Good Book-Bad score

[hypertruffle]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:24pm

I've heard the comment 'a great score, but a bad book' and I wondered if it's possible for a flawed musical to have this problem vice versa. Any opinions?

[Conor]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:31pm

Spelling Bee? Wasn't fond of the music but was peeing my pants laughing the entire time.

[timote316]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 9:47pm

I wouldn't say Bee's score is bad, but I've heard from many that its the weakness of the show.

[CastAlbumFan]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:01pm

See, the thing about a musical is if the score is bad it doesn't matter how good the book is, the show will fail! For the life of me, I can't think of a show with a bad score and a good book. The main selling point of a musical IS the music, you know.

BTW, while SPELLING BEE may not have William Finn's best score, there are a few good songs in the show ("The 'I Love You' Song" is a prime example!)

[Plum]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:15pm

Am I the only one who doesn't like the "I Love You" song? The voices are great, but the music really isn't. Anyway, I found that the charm of most of Spelling Bee's musical numbers was in the performances. I never get sick of listening to "I'm Not That Smart," but not because I think it's pretty.

The title song is nice, though. So are the goodbyes. :)

But Spelling Bee seems to be pretty exceptional in that regard- most of the time you hear about great scores attached to less-than-wonderful books. *cough*Sondheim*cough*
Updated On: 9/10/05 at 10:15 PM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:32pm

Spelling Bee was the first to come to mind, but I do happen to love just the overall sound of the "I Love You Song."

Hmm...I think the book of the Producers is stronger than the score, don't know if I'd call the score bad, but I think it's slightly overrated...

[C is for Company]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:39pm

I side with you Plum, I find it one of the more irritating songs idk I know they have good voices, but the way they meld and sing together just irritates me how the sound is

[Lamenting_Alto]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 10:50pm

the i love you song works out of context of the show, but in the show i thought it brought the show down immensly. (bad speller...sorry...)
well good book-bad score, i agree most shows where this is true probably didnt make it very far so i cant think of any off the top of my head

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:36pm

I think "the I Love You Song" is so random, and in all honestly... pointless and stupid. Especially because it comes right after "I Speak Six Languages", a song so upbeat and fun... my favorite song on the OBC recording. Honestly, I think the majority of the songs are very weak... but I listen to them. I feel that the songs don't necessary need to be there, because it doesn't really improve the show. I think I agree with Plum, where I don't listen because the songs are great. Anyway, I think this musical probably has the strongest goodbook-badscore example.

[Taryn]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:38pm

I would say that 1776's score isn't BAD, but it's not that great, either. It's got three GREAT songs ("Momma, Look Sharp," "Molasses to Rum," and "Is Anybody There?"), one plain obnoxious song ("Lees of Old Virginia"), and a handful of other songs that are just generally pleasant. The book, on the other hand, is brilliant. So...maybe it's more a case of decent score, awesome book.

[zepka102]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:40pm

as far as the "i love you song," i love it and it works great. it really shows how different these characters are and what is really important to them... doesn't matter what it follows. but i can't see that song any earlier in the show.

Updated On: 9/10/05 at 11:40 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:45pm

I think I'm the only person who absolutley adores Finn's score for Bee. I thought it was sheer and utter brilliance from the first note to the last. As a matter of a fact, I liked the score better than the book. The book was hysterical, don't get me wrong but some of the jokes got a bit tired at points. It did manage to pick up the pace ASAP, though. Both, IMO, are scarely flawed. I thought the score was exceptional and deserved to win at the Tony's this year. The scores, this year, I must say were all amazing. LITP's score was sweepingly gorgeous, DRS' was a phenomenally clever comedic score, and Spamalot's is as good as it probably could have been. I think Bee has an amazing book and a hysterical, but at times really surprisingly beautiful and sincere score to match. I would hardly call Bee's score "bad".

And I think Wicked will be coming up sooner or later, but I must say that Wicked's score may not be Schwartz's greatest achievement, but its not his worst either. I adore Wicked's score and think it is really wonderfully layered with some smart lyrics and other-wordly-sounding pop music. At first, I must admit, I thought they were a bit bland but listening to them more frequently, I fell in love. They are really great songs.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/10/05 at 11:49pm

And with all due respect, korenglish, The I Love You Song is not at all pointless. If it wasnt in the show, *SPOILER*, the audience wouldnt care at all about Olive as a person or care when Panch pays for her entrance fee at the end.*END SPOILER* If the song wasn't there, Olive would be a poorly developed character and her relationship with her mother and father wouldn't be of any importance.

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 12:15am

Taryn- must you bash my future big song? you're right it is exceptionally obnoxious but its all i got (i'm too tall for adams and i only get to understudy rutledge)

vaguely phantom could be considered.. since, especially in the movie version i was far happier watching spoken scenes (of course this could be because the title role was sung so poorly)

[Taryn]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 12:43am

I'm sorry, Jon. I ADORE 1776, but I can't stand that song for some reason. I do know there are lots of people who can, though, so good luck! After all, it won Ron Holgate a Tony. Updated On: 9/11/05 at 12:43 AM

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 1:08pm

Actually WR, I think most people would agree that Wicked's score is stronger than the book. And I adore Phantom's score as well.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 1:17pm

I can only think of good scores, bad book - Dracula and J&H.

[jam_man]

Posted: 9/11/05 at 1:19pm

I actually think that (at least) a lot of people would say that Wicked's book IS stronger overall than it's score. Not that it's book is great, mind you, but it's a lot better than most new books these days. And, personally, I think the score is just unneeded. I don't think the musical numbers add anything that hasn't or couldn't be covered by the book - with the exception of "Wonderful" - thereby really making the musical numbers dramaticly unnecessary.