Optimistic Showtunes
Optimistic Showtunes
Optimistic Showtunes#1
Posted: 6/28/17 at 6:46pm
I am putting together a playlist for a friend moving to NYC of showtunes dripping of optimism. I thought I would ask, you, the experts what are some of your favorites. The more obscure the better.
Right now the ones I could think of are:
"Now's The Time" from Hallelujah, Baby!
"The World Must Be Bigger Than an Avenue" from Irene
"A Cockeyed Optimist" from South Pacific
"Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from Spamalot
Thank you!
Optimistic Showtunes#4
Posted: 6/28/17 at 7:30pm
maybe this time cabaret
my shot hamilton
watch what happens newsies
Step one kinky boots
Our time merrily we roll along
A whole new world alladin
you cant stop the beat hairspray
dont stop beleivin rock of ages
we're gonna be allright do i hear a waltz
Here right now ghost
to Life! Fiddler on the roof
raise your voice Sister act
King of new york Newsies
Optimistic Showtunes#5
Posted: 6/28/17 at 7:52pm
Surprised that none of you mentioned the ultimate anthem of optimism (at least in my opinion):
"Tomorrow" - Annie
Broadway Star Joined: 5/5/17
Optimistic Showtunes#6
Posted: 6/28/17 at 8:22pm
Maybe more inspirational and optimistic, but some of my favorites:
"Finale B" - Rent
"Tomorrow is a Latter Day" - The Book of Mormon
"This is the Moment" - Jekyll & Hyde
"Leap of Faith" - Leap of Faith
"Seeing You" Groundhog Day
Optimistic Showtunes#7
Posted: 6/28/17 at 8:23pm
Mame: Open a New Window
The King & I: I Whistle a Happy Tune
Jekyll & Hyde: A New Life (true, Lucy is murdered immediately after but still a good song.) :p
Leading Actor Joined: 3/17/17
Optimistic Showtunes#8
Posted: 6/28/17 at 8:54pm
"Tap Your Troubles Away from "Mack and Mabel"
Updated On: 6/28/17 at 08:54 PM
Optimistic Showtunes#9
Posted: 6/28/17 at 8:58pm
Make Our Garden Grow - Candide
Brand New World - Rags
Look for a Sky of Blue - Little Mary Sunshine
Brotherhood of Man - How to Succeed
Before the Parade Passes By - Dolly
With You on My Arm - La Cage
I Ain't Down Yet - Molly Brown
Look to the Rainbow - Finian's Rainbow
Tap Your Troubles Away, Look What Happened to Mabel - Mack & Mabel
You Gotta Have Heart - Damn Yankees
This list could go on forever, couldn't it?
Optimistic Showtunes#10
Posted: 6/28/17 at 9:33pm
It's a bit iffier within the context of the show itself, but "You Will Be Found" from DEAR EVAN HANSEN is definitely quite optimistic.
"I'm Here" from THE COLOR PURPLE, as does "Raise You Up/Just Be" from KINKY BOOTS (Hell, that show is a plethora of feel-good songs)
"The Money Song" from AVENUE Q also definitely is a good example, along with "Purpose" and "Fantasies Come True".
EDIT: And how could I forget "Morning Glow" from PIPPIN? Obviously the hope isn't sustained through Act 2, but taken by itself it's almost ridiculously optimistic.
Optimistic Showtunes#12
Posted: 6/28/17 at 10:34pm
"It's Not Where You Start, It's Where You Finish" from Seesaw.
Optimistic Showtunes#15
Posted: 6/28/17 at 10:53pm
I would start by looking at the entire Jerry Herman songbook. Mame, Dear World, The Grand Tour, Mack & Mabel, La Cage aux Folles are chock full of Herman optimism.
Updated On: 6/29/17 at 10:53 PM
Optimistic Showtunes#16
Posted: 6/28/17 at 11:42pm
*So Much Better or Positive from Legally Blonde.
*Journey to the Past from Anastasia.
*Nobody from Bandstand.
*Seize The Day from Newsies.
*Give It Up from Lysistrata Jones
*It's All Happening or I've Got You or Cross The Line from Bring It On.
*Once Upon A Time from Brooklyn.
*Change It or Sun Like The Sun from 9 to 5.
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/5/16
Optimistic Showtunes#17
Posted: 6/29/17 at 2:31am
"Here's My Plan" from The Adventures of Tom Sawyer
Optimistic Showtunes#18
Posted: 6/29/17 at 11:34am
Thank you everybody for the suggestions!
Coincidentally, right after posting this, I saw Pass Over at Steppenwolf (such a good show I hope to see it come to NYC), they were ironically playing about half of the songs mentioned on this board before the show started.
Optimistic Showtunes#21
Posted: 6/29/17 at 6:35pm
I would definitely say "Good Morning, Baltimore" is a tune oozing optimism but I don't know if it fits the narrative of moving to NY since it's about a different city, but hey! It's the first song that popped in my head when I saw the thread title.
Optimistic Showtunes#22
Posted: 6/29/17 at 6:45pm
Wheels of a Dream - Ragtime
It's Today - Mame
Somewhere - West Side Story
Somewhere That's Green - Little Shop
The opening to "Songs For a New World"
It's Gonna Be Good - Next To Normal
Sal Tlay Ka Siti - Book of Mormon
Optimistic Showtunes#23
Posted: 6/29/17 at 7:44pm
hork said: ""I'm the Greatest Star" - Funny Girl"
You don't get more optimistic than that.
For another Jule Styne song, this time of deranged optimism, how about "Everything's coming Up Roses".
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