Examples of Musical Theater "List" Songs

[Sondheim_Disney1595]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:20pm

In an interview with Duncan Sheik, he mentioned that You Are What You Wear from American Psycho was written as an homage to musical theater "list" songs. I have never heard this term used before. If anyone could provide an example(s) of a "list" song, it would be greatly appreciated.

[gypsy101]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:21pm

You're the Top is probably the biggest one.

[pupscotch]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:24pm

Have an Egg Roll, Mr. Goldstone is another, but You're the Top is the main one.

[nolanativeny]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:29pm

Not musical theatre but the Catalogue Aria from Don Giovanni is the "classic" (literally) example. 

[bway1497]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:39pm

I would say that "Comedy Tonight" is one.

[John Adams]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:41pm

"Buenos Aires" from Evita

I always thought "You Are What You Wear" was much more like Madonna's "Vogue" than any song from musical theater.

[CindersGolightly]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:46pm

The History of Wrong Guys from "Kinky Boots" was the first thing that popped into my head when reading the title of this thread.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 3:50pm

Unsettled Scores from Whistle Down the Wind 

[sabrelady]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 4:05pm

Gilbert and Sullivan did a fair Number (inc I've Got a Little List )

La Vie Boheme (Rent) 

My Favorite Things ( Song of Music)

I'm still Here ( Follies) ( Sondheim says these are the easiest songs to write)

 Half the songs for Hair.

As a non Bway song I always think Tom Lehr's  "The Periodic Table of Elements" is the best list song.

 

 

 

Updated On: 6/18/16 at 04:05 PM

[Pippin]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 5:41pm

"Tchaikovsky" From Lady in the Dark is one of the best ever written.

"Zip" - Pal Joey

Cole porter wrote many:

I've a shooting box in Scotland

Let's do it (let's fall in love)

At long last love

Brush up your shakespeare

Can-Can

Come to the Supermarket

[Mike Costa]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 6:08pm

All songs are pretty much "I want, "I love you" or "list" songs.

What gets clever is when someone writes a lyric which is not about these things.

[madbrian]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 6:42pm

Joseph's Coat

[Queen of the Night]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 7:27pm

"I got life" from Hair

[UrNotAMachine]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 7:42pm

"A Little Priest" is another one that hasn't been mentioned.

[followspot]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 8:01pm

"I Wish I Were in Love Again" — Babes in Arms

"To Keep My Love Alive" — A Connecticut Yankee

"You Can Always Count on Me" — City of Angels

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 8:02pm

"Under the Sea" is actually kind of a list song. Great rhymes.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:46pm

Ah, Paris!  FOLLIES

The Butler's Song  SO LONG, 174th STREET

I Can Cook, Too  ON THE TOWN

Conga  WONDERFUL TOWN

My Favorite Things  THE SOUND OF MUSIC 

Down with Love  HOORAY, FOR WHAT?

I Remember Sky  EVENING PRIMROSE

What More Do I Need?  SATURDAY NIGHT

In the Movies  SATURDAY NIGHT

Everyday a Little Death  A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

In Praise of Women  A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

Now  A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

 

Updated On: 6/18/16 at 09:46 PM

Posted: 6/18/16 at 9:59pm

"Shiksa Goddess" from The Last Five Years popped into my head.

[Wilmingtom]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 11:08pm

Plenty of Pennsylvania from Plain and Fancy.

[BobChapski]

Posted: 6/18/16 at 11:26pm

I am the very model of a modern major general from Pirates of Penzance

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 6/19/16 at 12:14am

Yes, "I am the very model of a modern Major General" and pretty much all of the "patter man" songs in the Gilbert and Sullivan canon. Including..."I've Got a Little List."

[tcawam]

Posted: 6/19/16 at 9:06am

Wigmaker Sequence from Sweeney Todd

[jbird5]

Posted: 6/19/16 at 6:55pm

I Get a Kick Out of You

non Broadway

It's the End of the World as We Know It

We Didn't Start the Fire

[Dysquith13]

Posted: 6/19/16 at 7:21pm

http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ListSong

There's a pretty nice list of them here! (look under the theater tab for musicals)

[gypsy101]

Posted: 6/19/16 at 8:18pm

I've always loved Drop That Name from Bells Are Ringing.