Great Numbers in Mediocre/ Bad Shows — Page 2

"Nowhere Left To Run" from Amazing Grace is the first one that came to my mind. I wasn't a fan of the show, and I honestly don't even remember the song that well (I had to look the show up on IBDB because I'd even forgotten the title), but I remember loving Chuck Cooper's performance.

Updated On: 12/3/18 at 11:58 AM

My Strongest Suit and I Know the Truth from Aida.
This River Between Us (cut from Big Fish)

I Don't Want to Know and Kiss Her Now from Dear World.

"Biggest Blame Fool" from SEUSSICAL

"Walk Him Up The Stairs" and "I Got Love" from PURLIE

"Night Letter" from TWO GENTLEMEN FROM VERONA

"Somebody" and "I'm Glad To See You Got What You Want" from CELEBRATION

"Love Changes Everything" from ASPECTS OF LOVE

Sherry and Putty in Your Arms from Sherry, musical version of The Man Who Came to Dinner. The interesting thing to me was that both songs sounded so similar and both were Dolores Grey's only numbers...but both were delightful.

Speaking of Dolores Grey, "Here's That Rainy Day" from Carnival in Flanders and another one of my favorites Julie Wilson singing "The Music Went Out of My Life" in Legs Diamond.

One last entry, "Twenty Happy Years" from Bring Back Birdie.

I have always thought Avenue Q amediocre Bway show ( excellent for a college level show)

But have always thought "It's a Fine Fine Line" a bit of gold amongst a a lot of dross.

Skip23 said: ""Walk Him Up The Stairs" and "I Got Love" from PURLIE

"Night Letter" from TWO GENTLEMEN FROM VERONA

"Somebody" and "I'm Glad To See You Got What You Want" from CELEBRATION

"Love Changes Everything" from ASPECTS OF LOVE


I thought that Purlie was a terrific show. A lot more highly enjoyable numbers. IMO it should have won best musical over Applause, which isn't saying much, I guess.

To Cora Hoover Hooper, I would also add Each Tomorrow Morning from Dear World. When I saw that number in Boston, I had thought it was one of the most evocative songs / staging i'd experlenced in a musical. Of course I was only about 19 and had only seen maybe 15 - 20 musicals; but I made up for that with movie musicals.

-- There was also the title number from A Time For Singing, a mega-flop produced by Alexander Cohen and in previews the same time as Mame. Tessie O'Shea stopped the show the likes of which you don't see that frequently. Really good number, great performance. I was16 1/2 and bored for most of the show...with the major exception of this number

-- Since I thought that Waitress was a pretty mediocre show (although i did enjoy it), I would add 'She Used to be Mine'.

-- The Grass is Always Greener from Woman of the Year, a truly awful musical, despite a more than decent run.

-- Mr. Clown from Maggie Flynn, a flop musical that I must admit to having enjoyed. Jack Cassidy stopped the show with an over-the-top star turn.

-- The entire opening scene from Titanic. Even though I love most of the cast recording, I was disappointed (bored) with the show itself -- I think it needed to focus on two lead characters, which is what James Cameron did. But the choral arrangements for that opening sequence brought goosebumps.

-- Someone mentioned The Happy Time. I actually loved the show, particularly in a scaled-down production by the terrific Signature Theatre in Shirlington, VA. (The problem with the show was Gower Champion's directorial vision. It was huge, bloated production housed in the Broadway that should have been staged in a much more scaled down approach, and played at a theatre like the Music Box or Broadhurst The number that the critics all singled out, and the audience loved, was The Life of the Party, a number intended IMO to give David Wayne a show-stopping number.

-- Re ANTHEM from CHESS, I realize that, after seeing at least 4 different productions and loving many individual portions, the show is just not up to the score; the show actually had a number of great numbers, in a case of 'the parts are better than the whole.' In addition Anthem, there were Mountain Duet, Knew Him So Well, and especially the entire, thrilling combination of Endgame / Epilogue (incl. You and I). (Note: I am a lover of Follies; however, I know a number of people who just don't like the sho, although they always seem to love the big production numbers Who'sThat Woman, Beautiful Girls, Lucy and Jessie, as well as I'm Still Here, Broadway Baby, (Waiting Around for The Girls Downstairs).

It seems to me that almost every weak show I've seen has at least one good number...





Except King Kong.