Showtunes About What It Means to Be American- Page 2
Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Fan123
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/30/08
#25Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 8/20/16 at 8:08pm
Some of the less serious ones out there include:
'Typical Self-Made American' - Strike Up The Band
'America, F*ck Yeah' - Team America: World Police (well, it's a movie musical, sort of)
These ones are more sincere and positive:
'My Shot' - Hamilton
'There is a Child' - Giant
And depending on how vague you want to get with 'American-ness', songs which focus on stereotypical American characteristics such as being a go-getter could be included, such as 'Jump' (Giant again), 'Some People' (Gypsy), 'There's gotta be something better than this' (Sweet Charity), etc.
#26Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 8/20/16 at 8:18pm
One more huge favorite: "To Build a Home" from BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY.
Yeah, it's another song told from an immigrant's perspective, and maybe that's what makes it such an effective song about American-ness.
#27Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 8/21/16 at 3:04am
"Somewhere That's Green" strikes me as the typical American experience.
#28Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 8/21/16 at 10:21am
"The American Dream" from 'Miss Saigon', for a very cynical take on what being an American means.
Tom5
Broadway Star Joined: 9/23/11
#29Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 8/21/16 at 1:12pm
Even though the references are ancient, "Chop Suey" from "Flower Drum Song".
MrsSallyAdams
Broadway Star Joined: 11/12/13
#30Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 10/21/16 at 12:31pm
A slight tangent. I've been compiling a list of American Presidents who have had songs on stage. I wanted to ask the board who I've left out and this seemed like the thread to post in:
Songs Sung By Presidents on Stage
1 George Washington - Hamilton (2015) - various including "One Last Time". 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (1969) - On Ten Square Miles by the Potomac River
2 John Adams - 1776 (1969) - various including "Is Anybody There?"
3 Thomas Jefferson 1776 (1969) - various including "The Egg." 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (1969) - "The President Jefferson Sunday Luncheon Party March." Hamilton (2015) - various including "What did I Miss?"
4 James Madison Hamilton (2015) - various including "Washington On Your Side."
5 James Monroe 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (1969) - The Little White Lie
6 John Quincy Adams Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (2010) - The Corrupt Bargain
7 Andrew Jackson Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson (2010) - various including "I'm Not That Guy"
15 James Buchanan 1600 Pennsylvania Ave (1969) - We Must Have a Ball
16 Abraham Lincoln Our American Cousin (2008 Opera)
26 Theodore Roosevelt Teddy & Alice (1987) - various including Can I Let Her Go?
32 Franklin D. Roosevelt Annie (1977) - A New Deal for Christmas, Annie Warbucks (1993) - Somebody's Gotta Do Somethin'
34 Dwight D. Eisenhower First Lady Suite (1993) - Where's Mamie?
35 John F. Kennedy Smash S2 - 2013 - Our Little Secret
37 Richard Nixon Nixon in China (1987 Opera)
http://threepanelmusicals.blogspot.com/2016/10/presidential-songs.html
Ranger Tom
Leading Actor Joined: 7/6/14
#32Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 10/21/16 at 1:01pm
I think the greatest is "Take Care of This House," from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue by Leonard Bernstein and Alan Jay Lerner.
It's a bit of an art song, sung by First Lady Abigail Adams, asking one of the servants to take care of the White House after she is gone. But when Abigail sings the words "This house is the home of us all," it becomes a song to all of us, asking us to always care of the newborn country she loves so much.
Here is Patricia Routledge, who created the role, singing it.
Here in this shell of a house,
This house that is struggling to be,
Falling through the hall,
Coming straight through the wall,
Is hope staring down at me,
But there's nothing you can see.
Sadness will flow down a cheek,
Courage stand out like a tree.
Joy, joy is as bright
As a comet in flight.
But hope isn't easy to see.
Take care of this house.
Keep it from harm.
If bandits break, in sound the alarm.
Care for this house.
Shine it by hand
And keep it so clean
The glow can be seen all over the land.
Be careful at night,
Check all the doors,
If someone makes off with a dream,
The dream will be yours.
Take care of this house!
Be always on call,
For this house is the home of us all.
Be careful at night,
Check all the doors.
If someone makes off with a dream,
The dream will be yours.
Take care of this house!
Be always on call,
For this house is the home of us all.
#33Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 10/21/16 at 1:04pm
Here is Jennifer Hudson singing it:
EvanstonDad
Stand-by Joined: 5/10/16
#34Showtunes About What It Means to Be American
Posted: 10/21/16 at 1:06pm
The title song to "Oklahoma!" has always evoked a particular feeling of being American to me, even though it's not exactly about being one in general. Also, the whole score of The Music Man, again while not exactly about being an American, is infused with Americana.
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