Swing Joined: 5/21/16
I'm looking for the best and most emotion-invoking male solos. I prefer songs that aren't necessarily sad like What Is It About Her from the Wild Party, but if its a really good song, it doesn't matter the style as long as its dramatic. Other examples are Part of a Painting from Edges or Till I Hear You Sing from Love Never Dies
I would say:
I Am What I Am from La Cage Aux Folles
Nobody Needs To Know from The Last Five Years
Those You've Known from Spring Awakening
Santa Fe from Newsies
Maria from WSS
Hold Me in Your Heart from Kinky Boots
Neverland from Finding Neverland
Being Alive from Company
This Is The Moment - J/H
The Music Of The Night - Phantom
"Who I'd Be" from Shrek is a beautiful [mostly solo] male song.
"Never Will I Marry" from GREENWILLOW is a great dramatic song, as originally done. The most popular Babs and Judy renditions are not as dramatic though.
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/1/08
Night Song, from Golden Boy
All of My Life, from Do Re Mi
Where I Want To Be, from Chess
The Road You Didn't Take, from Follies
I Can See It, from The Fantasticks
It All Fades Away, from The Bridges of Madison County
In My Own Lifetime, from The Rothschilds
Old Man River SHOW BOAT
Soliloquy CAROUSEL
Epiphany SWEENEY TODD
Lost in the Stars LOST IN THE STARS
Oh Lawd I'm On My Way PORGY AND BESS
Funny CITY OF ANGELS
Into the Fire THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL
Fanette, The Bulls, and Amsterdam JACQUES BREL...
Lonely House STREET SCENE
Love Can't Happen GRAND HOTEL
Call From the Grave THREEPENNY OPERA
The Impossible Dream MAN OF LA MANCHA
Where I Want To Be and Anthem CHESS
This Nearly Was Mine SOUTH PACIFIC
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/04
Once Before I Go -- THE BOY FROM OZ
It All Fades Away But You -- BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY
Soliloquy -- CAROUSEL
The suggestions above are excellent (although "The Road You Didn't Take" ends on a wistful note that may not be what you want if you are looking for something more dramatic).
If you want something less well-known, look at "It's Always Love" from SUGAR.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/30/15
Celie's Curse from the new Color Purple album.
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/30/15
"If Ever I Should Leave You" -- Camelot
"Where is Love" -- Oliver
"Gigi" -- Ditto
"Mr. Cellophane" -- Chicago The anthem of life-long introverts.
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/20/13
Leading Actor Joined: 10/13/11
"heartbreaker" from Bright Star is a good recent example!
"Is Anybody There?" - 1776
"The Day After That" - Kiss of the Spider Woman (not exactly a solo, but still)
"Bring Him Home" - Les Miserables
Featured Actor Joined: 6/12/07
"Pity the child" from Chess
Javert's suicide"from Les Miserables
"Why, God, why" from Miss Saigon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/10/11
Also...
Younger Than Springtime
i've Grown Accustomed to Her Face
On the Street Where You Live
Pity the Child
She Loves Me
Joanna
In My Own Lifetime
Hey There
I Believe
What Kind of Fool Am I?
Who Can I Turn To?
Feeling Good
Easy To Love
All Through the Night
If I Were a Rich Man
The Other Half Of Me - I Had A Ball
The Fickle Finger Of Fate - Ball
Life Is A Woman - Sammy Davis Jr revival of Stop The World
"I Stayed" from A Catered Affair
"Come Back" from Dog Fight
"How Glory Goes" from Floyd Collins
"It Took Me A While" from Jon and Jen
"My Heart Is So Full of You" from The Most Happy Fella
"Guido's Song" from Nine
"Love Can't Happen" from Grand Hotel
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/5/09
"I'm looking for the best and most emotion-invoking male solos... it doesn't matter the style as long as its dramatic."
Just as food for thought, songs that can evoke the strongest emotions can often be reflective, rather than dramatic, eg. "September Song" from Knickerbocker Holiday, or "Staying Young" from Take Me Along. I remember the strong impression these made on me even at a young age.
"Confrontation" from Jekyll & Hyde (1997). Although some may say it was a duet - lol.
Definitely "Bring Him Home" from Les Miserables...if you can pull it off.
"The Greatest Star of All" from Sunset Boulevard
"Anthem" from Chess
"Words Fail" from Dear Evan Hansen
"Night Will Come" from Groundhog Day
"Seeing You" from Groundhog Day
"Wait for Me" from Hadestown
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