Contains spoilers for: "Phantom of the Opera," "The Last Five Years," "Next to Normal," "Rent," "Miss Saigon," and "Spring Awakening."
Broadway musicals are full of love songs, and I love me a good love duet, but I do have some definite personal favorites. Here are m six favorite love songs from musicals!
The Next Ten Minutes (from The Last Five Years)
Will you share your life with me, for the next ten lifetimes?
This song tells the story of Jamie, the male lead's, proposal to Cathy, the female lead. What makes this song extra special is that it's actually the only time the characters are seen together on stage, as the rest of musical is told through solo songs by either him or her. It's an incredibly sweet declaration of commitment and love between the two, and it just wrenches at your heart because you know from the start that the happiness and love they felt then is going to blow up in their face.
All I Ask of You (from The Phantom of the Opera)
I'm here, with you beside you, to guard you and to guide you.
After Christine is terrified by the phantom, Raul holds her to calm her down and promises to keep her safe and protect her. She asks him to love her every day, and he asks her to share her life with him. In the end, the two agree that all they're really asking each other for is love. Their sweet love song contrasts the phantom's obsessive love songs.
Perfect For You (reprise) (from Next to Normal)
Sometimes life is insane, but crazy I know I can do.
Throughout most of the musical, Henry and Natalie have been in love, but Natalie has been pushing Henry away. She finally reveals to him that she's afraid that in the future, she'll go "crazy like her mother" and Henry will have to suffer like her father has been. Henry tells her that they could both go crazy, but he'd still do his best to be perfect for her, and that "crazy is perfect." The original song that occurs earlier in the musical is also very sweet, but the reprise is much more emotional and poignant.
I'll Cover You (from Rent)
If you're cold and you're lonely, I will cover you.
This duet between Collins and Angel is the most joyful musical love song there is. It's just two people who are so happy to be with each other, and the staging consists of them dancing together, laughing, and just having fun. It's just plain cute!
Why God Why? (from Miss Saigon)
I liked my memories as they were, but now I'll leave remembering her.
The only solo song on this list! The singer is a desperate soldier who spent the night with a beautiful Vietnamese woman in a brothel, and he wakes up wondering why God gave him such a beautiful night with that woman when he would be forced to return to the United States and leave her anyway. In some parts of the song it sounds like the soldier is crying out to God rather than singing, and his confusion is just wrenching.
Touch Me (from Spring Awakening)
No more shadows anymore. Only you there in the kiss, and nothing missing as we're drifting.
Okay, this one's more of a lust song than a love song but the lyrics are so poetic and the music is so beautiful that I have to include it. It's an absolutely gorgeous song about wanting a physical relationship with someone, and some verses are more romantic than others. The melody is absolutely beautiful! You'd think it was a straight up love song.
Those are just my favorites, but there are lots more I didn't include! There's no lack of love songs in the world of musical theater!
