Sondheim's Catchiest Score?- Page 3

Posted: 3/17/07 at 10:10am

My only problem with this thread is that I'm getting an impression that many of the posters haven't the foggiest idea what the meaning of "catchy" is. Writing "catchy" tunes is not Sondheim's forte or his intention. If it were, he'd be writing things like "How Much is That Doggie in the Window" and "Mairzy Doats"

[americanboy99]

Posted: 3/17/07 at 10:12am

INTO THE WOODS or COMPANY

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 9:10am

"Mattbrain-that was a pretty ignorant "theatre snob" comment. As ljay said, do you think that Sonhdeim sits at his piano and says to himself "Okay, how can I make this score unappealing to the ears and different?" More than half of the score of Follies is extremely melodic, with numerous songs being "catchy"."

I'm sorry. I didn't mean it to sound that way. If it helps, A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum is pretty damn catchy...and one helluva show if I might add.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 11:11am

MERRILY
FORUM
ASSASSINS
COMPANY
SATURDAY NIGHT
BOUNCE

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:06pm

Definitely Company or Merrily We Roll Along for me. I can hear that "Rich and Happy" tune for hours in my head and yet I still love it!

[HeyMrMusic]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:12pm

I think Forum and Saturday Night would be his catchiest.

~Steven

[AnnaLouise1986]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:14pm

A Little Priest from Sweeney. Only because it's stuck in my head now.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:16pm

If you listen to the full range of his works and pick out, say:

Comedy Tonight
Send in the Clowns
With So Little To Be Sure of
Welcome to the World
Who's That Woman?
No One is Alone
Agony
Someone In a Tree (yes, I mean it)
A Little Priest
Side by Side by Side
Being Alive
Not a Day Goes By
Now You Know
Losing My Mind

- as a very small selection of his most glorious melodies, (combined with lyrics that are by turns smart, hilarious or heart-breaking), this would seem to be enough evidence to quash forever the silly idea that Sondheim can't or doesn't write catchy, beautiful songs, (most of which can live happily outside their context).

Very few composers could offer a list to match even that very short excerpt from his back catalogue.

If these songs aren't memorable, you need new ears and a new memory.

[beyondblessed]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:25pm

I vote for Merrily!
It's my favorite Sondheim Show!!!

[Sykes24]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:42pm

Catchiest? I'd say ASSASSINS or INTO THE WOODS.

[Raviolisun]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 3:57pm

I have always thought that Pacific Overtures and Night Music are his least catchy.

And Passion. Passion is pretty un-catchy.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 4:13pm

I get "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" in my head a lot.

[lesmisforever]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 4:42pm

I often get songs from A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum stuck in my head.

[Show Off2]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:42pm

To me, the catchiest is ASSASINS or possibly INTO THE WOODS. But again, those are just my opinions... I sometimes find different songs from different shows to be "catchy" too but the entire score itself isn't catchy to me. Like SWEENEY. I dunno...

[bingbong]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:44pm

I'd say assassins - you don't get much catchier than national anthem, lol

[bingbong]

Posted: 4/8/07 at 6:45pm

can i add catchiest line to this?

Surely it has to be "to grandmothers house" xx