streets of France. A simple piano accompaniment with rain gently in the background, any girl could sing her pain away. One of the most overdone ballads in broadway history, but everyone still loves it.
6. "Feed the Birds"
"Mary Poppins"
This ballad is more like a lullaby. Well actually it is a lullaby, but it's too beautiful to not include it in the list. Julie Andrews sweetly sings this song about an old woman who spends her time feeding the birds outside of the cathedral. Feed the Birds is the song I skipped through as a kid but now it is my favorite piece in the entire play (yes I prefer it over "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious"). It's sweet, it's simple, it's stunning.
7. "Santa Fe"
"Newsies"
"I ain't got nothin, if I ain't got Santa Fe!" The final note of Act 1. Jeremy Jordan and his voice give me life during "Santa Fe." The song talks about the longing for somewhere new, beautiful, and a fresh start. "Newsies" is a musical about fighting for what's right and what you believe in and Jack Kelley fights for the newsies rights and fights for his chance to go to Santa Fe.
8. "If I Can’t Love Her"
"Beauty and the Beast
It's a tale as old as time. A Disney classic brought to life on the stage which included some movie originals and then a few extra songs such as this one. The song makes me tear up a little as Beast is singing how if he can't love Belle, then who will love her, and will she ever love him. He has to look into himself and become vulnerable to someone and learn to love himself and then Belle if he wants her to love him back.
9. "All I Ask of You"
"Phantom of the Opera"
Tears streaming down my face as Raoul proclaims his love to Christine. Raoul, if you asked me to drop college so I could be a rich Parisian opera singer then I would happily say yes. But in reality, I'm Carlotta, a sassy prima donna.
