Songs with a "stolen" ending

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 10:47pm

I couldn't think of a better thread title than that, i was listening to "all about the green" from the wedding singer and i really dislike that its glen's big song, but robbie takes it over for the ending. Is there any other songs you folks can think of that a relatively uninvolved character comes in and takes the ending away from the character singing

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 10:50pm

I don't feel like this is a good example if "stolen" is the word you are going to use. It is important that Robbie take over at the end of the song here to prove that he is willing to convert his ways, if you will, to a life driven by money, just to impress Julia. Glen is teaching him at the beginning, and Robbie learns from it. It's very appropriate here in my opinion.
-BJH

[jonartdesigns]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 10:54pm

i can see how its appropriate but on some level i feel bad for richard since he doesn't particularly get a "big ending"

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 11:02pm

The same thing occurs at the end of the previous song, Saturday Night in the City.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 11:21pm

"i can see how its appropriate but on some level i feel bad for richard since he doesn't particularly get a "big ending""

Glen is a minor character though. I feel like in every show there are really minor characters who don't have big endings. The show isn't called "The Fiance of the Girl With Whom the Wedding Singer Falls in Love"...

"The same thing occurs at the end of the previous song, Saturday Night in the City."

Not really. I mean, yes, Robby has a small interlude, but in the show the focus shifts back to Holly for the rest of the song. She definitely has a big ending here that isn't stolen by anyone.
Updated On: 6/23/06 at 11:21 PM

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 6/22/06 at 11:50pm

I just realized that, sorry.

[FeelingElectric]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 8:17am

"She definitely has a big ending here that isn't stolen by anyone"

That may be the understatment of the year. Her finish is worth the price of admission!

[bjh2114]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 8:29am

"That may be the understatment of the year. Her finish is worth the price of admission!"

Amen to that, Electric!!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 8:46am

What about when dance moves in and "steals" the ending? For example, in Carousel, Jigger starts out "Blow High, Blow Low" but then the dancing sailors "steal" it away from him and it morphs into another song "Hornpipe".

[ChrisLovesShows]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 8:49am

Little Guido actually wraps up (adult) Guido's last reprise in Nine. It's important to the theme of acceptance and self-forgiveness in the show.

Posted: 6/23/06 at 9:11am

"What about when dance moves in and "steals" the ending? For example, in Carousel, Jigger starts out "Blow High, Blow Low" but then the dancing sailors "steal" it away from him and it morphs into another song "Hornpipe"."

I just happened to have the complete score of Carousel close at hand so I can clarify the above, with regard to the original version:

No. 13 Blow High, Blow Low
1. First the men sing 8 bars
2. Jigger sings 8 bars
3. Billy Bigelow sings 3 1/2 bars
4. The men sing 4 1/2 bars
5. Jigger sings another 3 1/2 bars
6. The men finish with 4 1/2 bars

No. 14 Hornpipe

[James2]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 9:30am

"High Flying Adored" from Evita. Che sings the first two verses, then Eva sings the thinrd.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 9:41am

Let me clarify how "Blow High, Blow Low" is often staged:

The first 8 bars are usually sung offstage as the men enter from their day of fishing. I believe it begins a capella.

Jigger starts the verse: "The people who live on land..." It is usually staged with Jigger being the focus.

Everyone onstage sings chorus

Billy sings his verse, usually staged with him taking the focus

Everyone onstage sings chorus

Jigger sings verse three, once again as focus of song

Everyone sings chorus

If I remember correctly (and I don't always do) there is no pause, the orchestra goes straight into Hornpipe.

[Aphexis]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 10:08am

Dulcinea

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 10:14am

"High Flying Adored" from Evita. Che sings the first two verses, then Eva sings the third."

And to make matters worse, she steals it with a key change!!

Updated On: 6/23/06 at 10:14 AM

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:06am

i thought this thread was going to be about songs which have similar finishes, as in "Somewhere That's Green" and "Part of Your World"...

[sondwisenheimer]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:15am

At least Ashman and Menken were stealing from themselves in that case.

[mathewbrock]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 11:33am

Yeah, the second meaning of this thread is more fun to try and recognize... The Big Dollhouse from HAIRSPRAY ends the same way Rose's Turn form GYPSY does. But that's no secret - Marc Shaiman and Scott Whitman admit openly to it in the coffee table book.

MILLIE uses hijacked numbers all over the place. The Speed Test is a Gilbert and Sullivan tune from HMS PINAFORE (which was used in the movie version of PIRATES OF PENZANCE). Muquin is a song called Mammy. Don't know the origin of that one, but I know that Liza sings it in LIZA WITH A "Z".

I'm sure there are more....

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 12:22pm

i guess it is a little better when a composer uses his own previous work or cops to a "homage"...try listening to "It Takes a Woman" from DOLLY and "Need a Little Christmas" from MAME....different note values, same tune....

[BillFinn]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 3:08pm

This is minor, but when I saw the "Into the Woods" revival, the vamp music at the end of the Prologue when the principles were skipping? and singing over and over Into the Woods and out of the woods... ? That vamp music reminded me of the same music played out in "A Little Night Music" (A Weekend in the Country).

[sondwisenheimer]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 3:10pm

How about "No One is Alone" and "The Candy Man?"

(apologies, Mr. Sondheim)

[Danielm]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 3:28pm

The song is used in the show to perform a purpose--not just to be a big song. You have to look at it in the context of the show. This is why you have to see a show rather than just listen to the OCR. The song is used to advance the plot--not be a big "numbo."

[TxTwoStep]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 4:39pm

while for a few measures the MELODY of "No One" and "Candyman" is the same, the harmonization is completely different...but i know what you mean. Those spoilsports who dislike INTO THE WOODS always compare those two songs....

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 6/23/06 at 5:34pm

When I played Jigger, they simply put me INTO the Hornpipe. I ended the number center with the sailors and girls en tableau. I never felt cheated out of my song.

Posted: 6/23/06 at 5:44pm

How about Dreamgirls' And I am Telling You? The Dreams move right in on Effie to close Act One.