Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa) — Page 2

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#26

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/5/05 at 11:55pm

Wonderful Show - A Little Night Music.

Bad Song: It Would Have Been Wonderful.

That mordant vamp and queasy melody kills a pretty funny lyric. The release is a small reward.

#27

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/5/05 at 11:56pm

Oh roquat, you've hurt my heart...Sarah Brown Eyes is one of the most gorgeous songs I have ever heard melodically, and pretty touching lyrically.

"This ocean runs more dark and deep than you may think you know...I'll be the fear of the fire at sea." -Marie Christine

#28

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 2:53am

Bad Songs/Good Shows

-"Shipoopi" from Music Man.......Come on.
-"Cocktail Counterpoint" from La Cage
-"Class" from Chicago
-"Hosanna" from Jesus Christ Superstar
-"The Legend Of Miss Baltimore Crabs" from Hairspray
-"Santa Fe" from Rent

Good Songs/Bad Shows
-"He Touched Me" from Drat! The Cat!
-"Memory" from Cats
-Lots of "Chess"
-"Lost in the Wilderness" from Children of Eden

I'm sure I'll think of more

#29

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 2:59am

"um... excuse me, but Throughly Modern Millie and Sunset Blvd are NOT bad shows. They both won the Tony for Best Musical and they were greatly deserved."

Well SUNSET, which i think is a terrible show, only won teh Tony as Best musical because there were NO other new book musicals that year and the only other nominee was a jukebox show SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE.

If you enjoy SUNSET and MILLIE, that's great but do look at them more critically and I think you'll agree that neither is as strong as show as it could be.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

#30

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 4:01am

"I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today" In Ave. Q. Great Show, odd song.

#31

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 4:08am

Does Mamma Mia count? Great songs, bad show.

On the flip side, I absolutely cannot listen to the Wizard's songs in Wicked or Something Bad.

"It's not always about you!!!" (But if you think I'm referring to you anyway, then I probably am.)

"Good luck returning my ass!" - Wilhemina Slater

"This is my breakfast, lunch and f***ing dinner right here. I'm not even f***in' joking." - Colin Farrell

#32

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 4:12am

I love Sarah Brown Eyes. I don't think it dragged down the show at all. It gave Ragtime its heart and soul.

#33

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 4:22am

I like shapoopi, it is fun.

Like a lot of previous posters, the Wizards songs in Wicked suck!

Santa Fe in Rent is just drab.

#34

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 5:09am

'Today 4 U' and 'Santa Fe' from 'Rent'. Each time I listen to the cd I skip these too.

'Bang!' from 'Putting it Together', I'm not surprised it didn't make the final cut of 'A Little Night Music'

#35

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 11:15am

Frontrowcentre2 - you beat me to the comment on Sunset Boulevard. The show has maybe 4 good songs, and that's it. The rest is the same "da DA da da da, da da da" over and over and over.

And Sara Brown Eyes not a good song??? Oy. That's all I have to say. Oy.

Hi, Shirley Temple Pudding.

#36

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 11:18am

I'm sad that everyone is calling Chess a bad show- I was in it last year and I personally loved it.

Terrible Songs/Wonderful Shows
Voicemail # 2- RENT
Wonderful/Sentimental Man- Wicked

Wonderful Songs/Terrible Shows
Songs from Mamma Mia- good. Show- bad.
Class- Chicago
Memory- Cats (I didn't think Cats was so bad when I saw it, but its so... PWP.)

#37

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 11:34am

SUNSET BOULEVARD beat SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE? That is a monstrous injustice.

I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."

#38

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 11:42am

"Sarah Brown Eyes" was only added to RAGTIME to get Audra back into the second act. It says nothing that hasn't already been said, and the melody is monotonous and tinkly. In a show where every other song sweeps you up emotionally and whisks the plot along, it is really out of place.

If we're taking offense, it saddens me a lot that "Class" from CHICAGO already got two votes. The juxtaposition of the mock-classical format (the song is marked "a la Franz Schubert" in the score) and the vulgar lyrics (restored in all their uncensored glory in a bonus track on the CHICAGO film CD--"Every guy is a snot/Every girl is a twat") is hysterically ingenious.

I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."

#39

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 3:40pm

Maybe I'm just twisted, but I find "I'm Not Wearing Underwear" very amusing.

Bad Song in a Good Show:
Her Is from The Pajama Game
Mix Tape from Avenue Q- just doesn't fit in
More I Cannot Wish You from Guys and Dolls
Carnegie Hall from On the Town
Your Eyes from Rent- I've always wondered "It took you that long to write this trite thing?"
My mom always complains about "One Hand, One Heart" from West Side Story, but I like it.

Good Song in a Bad Show:
I have to admit it. The lyrics are dreadful, but something about "All I Ask of You" gets to me.
"Nothing is Too Impossible to Be True" is the only song from DRS that I like.
"Song That Goes Like This" from Spamalot, sort of- it works in isolated form but none of the songs work very well in the show's context.

"WHEN is the winter of our discontent?" "NOW is the winter of our discontent!" Visit My Blog

#40

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 3:46pm

BroadwayRandy0711, "I Am Not Wearing Underwear Today" IS an odd song, in a great, but ODD show! It's wonderful! Every bit of Q's score is brilliant! Ahh...and right at the end when Christmas Eve says, "Get a job!" and Brian says "Thank you...honey." LOL...I love it.

"Winning a Tony this year is like winning Best Attendance in third grade: no one will care but the winner and their mom."
-Kad

"I have also met him in person, and I find him to be quite funny actually. Arrogant and often misinformed, but still funny."
-bjh2114 (on Michael Riedel)

Updated On: 9/9/06 at 03:46 PM

#41

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 4:09pm

People always comment on the badness of "The More I Cannot Wish You," but that's my favorite song in the entire show. I think it's gorgeous.

"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy." -Charlie Manson

#42

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 9:31pm

I'm with you, munkustrap.

As for good songs in bad shows, "Long as I'm Here With You" is the only song in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE that I like--it's relaxed and friendly and not insistently cheery like the rest of the score.

I ask in all honesty/What would life be?/Without a song and a dance, what are we?/So I say "Thank you for the music/For giving it to me."

#43

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 10:29pm

I also think "More I Cannot Wish You" is one of the better songs from Guys & Dolls.

"This ocean runs more dark and deep than you may think you know...I'll be the fear of the fire at sea." -Marie Christine

#44

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 11:14pm

"Our Little World" - Into the Woods

I'm sorry, but that song is useless.

Proud fangirl of Greg Jbara.

#45

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/6/05 at 11:22pm

I LOVE Sante Fe! Although it doesn't fit very well...with the show, it was the first song I liked from the show.

This is my signature.

#46

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/7/05 at 12:02am

I agree with "Our Little World" from Into the Woods - I love the show so, so much, but I dislike that song intensely. I'm in a production of it right now, and the director was wise enough to cut it.

Stop looking at my charisma.

#47

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/7/05 at 1:10am

"Life After Life" was an AWESOME song from Dracula. If the rest of the show had lived up to the song, it would have done much better on Broadway.

"Something Bad" is a HORRENDOUS song from Wicked.
"Nicest Kids In Town" BLOWS, but I love Hairspray.

#48

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/7/05 at 1:28am

enjolrasissex -

"Last Night of the World" a bad song??? Lol, there isn't much that's wrong with Miss Saigon and of anything that is, "Last Night of the World" is not it!

...I'm very curious as to whether or not you have ever seen CHESS? Yes, "Anthem" is a fabulous song, however...Chess is a fabulously written show, but it was written in a style that is very difficult to stage! The Broadway incarnation of Chess (Wich I have seen) was really bad, and the changed orchestrations, added songs, and pathetic staging, didn't help anything. Judy Kuhn was very nice to listen to, although that song was fairly pointless, and obviously an addition to the score. If Baz would direct Chess, I think it would be an amazing production. Seriously it is a good show; one that eventually deserves better treatment!

Later!

Phantom05

------- "We Drink Your Blood And Then We Eat Your Soul, Nothings Gonna Stop Us Let The Bad Times Roll" -------"Past The Point Of No Return, No Backward Glances, Abandon Thought And Let The Dream Begin"

#49

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/7/05 at 6:10am

It's 5 am, so excuse me if this is a little incoherant.

I know that alot of people like The Last Night of the World. I am not one of them. I dislike the music and lyrics.

And, yes, I have seen Chess. As you said, it wasn't written well for the stage. I consider that a 'bad' show. If it's a musical that is going to play on Broadway. shouldn't it be written for the stage? Not to mention the music, which I found to be annoying. Anthem is the only song that I enjoyed.

Just my opinion though!

Who's stoned? I am merely travelling incognito.

#50

re: Terrible Songs in Wonderful Shows (or vice versa)

Posted: 11/8/05 at 12:12pm

Whew....Been a while since I could get back to this!

Enjolrasissex - I don't think that because Chess is diffucult to stage that it is a bad show. Staging a production is never easy, or at least it shouldn't be. A lot of time and work goes into the staging, or at least it should! And I didn't say that it "wasn't written well for the stage", I said:

"it was written in a style that is very difficult to stage..."

There is a difference! Chess is a fabulously "written" show, but unless the time goes into bringing it to life in front of an audience then it won't work; in no way does that constitute "bad" theatre, it just poses more of an artistic challenge that a lot of directors aren't willing or artistically aren't able to tackle.

"If it's a musical that is going to play on Broadway. shouldn't it be written for the stage? Not to mention the music, which I found to be annoying."

Chess was written and intended for the stage! It isn't that it wasn't written for the stage, it is just difficult "to" stage...If you know the show well you would understand how complex of a show Chess really is. As for the music, that can only be left up to your personal taste. If you have only heard or seen the Broadway cast recording, then I feel sorry for you, because is was tweaked a lot and changed the original vision of the show. The original with Elaine Paige is fabulous, if you've aready heard it and still don't like it, then I'm not even going to waste my breath...Or fingers in this case, lol.

Whatever!

Bye!

Phantom05

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