What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
NYBroadwayNY
Broadway Star Joined: 7/17/04
#0What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 2:33am
Let me define that. Probably not the best wording, but for lack of.....
By 'stand alone', I mean those songs you could rip right out of the musical, perform them somewhere else, and they would be a great song in their own right. I DON'T MEAN solos. There's a difference between solo and stand alone song. (for me)
For instance, if you sang "Bring Him Home" from LM, to people that had never seen LM, they would be asking who "him" is.
But if you sang "Someone Like You" from J&H, I think that song could stand alone and be (is!) a great song.
So what musical has the most of these SA's?
#1re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 2:40amPal Joey. That golden-era musical has like a thousand standards.
#3re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 2:44am
Personally, I usually do not like showtunes sung out of context, especially if the interpretation is very different from what the moment the song is written for characterwise.
Example, 'Cabaret' is a hauntingly beautiful song in context. But I loathe cheesy "Let's sing a happy-happy song" versions of it.
The opposite of creation isn't war, it's stagnation.
Mythus
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/16/04
#4re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 2:48amCATS has quite a few. Memory, to name one. And, uh, Memory...
rockfenris2005
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#5re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 3:09am
Another Suitcase in Another Hall from Evita
Bring Him Home from Les Miserables (the ultimate anti-war song)
Bring on the Men from Jekyll & Hyde
This is the Moment from Jekyll & Hyde
can't think of anymore right now... but they'll come
NYBroadwayNY
Broadway Star Joined: 7/17/04
#6re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:02pmI started this laaaaaaaaaaaaaaate last night, so just bumping it back up to see if any of you have thoughts about it. Thanks!
#7re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:04pmHonestly I think J&H has the most stand alone songs, thats just me. The least stand alone songs: Rent...
#8re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:05pmUm, Mama Mia has quite a few that could work out of context. But then again, maybe not.
#9re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:17pmSongs For A New World
#10re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:21pmHair esp since a few of the songs were released to mainstream radio stations
"Watching a frat boy realize just what he put his d!ck in...ex's getting std's...schadenfruede" ~ Ave Q
"when dangers near, exploit their fear" ~ Reefer Madness the Musical
Derek2
Broadway Star Joined: 8/10/04
#11re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:44pm
Ive Never Been in Love Before (Guys and Dolls)
Home (The Wiz)
The Music That Makes Me Dance (Funny Girl)
Embrassable You (Girl Crazy/Crazy for You)
Anything Goes (Anything Goes)
#12re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:45pmSueLeen - I don't think the Mamma Mia songs work out of context. They make no sense without the storyline to tie them together. The same goes with Movin' Out.
#13re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:47pm
Of course. The songs of mamma mia were written SPECIALLY for the show. like we will rock you.
I agree with the one who said pal joey. Richard Rodgers was a genious writing lirycs.
NYBroadwayNY
Broadway Star Joined: 7/17/04
#14re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:49pm
I haven't seen Mama Mia, but aren't all the songs from the 70's group ABBA? If so, (and I'd forgotten about Mamma Mia) wouldn't all the songs be stand alones?
Eponine, I too, thought that J&H probably had more than the average musical.
I think CATS has the least. The only song that stands alone is MEMORY.
#15re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:52pm
I was just... making fun about mamma mia. Of course the songs are from ABBA and all has been "stand alones" until mamma mia came.
#16re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:54pmi agree with songs for a new world.
#17re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:55pm
but songs from a new world... it's almost a concert... or am I wrong?
#18re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 12:59pm
Richard Rodgers was a genious writing lirycs.
Really? I didn't know he wrote the lyrics.
#19re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 1:00pm
chicago- all but very few numbers
rent- there is a few (what you own, take me or leave me, seasons of love, etc.)
#20re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 1:02pm
I meaaaaaaaaaant Lorenze Hart!
just a mistake.
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#21re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 1:33pm
Speaking of Rodgers & Hart, BABES IN ARMS has
MY FUNNY VALENTINE
WHERE OR WHEN
THE LADY IS A TRAMP
I WISH I WERE IN LOVE AGAIN
JOHNNY ONE NOTE
#22re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 1:34pm
According to my Musical Theatre professor, "Songs for a New World" is not technically a musical.
I think he's on crack.
I vote for that one.
#23re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 1:36pmI love BABES IN ARMS. Songs for a new world isn't technically a musical because there is no constant plot (it is more of a cabaret show or whatever). But, I love it to death.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#24re: What Musical has the Most 'Stand Alone' Songs??
Posted: 8/30/04 at 1:40pm
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