Best Sondheim Songs

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 4:39pm

I'm trying to get my friend into Sondheim, so I'm burning him a CD with some of his songs. My CD will only hold about 20 songs or 80 minutes. I'm trying to give a few from most of his popular shows. So far I'm thinking:

The Road You Didn't Take
Now / Later /Soon
Unworthy of Your Love
I Know Things Now
Send in the Clowns
Losing My Mind
Being Alive
Not A Day Goes By
Someone In A Tree
Johanna (Act 2 Reprise)
Happiness
Finishing the Hat
Move On
Sunday


I know I'm leaving tons of great songs out, it is very hard to limit it... Any suggestions for subtractions/additions?

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 4:43pm

I would add A Little Priest in there. I'm tempted to say add songs from Passion, but I think the real beauty of Passion is how cohesive it is. (that's true of almost all Sondheim, though, including Sweeney...)

oh, and, uh, one of my favorite songs from Assassins is The Ballad of Czolgosz, but idk if I'd consider that one of the complete absolute bests.

Updated On: 1/29/09 at 04:43 PM

[binau]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 4:44pm

I'd personally put in Cariou's Epiphany somewhere. I personally wouldn't like someone to listen to "Unworthy of your Love" unless it is in context.

Have you considered lending him the 82 Sweeney DVD and OBC album, and then going from there?

[uncageg]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 4:55pm

Our time
Another Hundred People
Children Will Listen
Johanna

[CurtisTaylorJr2]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 5:01pm

Company

Someone Is Waiting

I'm Still Here

edited for correction
Updated On: 1/29/09 at 05:01 PM

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 5:06pm

I'd take out "I Know Things Now" and put in "Moments in the Woods" if you want the best song from that show.

And you have to have "Another Hundred People."

[BNN]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 5:37pm

Weekend in the Country is a must, and I would throw in The Gun Song or Ballad of Booth as well.

[tellybox]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 5:43pm

You Could Drive a Person Crazy is a must.

[Pianolin717]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 6:51pm

is this Johanna the quartet? thats my FAV of all of the Johanna's in the show
I concur... You Could Drive a Person Crazy is a must
And how about, Another 100 People :)

[Jon]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 6:59pm

You need to add "Too Many Mornings" - a truly classic love duet.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 7:07pm

20 songs, 80 minutes is not enough, nowhere nearly enough.

I would retitle it "(Just A Few of the) Best Sondheim Songs."

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 7:50pm

"Unworthy of Your Love" is one of my absolute favorites, but I'd use the one from Putting it Together with "darling, darling" instead of Jodi/Charlie. It works better out of context.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 8:18pm

I think that from In The Woods you should put "It Takes Two." And I would think about adding "I'm Still Here," "Good Thing Going," or "Loving You."

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 8:39pm

You definitely need The Ladies Who Lunch. I'd also throw in The Ballad of Sweeney Todd.

[Pippin]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 8:40pm

From time to time I work in a Cabaret. This past November, Steve Ross was doing a tribute to Sondheim. A girl who works there, who doesn't follow theater at all really got into it. It has been the only cabaret we worked where she would stay out and watch the show almost every night. Usually she spends her time in the kitchen. Steve Ross opened the show with "Another Hundred People", and she told me it was her favorite.

So I told her that I would make her a collection of Sondheim's songs, many of which were featured in the cabaret. I wanted to keep it accessible enough and not get into the really difficult stuff, so here is the list that I made her:

1. Another Hundred People - Company obc
2. Pretty Woman - Peabo Bryson
3. Ah! Paris/ Broadway Baby - Follies in Concert
4. A Moment With You - Saturday Night
5. The Little Things You Do Together - Company obc
6. Marry Me a Little - Raul Esparza
7. Anyone Can Whistle - Anyone can Whistle Concert
8. I've Got You To Lean on - Anyone Can Whistle obc
9. With So Little To Be Sure Of - Anyone Can Whistle Concert
10. Loving You - Nancy Wilson and Peabo Bryson
11. Sorry-Grateful - Company obc
12. Losing My Mind - Follies in Concert
13. You Could Drive a Person Crazy - Company obc
14. Johanna - Sweeney Todd obc
15. Too Many Mornings - Follies obc
16. I'm Still Here - Follies obc
17. Move On - Sunday In the Park With George - obc
18. No One is Alone - Into The Woods obc
19. The Ladies Who Lunch - Company obc
20 Finale - Company obc
21. Goodbye For Now - Liz Callaway
22. Our Time - Merrily We Roll Along revival

[ashley0139]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 8:47pm

I would definitely add Not While I'm Around. My favorite from Into the Woods is Giants in the Sky, but Moments in the Woods is good as well. There are so many, but you got a lot of my favorites (Move On, Send in the Clowns).

[anotherhundredpeople2]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 9:02pm

A few suggestions--

Color and Light

Another Hundred People

Marry Me a Little

Ballad of Booth

[chris d]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 10:19pm

"More," from Dick Tracy.

[bwaylvsong]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 10:45pm

OT: Yay for A Moment With You! I played the Male Vocalist lol. I loved singing that song, but the harmony was deceptively difficult.

[J'aime GG]

Posted: 1/29/09 at 11:24pm

There is utter perfection in "Now" from A Little Night Music, and "A Little Priest."

[CyCoSpAz2]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:06am

Another Hundred People and A Little Priest.

Maybe even a Ballad of Sweeney Todd, you can pick which one you want.

[logan0215]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:39am

This is look choosing your favorite child.

It's a lose-lose.

[[tos]fan999]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 12:57am

I think I'm weird for this, but my favorite Sondheim song is actually the Overture from A Little Night Music. I think it's one of the most beautiful pieces of music I've ever heard.

[sing_dance_love]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 4:27am

OMG. I completely agree! I don't think I'd say my favorite (that belongs to "Move On" and "Stay With Me"), but I do think its absolutely marvelously stunning. AH!

[Bluejay2]

Posted: 1/30/09 at 6:18am

Having got into Sondheim lately I can suggest some of the songs that made me like him:
_ Everybody's got the right and Unworthy of your love from Assassins
_ Ever after, It takes two, and the ending of Into the woods
_ The ballad of Sweeney Todd (I like a lot the first and the last one), Epiphany, Little priest, Johanna (quartet), Not while I'm around from Sweeney Todd (as you can see from the number of songs Sweeney was the show that got me hooked to Sondheim)
_ Loving you from Passion
_ You could drive a person crazy, Another hundred people from Company
_ Sunday from Sunday in the park with George