My Problems Finding a Song for a Comedic Belter...

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 10/17/04 at 5:49pm

I'm taking a musical theatre class at the moment.
The last song I performed was "It Might as Well Be Spring" from State Fair.
(high in my range. acted it cute, awkward and dopey.)

I need something to contrast, but frankly I'm only good with comedy.
I just have a naturally funny psycho-physical rhythm, I suppose.
Even when I'm trying to be serious on stage, everyone ends up laughing.
So I must play to my strengths.
And thus the best way to contrast is by belting.

I am a very low alto (to call me a mezzo would be an overstatement of my high range) and I think that finding a number to belt would be appropriate.

Unfortunately, I go to a conservative school, and I think my classmates would faint if I tried "An Old-Fashioned Love Story", "When You're Good to Mama", or anything similarly quasi-sexual.

I'd love to do "Mama Will Proivide" or "That Dirty Old Man", but my professor has this hang-up about how we should only choose songs that we could legitimately perform. (I'm too pale for one, and too young for the other).

We're also supposed to avoid accents, so "Somewhere That's Green" and "Adelaide's Lament" are out.

I've been stuck trying to come up with something appropriate for about a week now, so I figured it was time to post, as you all have been terribly helpful in the past with getting past the horrendous guidelines imposed on me by my institution.

So I implore you, please think about it and get back to me if you come up with anything.

Thanks kids.

[bjivie2]

Posted: 10/17/04 at 5:52pm

"Old-Fashioned Love Story" from Lippa's Wild Party is pretty hillarious. There's also "My New Philosophy" from the new You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown and "I'm Breaking Down" from Falsettos.

Best of luck!

[bjivie2]

Posted: 10/17/04 at 5:52pm

Oh! And "I'm The Greatest Star" is also a great one.

[DickonDefysGravity]

Posted: 10/17/04 at 5:53pm

Shuffle off to Buffalo...?- 42nd Street
Lets Step Out- Anything Goes

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 10/17/04 at 10:50pm

Thanks for the suggestions guys.
PM me if you think of any more, as I'm sure this page will drip off into oblivion before we know it. :)

[Princeton78]

Posted: 10/17/04 at 10:53pm

"Everybody's Girl" from "Steel Pier"

[Princeton78]

Posted: 10/17/04 at 10:55pm

"If you've got it....flaunt it!"-THe Producers
"I'm in love with a wonderful guy!"-South Pacific
"Turn Back O Man"-Godspell
"Forget about the Boy"-Millie

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:42am

Some of these seem kinda high...
If it helps, think of my range this way:

I can hit an A an octave below middle C.
The lower I can stay, the better.

Nellie songs from South Pacific ain't gonna cut it.

[MyNameInLights]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 1:41am

I agree with My New Philosophy from YAGMCB.

[andyf]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 1:48am

"The Alto's Lament" I can't believe no one said it!

(I actually didn't really check, so don't shoot if someone did)

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 1:54am

I was just about to say it! But sheet music for that song costs 10 bucks!!!

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 1:56am

Sheet music for that song can no longer be purshased off of Marcy & Zina's website.
They only have this one book now (for like $45 after S&H).
"Taylor" is in it, "Alto's Lament" is not.
http://www.goldrichandheisler.com/songbook.htm

Updated On: 10/18/04 at 01:56 AM

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 1:57am

Dang! Glad I bought it when I did...

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 2:03am

Kicking myself because I didn't!
I was tiptoeing around that site for a week, trying to decide whether or not to get it.
I FINALLY decided to go ahead.
I went on the site, and IT WAS GONE!
And that overpriced book without it was there in its place!
Horrible luck I've got.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 9:44am

Belly Up To The Bar Boys from The Unsinkable Molly Brown

It's A Fine Life from Oliver

Updated On: 10/18/04 at 09:44 AM

[fiyeros_elphaba]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 11:55am

Hi!
"My new philosophy" is def. great...
how bout "popular" that's not high...
or "Nothing" or "Dance ten looks three"

[blueroses]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:36pm

Mrs. Hannigan singing "Little Girls" from Annie?

[Taryn]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 12:49pm

What about "I Cain't Say No" from Oklahoma?

[blueroses]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 1:16pm

"Tits and Ass" from A Chorus Line?

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 1:42pm

hmmm...

"Dance:10, Looks:3" (a.k.a. "Tits and Ass")
The fact that this was mentioned (more than once) gives me the feeling that my original post is not being read thorougly... This song is not going to fly in a very wholesome and conservative women's college.

"I Cain't Say No"
Unfortunately, it has already been done.

"Popular"
Another girl already said she's doing this one. (which SUCKS because I do one heck of a Cheno impression, and the girl that's doing it has a Toni Braxton voice and plays "sexy" better than "cute". It's very upsetting. I'm pretending to not be bitter)

"My New Philosophy"
Is this really a solo? And is it low enough? I don't have a recording of it, but I feel like it might get up high in my range... I'll check it out.

"It's a Fine Life"
Don't remember this being a solo either... I'm pretty sure that I had to sing during that as a member of the Oliver chorus in middle school, (ah, memories...) and I thiink Bett does as well...

I really lke the suggestion of "Little Girls". Will definitely look into that one...

I will look into all the ones that I am not familiar with.

Thank you for all of your suggestions guys.
They are very much appreciated.
I really love that I have people to bounce stuff off of.
You all rock.

[dry2olives]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 2:14pm

"Men" from So Long, 174th Street. It's a big belty "men who done me wrong" song with the comic twist that it's sung by a teenage girl about the little boys she knew in grade school and junior high.

There was a boy named Joel Zimmerman
Who used to live right next door.
He always came to play in my house.
He wanted to marry me one day, he swore.
When he was 6 years old his family moved to Ocean Parkway.
I never heard from him no more!

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 10/18/04 at 3:14pm

You could do "Sugar Daddy" from Hedwig and the Angry Inch, its sung by a man, so it's pretty low.

Also, "Thanks Alot, But No Thanks" from IT'S ALWAYS FAIR WEATHER. If you don't mind being a little slinky/sexy. Written by Comden/Green

"Goona Goona Lagoon" from THE GOLDEN APPLE pretty low.

"Pricklepear Bloom" more of a bitter-old-hag character song, not rangy at all. From THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM

"The Boy From..." from SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM a not-too-rangy parody of "The Girl From Impanema"

[fae]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 1:51am

if your comedy skills are fine tuned, you could try "man in the moon" from Mame. very funny and campy.... also very low (think bea arthur)

[ShineOn]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 10:26am

I used to have a copy of The Alto's Lament... it's floating around...

I only know one person who has it and I've yet to get it from her... if or when I do... I can PM you and maybe make ya a copy. :) It's a GREAT song for low-mezzo/belters. (I think it goes up to a high B flat at the end, though... is that a problem? You could change that but it would kind of ruin the song!)

[~FloweryFriend~]

Posted: 10/19/04 at 1:00pm

dry2olives, Borstalboy, and fae:
Thank you. Those all sound like great suggestions! I'll have to start researching them all now.



I think I can handle a high B-flat... Do you mean 2 octaves above middle-C?