Best Broadway song ever? — Page 2

The opening number from Into The Woods sets up like 5 plot threads in about 15 minutes.

In A Very Unusual Way, from Nine.

Are we choosing based on the construction of the song (music and lyrics) or the performance of the song? or both?

For performance, "Hello Dolly" is a thrilling number, but as a song it's pretty basic.

I'd vote for "Someone in a Tree"

I think "Satisfied" from Hamilton is absolutely brilliant. The way it goes back in time in the scene and the staging, in particular, gives me chills.

Best Song from A Mega-Flop: Children of the Wind

Best Overall: Rose’s Turn




I LOVE that you put a song from Rags on here! It’s one of my favorite scores.


And agreed - Rose’s Turn hand’s down.

Here are some older songs, that have withstood the test of time, and yet are as well known I think to young as old. They are still frequently performed and recorded.

Which of these ballads is the better known and more frequently performed. Is there a third that would fit with these?

"Someone to Watch Over Me" George and Ira Gershwin, 1926, Oh, Kay! This song was written for Gertrude Lawrence, the same for whom the musical The King and I was written. It is part of the score of both "new" Gershwin musicals, Crazy for You and Nice Work.

"Till There Was You" Meredith Willson, 1957, The Music Man Famously recorded by Paul McCartney and the Beatles, but also by a few hundred others. Meredith Willson's widow like to say that the estate received more annual royalties from the Beatles' recording than from all licensing of the entire musical.

hearthemsing22 said: "I think "Satisfied" from Hamilton is absolutely brilliant. The way it goes back in time in the scene and the staging, in particular,gives me chills."

I thought “Satisfied” was a wonder as a work of imaginative writing, staging and choreography along with Renee Goldsberry’s spectacular performance. But it’s not my favorite song in Hamilton (though it’s certainly second). That honor would go to “The Room Where It Happens,” which hasn’t been mentioned.

The song definitely appeals to the historian in me, as Lin-Manuel Miranda weaves a largely accurate account of Jefferson’s version of the meeting with Hamilton - complete with an attribution to Jefferson (in Daveed Diggs’ part of the song). It’s also a pivotal character song in the musical, as Aaron Burr transitions from wry narrator to Hamilton’s angry adversary because he wants Hamilton’s political power and influence and can’t stand being left out. Hamilton’s taunts exist only in Burr’s mind but they set up the rest of the show. The song itself adds a new instrument, a banjo, that seems to come out of nowhere but works perfectly. The staging isn’t as spectacular as “Satisfied,” but Burr’s little jump as the ensemble pulls the tablecloth away is quite clever and builds to the song’s fantastic finish. And while I have seen some excellent Burrs, including Joshua Henry, Leslie Odom Jr. singing to the rafters of the Richard Rodgers (where I was sitting) was my favorite moment in a theater.