As requested, after last week’s Top 10: Musicals, I now give you my favourite musical songs. And before you think that it’s going to be a tired rehash of last week, let me state the rules.
- Only one song per musical.
- Only original music allowed. (So, no Mamma Mia! or what hurts much more, no Yellow Submarine or Moulin Rouge!) [Though I would have loved to put Roxanne here.]
Plus, there are musicals which I love though the music isn’t that good (like The Producers) and there are songs I love though I don’t like the musical that much.
That said, there’s going to be some overlap.
10. Memory (Cats)
Okay, what Top Musical Songs List could NOT include Memory? It’s probably the most sung musical song ever. I couldn’t exclude it, out of respect.
9. Boote in der Nacht (Elisabeth)
*sniff* I just cried again, rewatching it. I guess that’s all I need to say.
8. There Are Worse Things I Could Do (Grease)
Probably the most underrated song in the history of musicals. And the most underrated performance in musical movies.
7. Gott ist tot (Tanz der Vampire)
I’m so excited that this musical will be back in autumn, did I mention that already?
There’s so much longing and desperation in this song – and yet, it never gets annoying like this whining douchebag Louis.
Sorry that the video is so boring, but I wanted to show you a version that has Steve Barton singing. Because he was absolutely amazing.
6. Walking in Space (Hair)
For me, this song is the whole musical condensed. And it’s beautiful.
5. Slipping (Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog)
Actually, Slipping and On the Rise share the first place, but as I posted On the Rise last week, I’ll just give you Slipping.
[And is there some way to buy a little Neil Patrick Harris doll that sings? I don’t really want the whole guy, that would be slavery, but just a little copy to call my own?]
[Video is slightly spoiler-y.]
4. Standing (Buffy: Once More, with Feeling)
Oh Giles… *sigh* Best ersatz-father ever.
3. I’d Be Surprisingly Good For You (Evita)
I like the music from Evita, even if I don’t like much about the rest of the musical. But I love how the theme of “I’d Be Surprisingly Good For You” is the same from “On This Night of a Thousand Stars”, and how this are the two scenes where Evita meets her most important men – the one who brings her to Buenos Aires and Colonel Peron.
And I also like the song itself.
[Another good one is “Rainbow High”.]
2. Mr. Cellophane (Chicago)
John C. Reilly’s magic moment. He never was as good before or after in his career so far. [At least as far as I know.]
1. Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me (Rocky Horror Show)
Oh, I love this song. I just love it.
kalafudra's Stuff 
One of my all time favorites:
Defying Gravity from Wicked – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g4ekwTd6Ig
I didn’t know that song. But I quite like it.
[And why don’t I know that Musical at all? It’s right up my alley!]
But you must at least have seen the books around? They’re everywhere.
No, I don’t think I’ve seen the books either. But they look great.
Mute Oracle, “Defying Gravity” was actually the song I thought of when I asked for (ahem…demanded) this list last week. I love it.
Off the top of my head, my own list would also include:
– “On My Own” from Les Mis
– “Coupables” from Roméo et Juliette
– “Mascerade” from Phantom
– “Another Suitcase In Another Hall” from Evita
– “Carpe Noctem” from Tanz der Vampire
– “Skimbleshanks” from Cats (because I’m five years old…so sue me ^^)
– “Gold von den Sternen” from Mozart
– “Tell Me On A Sunday” from Song and Dance
– “Tomorrow” from Annie
Yeah…I’m a sap, what can I say. Also, Stockhard Channing rules.
I think I know only half of those songs. But those I know I like as well.
And Stockard Channing is absolutely fucking great.
Personally, I think that a live without having seen Stockard Channing call somebody a “Pompous Jackass” is only a life half-lived.
Aaaargh…spelling is my friend.
Good thing I’m teaching English today ^^
*lol*
Happens to the best of us, doesn’t it?
“Mr Cellophane” is soooo sad. He is such a good guy… *sob*
I love the prison song as well (“and then he ran into my knife. 4 times.”)
The Cell Block Tango’s good. I also like Tit for Tat. But Chicago in general is great.
And yes, Amos is a very tragic figure.
Cell Block Tango it is!
I often wonder why people know these things and I don’t… it shakes my image of me being an educated person.
Somehow children are the end of culture. Of course they are also the ones who we pass our knowledge on to – which makes them the persistance of culture. And this is the beginning of culture for them…. a strange circle. Maybe I’ll write a blog entry about that to clarify my thoughts.
PS: I loved Amos’ character. So naive and nice it just breaks your heart to see this trust lost on someone who doesn’t love him.
You quoted Turandot to me – don’t you go worrying about the state of your education. Yeesh.
And your thought on culture and kids only works, if you mix two different definitions of culture, in my opinion. The kind of culture that you say ends with kids is the arts. The culture that we pass on and that kids carry on – that’s the socialisation.
If you know what I mean.