"Pointless" Songs in Musicals

[mizzie]

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

Have you ever seen a musical that had a certain song in it that had no real reason for being there? A song that didn't really advance the plot or do anything that really annoyed you? For me it would be "Cooties" from Hairspray....I adore the song and think it's hilarious, but it doesn't really seem to do anything for the musical.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 5:54pm

in old bavaria.....the producers

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 5:56pm

"Motherhood" in HELLO, DOLLY!

Cast sings it while ducking each other (moving under tables, into closets, etc.) at a hat shop.

When song is complete, everyone is where they were before and a good five minutes of stage time has been wasted. :)

[TheAudrey3]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 6:11pm

"Something Bad" really doesn't do anything for me. At all. I suppose it talks about the whole animal thing, but that could have been done just as well in a dialogue.

[lovettespies]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 6:15pm

I love "Too Damn Hot" form Kiss me Kate, but why is it there? The answer is that there IS no reason, it's just a good song. Of course, if a production does a really bad job of the song, as I have seen, it can leave the audience confused.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 6:19pm

Hi lovett... :)

I think it's there because back in the 1940s and 1950s, many musicals used the Act II opening number to eliminate the tension that existed at the end of Act I. (In the case of KISS ME, KATE, Fred "whacking" Lili.)

Another example of an Act II opener that does that is "This Was a Real Nice Clambake" from CAROUSEL. (Act I ends with Billy plotting to steal.) :)

[mizzie]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 6:24pm

I agree with "In Old Bavaria" completely.

[wildparty20]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:09pm

There are a couple in DAMN YANKEES... "Near To You" slows the show and is NOT needed. I think that "Who's Got The Pain" really isn't needed either. It's a fun number, but seriously is there a point?

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:27pm

Hi WildParty... :)

I think of "Who's Got The Pain?" in DAMN YANKEES was to give Bob Fossee a chance to do some stunning Mambo Cheoreography! :)

[lostwallflower]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:29pm

Anyone see the short lived A Class Act? They have a song in it called Charm Song. "A charm song is the southern belle of musicals. It don't have to do a lick of work, it just has to make the audience smile..."

[musicalmjk]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:32pm

shipoopi from Music Man

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:34pm

Oh musical... :)

"Shipoopi" is just a fun dance number--what's wrong with that? :)

[moonys_autumn]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:52pm

"Cooties" does acually in a way have a point, it's a song that's just Amber, ya know? It just shows her character in a fun little song.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:53pm

another dead cow- bat boy. it just confuses me.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:54pm

"Be Like the Bluebird" in ANYTHING GOES. It would have been nice if Moonface had a solo that actually had something to do with his character (and was actually funny). This song sounds like Cole Porter dug something out of the bottom of a trunk.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:56pm

Be Like the Bluebird? Wow, I think I had erased that from my memory.

I like Another Dead Cow. It's not completely pointless (it introduces the characters in the town), and what score would be complete without a good ol' country tune?

[PleaseChangeMe]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:56pm

That's stretching it. Hairspray is full of pointless songs, or songs that don't add a thing to the plot.

As for pointless songs, I found 1943 from Caroline, or Change...not pointless, but a little late in the plot. Just seems out of place.

[Mary_Ethel]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 7:56pm

Jon,

He DID. "Be Like The Bluebird" is NOT part of the original ANYTHING GOES score.

[GovernorSlaton]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 8:02pm

"As for pointless songs, I found 1943 from Caroline, or Change...not pointless, but a little late in the plot. Just seems out of place."

That's what I thought at first. Now I think that it's at the place where it is because it's Christmas time, and the previous song was Santa Comin' Caroline. Christmas is really a time for family, and the holidays are reminding her that she is raising three kids on her own, one in Vietnam, and no husband. Not to mention that it's an amazing song.

[musicalmjk]

Posted: 10/10/04 at 8:09pm

whats wrong with it. it doesnt move the show foward, and when its put in the movie its always placed towards the end and its the Act 2 opening but i was Marcellus Washburn twice in the same year besides it being a big dance number the big musical number in the show is Marian the Libraian. i just feel that its better to start off the second act with a big number which refers back to Act 1 in any sort of way

[mizzie]

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

"Who's Got the Pain" doesn't make sense....it's not even a song about Joe Hardy....it bugs me too.

[lovettespies]

Posted: 10/11/04 at 11:08am

I like "who's go the Pain" but it could definitely be cut, since it doesn't add anything to the plot and it's not an amazing song anyway. It's enjoyable, but forgetable too.

[magruder]

Posted: 10/11/04 at 11:31am

"Be Like The Bluebird" is indeed in the original 1933 score of Anything Goes. And it's only pointless if your Moonface Martin doesn't have a vaudevillian's bag of tricks with which to deliver the song and make it funny. It derives its humor from the incongruity of the comically hard-edged gangster singing a delicate little ditty, which I believe is a form of schottische. And I have to say, I've never seen it NOT work in a production.

[adamized88]

Posted: 10/11/04 at 11:32am

i second "something bad" - dr. dillamond was an awesome character in the book but they totally destroyed him the play

"topsy turvy" in fiddler is ok, but i think the show was fine without it

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 10/11/04 at 12:01pm

I dont know if you knew, Adamized, but Topsy-Turvy replaced a funny song, "The Rumor" in the OBC of Fiddler.

Edit: Thanks, magruder, I definitely thought it was in the movie. OH well. God, I NEED to play Yente some day. It's a Jewish character actress's dream!

Updated On: 10/11/04 at 12:01 PM