Best Musical Theatre Song of All-Time (Pick ONLY One) — Page 5

Nothing from Hamilton will ever end up on a best all time list in a few years.

"Overture", The Phantom of the Opera

Updated On: 11/1/18 at 11:26 AM

Depends on the day.

Today it's "Lot's Wife" by Tesori and Kushner.

First that comes to my mind is "Johanna (Quartet)" from Sweeney. But that is more a favorite I think.

So I will go with Oklahoma.

Close runners up:

At The Ballet

Being Alive

Sunday

Marry Me A Little

Put On Your Sunday Clothes

Totally agree with all of the people saying One Day More!

But today I will go with Skid Row (Downtown). It's just so good.

Jarethan said: "OlBlueEyes said: "ErinDillyFan said: "Tonight from West Side Story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyUV3hIL-G0

"

So Lenny finally got a vote. Let’s see. That makes it Sondheim 34 (give or take a dozen)

Bernstein 1

What a travesty that Sondheim did not write the music in addition to the lyrics of West Side Story."



I hope that last sentence is a joke. IMO the score to WSS is the sole reason it remains a classic. i have to admit that I gottired of WSS at least 30 years ago, although I amsure that I have seen it at least 5 - 6 times since then, more Includingthe movie. I have never gotten tired because of the score,which is the main reason I have continued to watch. I have gotten major tired ofhe choreography (Jerome Robbins'Broadway sealed the deal),soshoot me; some of the lyrics are really lame, e.g.,16 year old uneducated Maria sings 'it's alarming how charming I feel'(even Sondheim has acknowledged that some of the lyrics are too clever for the characters who are singing them); the book is okay. It's the score by Leonard Bernstein."

So Lenny finally got a vote. Let’s see. That makes it

Sondheim 34 (give or take a dozen)
Bernstein 1

What a travesty that Sondheim did not write the music in addition to the lyrics of West Side Story."

I hope that last sentence is a joke. IMO the score to WSS is the sole reason it remains a classic. i have to admit that I gottired of WSS at least 30 years ago, although I amsure that I have seen it at least 5 - 6 times since then, more Includingthe movie. I have never gotten tired because of the score,which is the main reason I have continued to watch. I have gotten major tired ofhe choreography (Jerome Robbins'Broadway sealed the deal),soshoot me; some of the lyrics are really lame, e.g.,16 year old uneducated Maria sings 'it's alarming how charming I feel'(even Sondheim has acknowledged that some of the lyrics are too clever for the characters who are singing them); the book is okay. It's the score by Leonard Bernstein."

Yes, that was an attempt at sarcasm. Sondheim writes good show tunes; Bernstein was a musical genius. I only wish he had written a few more musicals.

Sondheim lacked the ability to write many of the songs of West Side Story, such as "America" and "Tonight." He probably would have thought the song too sentimental, anyway. Ditto for most of the songs of Candide from the Overture. (But don't let Sondheim sell himself short on the lyrics. Lyrics for "America" and "Gee, Officer Krupke" and many others were very worthy of him.)

Just surprised that about a third would choose "Being Alive" as the best Broadway song ever written. "Being Alive" Who outside of the theater community even know the song. Who records or performs it other than Patti Lupone and Bernadette Peters and those doing all Sondheim albums or concerts.

Almost like a lot of the usually independent posters here jumped on the "Being Alive" band wagon instead of taking the slight risk of picking their own best.

Anyway, the question was really unanswerable.

Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific