Patter Song

[JuanValjean72]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 12:09am

Hi all,

so about a year ago, I attended a master class and was given a list of songs to have in my audition song portfolio by type/composer/era and have yet to find a patter song. There really aren't too many for men. There's the Major General's song in Pirates of Penzance and I've heard of one from Oliver!, however I'd like to do one that isn't heard often, so does anyone have any suggestions?

Also, for those who saw Chaplin during its run, would Sennet Song be considered a patter song? Or is a bit too slow to be considered one?

Thanks!

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 12:12am

Both Sides of the Coin from The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It's a duet, but I'm fairly certain it could work here.

[Stage Door Sally]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 12:14am

How about The Cop Song from Urinetown? Could that be done solo?

[After Eight]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 4:06am

"Tschaikowsky (and Other Russians)" from Lady in the Dark.

Danny Kaye had a great success with this one.

[Eastwickian]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 4:38am

Words Words Words from Witches of Eastwick

[broadwaytbay]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 6:54am

Does "War Is A Science" from Pippin count?

[Emmaloucbway]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 7:16am

How about the Speed Test from Throughly Modern Millie?

[DrJekyll]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 7:35am

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_patter_songs

[dreaming]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 8:01am

There is a song from "Barnum" where he describing the wonders he has ("A whole lotta terra cotta...") that is definitely a patter song. If you can speed it up, all the better.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 8:31am

Cole Porter's "They Couldn't Compare to You" from Out of This World

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 8:50am

As After Eight said, Weill and Gershwin's extremely challenging"Tchaikowsky" is the Mount Everest of patter songs and it made Danny Kaye a star.

You might also take a look at "The Butler's Song" from SO LONG FROM 17TH STREET, here sung by George S. irving.

Also "Fiasco" from COCO (which won Rene Auberjonois a tony).
"he's screwing Dolores Del Rio...."

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 8:54am

There are a lot of them in opera (aside from G&S that is).

Updated On: 6/7/13 at 08:54 AM

[darquegk]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 11:06am

Logic from Dance of the Vampires/Tanz der Vampire is a lesser known one.

[JudyDenmark]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 11:28am

That Barnum song is "Museum Song" and is a great choice.

[dreaming]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 11:29am

Judy-Thanks. I typed that before I had my morning coffee so I blanked on the title. It was the first song that popped into my head.

[ggersten]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 11:32am

Ya Got Trouble from Music Man
Benny's Dispatch from In The Heights

[Kad]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 12:34pm

Although not from a musical (though put into a revue), "The Elements" by Tom Lehrer would fit. Not specifically for a man to sing, but it has traditionally been done by a male singer.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 6:37pm

Who told you to have a patter song in your book?

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 6:48pm

"Tschaikowsky (and Other Russians)" from Lady in the Dark.

Danny Kaye had a great success with this one.

In addition, there's "Let's Not Talk About Love"--also Cole Porter and Danny Kaye. From LET'S FACE IT, 1941, and the patter is a little more varied than the many Russian names of "Tschaikowsky". ("Let's Not Talk" does have a simple tune, that usually gets dropped as the tempo increases, but so does much of "Trouble".)

ETA: "Tschaikowsky" is NOT Porter, it's Weill and Ira Gershwin, as After Eight and others made clear.
I am an idiot.

Updated On: 6/7/13 at 06:48 PM

[John Adams]

Posted: 6/7/13 at 6:56pm

All For the Best (Godspell)

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.php?thread=953026&page=1

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 6/8/13 at 5:15am

The charming Embassy Lament from Chess, at a proper pace, would fit here. I might just be biased, though, because I really love that song. There's also "The Caper" from 70, Girls, 70, though it doesn't make a lot of sense on its own.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 6/8/13 at 5:35am

Speaking of Gilbert and Sullivan, who obviously influenced Sondheim in this instance, you might want to try "Please Hello" from PACIFIC OVERTURES. It might be fun for you to change accents from French to Dutch to English to Russian, although the voices differ so some transposition might be required. I've never seen one person try that song but it could potentially be a hoot.

[ajh]

Posted: 6/8/13 at 9:27am

A MAN COULD GO QUITE MAD from The Mystery of Edwin Drood?

[JuanValjean72]

Posted: 6/8/13 at 10:04am

Thanks for all the suggestions! :) I'll be sure to look them up.
@Mercades I can't remember for the life of me the name of the man who gave the master class, but he suggested to always have one, in case you audition for a show that has a patter song, and you don't want to use the one from that show, which I've been told in the past isn't often encouraged (to sing a song from the show you're auditioning for, but instead do a song in the similar style)

[mamaleh]

Posted: 6/8/13 at 10:53am

Could "The Story of Lucy and Jessie" be considered a patter song?

Updated On: 6/8/13 at 10:53 AM