A GOOD OPENING NUMBER REQUIRED

I am Musical Director for a pantomime - "Treasure Island" which I am currently preparing for... I need a good strong opening number for Act 1, either a musical number or a pop song...it can have a nautical theme, but it doesn't necessarily have to have one! Any suggestions?? I can't think of any for the life of me!! Thank you!!

Consider "Marathon" from the Jacques Brel canon.

"Blow High, Blow Low" from Carousel. Bring out your sailors and pirates with a big sea shanty type singalong!

I did that song in a sort of mini-panto type show a few years back with a pirate theme. Here's a tip. After the first chorus, there's usually a part in "Carousel" when Billy and Jigger have a little conversation over the music. We put in a pirate character speaking directly out to the audience with a little mini-monologue instead.

"Yarr, be ye lookin' for adventure out on the high seas? Well, matey, climb aboard with us on the good ship (name of ship here). True, there be plenty of wild and scurvy dogs to ship out with ye, but watch yer back, matey, for there be no law on the seven seas, and dead men tell no tales!"

Come Sail Away by Styx.

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Funny you should ask. I was in charge of the production numbers for large, state-wide convention this fall, and it was cruise/sea-themed. Our opening number was made up of:

"Beyond the Sea"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K61p6PTZm0s

"Rock the Boat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otp9GmMurN4&feature=related

and "Sea Cruise"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kbj8XQiYdIA&feature=related

Really fun stuff. :)

I second "In the Navy", even though they're pirates.

How about "Cabin Fever" from Muppets Treasure Island? Or even a few of the other songs from the movie.

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Magic to Do from Pippin for non-nautical
Parent's Day from Moby Dick - is that nautical or just naughty?

Change some of the lyrics to THE ADVANTAGES OF FLOATING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SEA?