Really Chrys, how shocking!
Well "If I Loved You" seems to be the winner--everyone did a great job of explaining why it deserves that honor, and not only that but it lasts and moves what could be a very difficult scene to occur in 10 minutes.
Also think it's necessary to point out and give credit to shows that quite a few songs were picked--West Side Story and Sweeney Todd. Just emphasizes the complexity, ambiguity and just total richness of these two scores.
As for answering the question...I'm pretty surprised not one person mentioned it, and I no it's overdone and cliche but I'd hafta go with "Seasons of Love." Because I think the theme and message of the song applies to measuring your life in all kinds of love, not just romantic love. I mean, sometimes I think we're a society whose so obsessed with the idea of romantic love, that we can overlook the value of the love evident in friendships. Sometimes I think just how amazing it is that there are so many ppl in this world, and most friends I have no sort of attachment to, they were total strangers to me, but the fact that I've created relationships as close as those in the family and that everyone does this just boggles my mind.
"If there was a Mount Rushmore for Broadway scores, "West Side Story" would be front and center. It snaps, it crackles it pops! It surges with a roar, its energy and sheer life undiminished by the years" - NYPost reviewer Elisabeth Vincentelli
