Favorite Kander and Ebb song

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 9:33pm

Tomorrow (9/11) is the anniversary of Fred Ebb's death. I thought it would be interesting to hear what everyone's favorite song(s) by this incredible team are. I'll start it out with the obvious:

Cabaret - this is the quintessential 11 o'clock number. It says everything you need to know about Sally Bowles in one amazing song. This is a true American Standard.

Next, in no particular order:
Maybe This Time
And the World Goes 'Round
Go Back Home

[dreaming]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 9:44pm

I'd argue that my favorite Kander & Ebb song "What Would You Do?" is the true 11 o'clock number of "Cabaret". The character of Fraulein Schneider represents most people at large during this time (I think there is a common misconception that everyone was either a Nazi or a member of a persecuted group), Her song poses the essential question most people were faced with, simply what to do. (I for one cannot fathom what it must have been like being caught in the middle).
"Cabaret" is Sally's answer to "What Would You Do?".

My other favorite songs:

"Maybe This Time"
"New York, New York" (ever since I heard it when I was three or four at a dance recital, I knew it was about a magical place)
"All That Jazz" (one of the best openings of a musical that I ever saw)

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 9:44pm

"Sing Happy"

[GlindatheGood22]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 9:49pm

The entire Cabaret score
Ring Them Bells
We Both Reached for the Gun
Go Back Home
Show People

I think I might like them better than Sondheim. :)

[CurtainsUpat8]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 9:51pm

I always loved "My Own Space"

Others would be

I Don't Remember You
Dear One
A Quiet Thing

Updated On: 9/10/13 at 09:51 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 9:53pm

The Money Song - film version of Cabaret

[jv92]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 9:55pm

"But the World Goes 'Round"

"A Quiet Thing"

"Class"

I think it's such a cliche to say, "New York, New York" as well, but it's just one of *those* songs that seems like it wasn't even written. It's as natural as breathing. (Of course, it was written, and took time and effort.) I admire it, too.

I LOVE K&E!

[JBroadway]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 10:24pm

Some of my favorites are:
I Don't Remember You from the Happy Time
Rain from All About Us
Go Back Home from the Scottsboro Boys
Mister Cellophane from Chicago
Married from Cabaret

"Married" is the most under-appreciated song in that score in my opinion

[chewy5000]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 10:24pm

I'm particularly partial to "I wrote the book", and "Running in place"

[luvcaroline]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 10:33pm

I know what you mean, jv92. It's like that song has always existed, which is one of the reasons that it's so perfect.

I'm very happy to see "Ring Them Bells" mentioned. "Liza With a Z" is one of my all time favorite TV specials. Such a great lyric.

[After Eight]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 11:08pm

Hit It, Lorraine (70, Girls, 70)

[darquegk]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 11:21pm

Though its history post-creation may be spotted and somewhat unfortunate, "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" is another song that seems to defy writership. The sheer fact that a fake German nationalist ballad, written by two gay Jews, is popularly considered to be a genuine Nazi pride anthem or ancient folk song shows how skilled Kander and Ebb were with Broadway melody and European sound palettes.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 9/10/13 at 11:56pm

Sing Happy

My Coloring Book

Class

I Don't Care Much

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 12:03am

Dressing Them Up

Angel's Rink and Social Center

Funny Honey

First You Dream

What Would You Do?

[JayG]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 12:17am

Seeing Things

I Don't Remember You

Life Is

What Would You Do

Unafraid

[michellek45]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 1:15am

Can't believe no one has mentioned "Walking Among My Yesterdays" from The Happy Time yet. It's at the top of any favorite song list for me. After that, I'd put "Married," "Marry Me," "Cell Block Tango," and "Go Back Home."

[broadwaybabytn]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 1:34am

Married
Commencing in Chattanooga
But the World Goes 'Round
We Both Reached for the Gun

[aasjb4ever]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 2:00am

The arrangement of The Money Tree/Maybe This Time from First You Dream absolutely slays me. Wonderful.

[N2N Nate.]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 9:19am

Show People.

[sondheimboy2]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 10:20am

All the ones that you all have mentioned, plus:

"She's a Woman" from "Kiss of the Spider Woman"

and an under-appreciated gem from "Flora, the Red Menace" called "Express Yourself"

[logan2]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 10:44am

I've always loved "It's the Strangest Thing" and "The Money Tree" from THE ACT.

Updated On: 9/11/13 at 10:44 AM

[tazber]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 10:56am

And the World Goes Round
Chief Cook and Bottle Washer
The Money Tree
City Lights
First You Dream
Kiss of the Spider Woman
Life Is
The Happy Time
Please Stay

[jv92]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 10:57am

I think "The Money Tree" is great, and "Maybe This Time", too, but of all their "screamers" (as they called them), "The World Goes 'Round" is my favorite-- and perhaps the most profound of all of them.

No one has mentioned, "Say Yes" either. That song ALWAYS makes me feel better. ALWAYS. Liza once said, "The greatest thing about Kander and Ebb is that you sing their songs...and you feel better." I think that's true. They wrote dark shows, they wrote wonderfully for some pretty strange characters. But they wrote TRUE optimism. Realistic optimism. And they're wonderful.

[BewareTheUndertoad]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:15am

I'm also a big fan of "Yes" (although I prefer the Liza arrangement) and "Sing Happy" from Flora.

Also, "Where You Are" from Kiss of the Spiderwoman.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 9/11/13 at 11:16am

I choose Colored Lights.