Songs that build up in speed as the verses progress...

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:15pm

...TO AN ABSOLUTELY LUDICROUS SPEED BY SONG'S END!

I know a couple:

The title song from THE RINK
Both Sides of the Coin from DROOD
Office Life from AMOUR

Any others?

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:16pm

Pick a little?

[Freckles1329]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:16pm

all for the best - Godspell

[rufussars]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:18pm

One of the most obvious, I'd think, is "The Speed Test" from Millie, where tempo is the only actual goal of the song.

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:23pm

Pickalittle never builded in tempo.

[singingwendy]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:25pm

Art of the Possible--Evita
the lepers portion of the temple scene--Jesus Christ Superstar


And when I did Music Man, "Pick a Little" did not speed up..it's fast the whole way through!

[SayitSomehow]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:25pm

"Therapy" from Tick... Tick... Boom!

[GirlforTartaglia]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:26pm

Fast * Zanna Don't

The title is appropriate :)

[Alex LaVelle]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:27pm

I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General. Starts off A Tempo, slows second verse, then speeds up so that it's faster than A Tempo for the end.

[renthead92]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:28pm

Would "Reviewing the Situation" from "Oliver!" count?

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:31pm

I read this and immediately thought "Therapy" from "tick, tick...BOOM!"

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:31pm

Gimme Gimme

[keatonbynumbers]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:33pm

Does "Putting it Together" get faster? It seems by the end, he's really rushing through it.

[jasonf]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:37pm

Tchaichovsky (or however you spell it) from Lady in the Dark
Museum Song from Barnum
Words Words Words from Witches of Eastwick

[Josh Freilich]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:37pm

I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major-General

Sometimes it does, but if he's daring enough, like George Rose, the third verse is repeated slightly faster as an encore.

[Blanche]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 9:47pm

The Museum Song from Barnum.

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 10:46pm

"Potiphar" from Joseph builds up speed as the verse (singular) progresses, then resets itself. :)

Also, heh, this isn't really correct, but "Climbing Uphill" from Last 5 Years has a speedy little part to it that speeds up.

And "Desert Island" from High Fidelity speeds up as well.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 10:52pm

Winters on the Wing, Secret Garden

[VonTussleGirl]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 10:53pm

Getting Married Today.. I think. Either that, or the words just get ridiculously complicated by "I called my analyst about it and he said to see him Monday..."

[allofmylife]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 11:09pm

Of course, I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major General from "Pirates of Penzanse" IS "The Speed Test" from Millie, isn't it?

[zoran912]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 11:45pm

No, actually. "The Speed Test" is really "My Eyes Are Fully Open (The Paradox Song)" from Pirates.

[Roninjoey]

Posted: 6/20/06 at 11:54pm

Feh. It's all patter :P

Getting Married Today is, to me, one of the hardest songs to sing. I am terrible at remembering lyrics but I have a really good ear for remembering melodies and yet I can never, ever get that song right when I sing it to myself.

[Soozie]

Posted: 6/21/06 at 12:28am

The song, Carousels, from Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. It speeds up a lot by song's end.

[DreamFlyer22]

Posted: 6/21/06 at 2:32am

Hmmm. First, it depends on the version, but "We Open in Venice" from Kiss Me, Kate came to mind... however, now that I'm thinking about it, "Venice" is more of a progression song- by the end of it, the actors are ready to drop from the repetition of touring life.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 6/21/06 at 4:39pm

zoran912, you are, of course right, but are "My Eyes Are Finally Open" and "I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major General" the same song, in the way that "Goodnight My Someone" and "76 Trombones" are the same song in "The Music Man"? I don't have the scores in front of me and frankly, can't seem to sort the tunes out in my head. Just wondering...