Looking for "Story Songs"

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 6:53pm

I need some help finding "story songs" for men...but just "story songs" in general will help. They best example of one is "Meadowlark" from 'The Baker's Wife'.

[Orangesaretuesdays]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 6:55pm

Tonight at Eight from She Loves me is my key "Story" audition song

[ClapYo'Hands]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 6:57pm

- Updated On: 1/30/11 at 06:57 PM

[grandpianoalex]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 7:14pm

Life Story from Closer Than Ever
Fifteen Pounds (Away From My Love)--As sung by Stephanie J. Block

[tazber]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 7:15pm

And They're Off from A New Brain

[Katurian2]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 7:22pm

Story of Schmuel from Last 5 Years
Nothing from A Chorus Line?

[musicalmack]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 11:32pm

A few words have to be changed, but "My Heart Was Set On You" by Jeff Blumenkrantz is great, and Sutton Foster sings it really well on her album.

[philly03]

Posted: 1/30/11 at 11:38pm

"As Good As You" - Jane Eyre
"Tell My Father" - The Civil War

Check out the "Civil War"... Lots of story songs, some are responses to each other (Ie: a Soldier to his wife and back & forth)

[peerrjb]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 12:54am

A lot of the material depends on the range/style of the voice involved, certainly. And the reasons you'd be singing it.

"Finishing the Hat" ("Sunday in the Park...") is a "story-esque" piece because of the situation.
"El Dorado" from the ORIGINAL "Candide" score -- though it's beautiful, the story doesn't really payoff.
"The Butterfly" from "Zorba" (you'd have to use the woman's part imbedded into the man's narrative) is interesting and emotionally resonant.
"Pass That Football" from "Wonderful Town" (Funny if dated stuff.)
"Meeskite" from the original "Cabaret" (for an older actor. It was cut in the revivial.)
"Frank Mills" from "Hair" can be sung by a guy, if you wanna go there.
"Molasses to Rum" from "1776" is mostly commentary, but plays as a story of an ethic.
"Surrey With the Fringe on Top" (from - duh- "Oklahoma")is clearly a story about a "date" in the old west.
"Kansas City" from the same show.
"This Nearly Was Mine" from "South Pacific" is a story of how he lost his one love.
"Bargaining" from the original "Do I Hear a Waltz?" is a GREAT set-piece, if you can pull it off. It's really fun to sing, but wonderfully tricky in the man/woman voices required.
"Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat" is a story of the dream-redemption involved.
"Once Upon a Time" (from "All American") is a romantic story of long-lost love, for an older actor.

Hope this helps somehow, someday, somewhere.

[Square Peg2]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 2:39am

'I'll Be Here' from Ordinary Days
'Sweet Dreams' and 'Playbill' from It's Only Life
'Sun and the Moon' from Songs for a New World
'Origin of Love' from Hedwig and the Angry Inch

[Gothampc]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 12:41pm

"I'm the Best" from A Day in Hollywood... (written for woman but could be sung by a man)

From "Is There Life After High School"
Diary of a Homecoming Queen - woman
Nothing Really Happened - partial story song for woman (could be reworked for a man)

[myshikobit]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 1:04pm

The Storm- Marie Christine
Talent- Road Show
She Looked at Me- See What I Wanna See
Wreck of a Mec- Irma La Douce

[madbrian]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 1:21pm

How about Kander & Ebb's "Ring Them Bells"?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 2:14pm

My favorite one is "A Trip to the Library" from She Loves Me by Bock and Harnick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlNbikzmOCU

[winston89]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 3:21pm

Sally Simpson from Tommy

[givesmevoice]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 3:26pm

Another one from She Loves Me; I think "I Don't Know His Name" could qualify as a story song.

[JRybka]

Posted: 1/31/11 at 3:46pm

Diary of a Homecoming Queen is one of the BEST story songs. I love love love that song.


Pity the Child from "Chess"
Marilyn Monroe from "Blood Brothers"
Cell Block Tango from "Chicago"

[garyandvicki]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 12:33pm

Neil Bartram's "The Story of My Life" has several good story song possibilities for men , including "People Carry On," "I Like It Here," and the funny and touching "Mrs. Remington," which recalls a favorite teacher with an unfortunate facial hair problem.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 1:00pm

"Diary of a Homecoming Queen is one of the BEST story songs. I love love love that song."

Isn't it a really great song? He really captured the character's progression from high school into adulthood: the excitement to the lonliness, the movement from self to responsibility, and of course the yearning for and the mentally slipping back to a happier time. So much is in that song, the woman going from being someone special to being an average, nobody special, like all the others.

[supportivemom]

Posted: 2/1/11 at 1:09pm

My Boy Bill from Carousel