What's a Charm Song?

I am currently reading "Song of Spider-Man" by Glen Berger. In it, he discusses how he gave Bono a sixty song compilation of Broadway music.

"So David had the office burn a four-CD compilation. Sixty songs from the last sixty years of musical theatre, divided into the strictest of categories. There were exposition songs, eleven o'clock numbers, Act One closers, charm songs, anti-charm songs, show-stoppers, character-driven songs, torch songs -- a fantastic mix..."

From this thread, I gathered what a charm song was, though I am not thinking of any recent examples off the top of my head. But what is an "anti-charm" song? Or, at least, what's an example of one?

I actually think of "Barnum" as the 'charm song' musical. A full three quarters of that score are charm songs.

Updated On: 8/30/20 at 04:16 PM

joevitus said: "TheSassySam said: "I am currently reading "Song of Spider-Man" by Glen Berger. In it, he discusses how he gave Bono a sixty song compilation of Broadway music.

"So David had the office burn a four-CD compilation. Sixty songs from the last sixty years of musical theatre, divided into the strictest of categories. There were exposition songs, eleven o'clock numbers, Act One closers, charm songs, anti-charm songs, show-stoppers, character-driven songs, torch songs -- a fantastic mix..."

From this thread, I gathered what a charm song was, though I am not thinking of any recent examples off the top of my head. But what is an "anti-charm" song? Or, at least, what's an example of one?"

Commercially drivenshows since about the 1970's often seem to want to clobber the audience--everything is Really Big and Really Expensive and Really Loud. Not much room for smaller moments or gentle feelings. So there's not much of a place for charm. And the works aiming for complex, deeper meaning since about that same timetend(under the influence of Sondheim--whose work I love) to look on the dark side of experience and human nature, so again, not much room for charm. This is not really "current" but I'd call "Those Magic Changes" in Grease a charm song. "Everything's Alright" and "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" might possibly be called charm songs.One might call "Dentist" from Little Shop an anti-charm song. The most recent example I can think of is "I Love Play Rehearsal" from Be More Chill."

I would argue "Dentist" and "I Love Play Rehearsal" are charm songs as the original BMI Lehman Engel definition stressed that the charm song was universal, it applied to the characters of said musical at the moment but in a non-specific-to-character way. "Put On A Happy Face" is a charm song (that turns into a dance number). "Another Suitcase" is much to somber to be a charm song which tend to also usually be robust and optimistic (though not exclusively).

I think one needs care in identifying charm songs. I googled the definition of a charm song and a site offered as an example "Wouldn't it be Loverly" from My Fair Lady. That song is certainly charming but it's an "I want" song, a functional song. After all the lyrics begin "All I want is a room somewhere..." It even references chocolates which will come up later in the show. Eliza gets everything she wants except "someone's head resting on my knee/Warm and tender as he can be..." Higgins isn't that someone so she has to leave.

Owen22 said: "

I would argue "Dentist" and "I Love Play Rehearsal" are charm songs as the original BMI Lehman Engel definition stressed that the charm song was universal, it applied to the characters of said musical at the moment but in a non-specific-to-character way. "Put On A Happy Face" is a charm song (that turns into a dance number). "Another Suitcase" is much to somber to be a charm song which tend to also usually be robust and optimistic (though not exclusively).

"

Have to agree with you about "Another Suitcase in Another Hall." I guess I was thinking that it was a moment where we had a song from a character we're just supposed to love a feel tenderly towards--nothing to do with plot development or setting a scene. Just this poor little kid living a terrible life. But you're right about the somberness of it going against a basic element of the charm song.

And "Put on a Happy Face": Yes!

joevitus said: "Lot666 said: "joevitus said: "The most recent example I can think of is "I Love Play Rehearsal" from Be More Chill."

I understand your reasoning, but for me, that was the least charming song in the Be More Chill score. It didn't endear the character to me; it compelled me to dismiss her as incredibly annoying."

To each their own. I loved the concept of dream-girl-as-spaz. Lot's of geek boy characters in musical theater, nice to see a geek girl."

Please don't misunderstand; I was fine with having the sought-after girl be a theatre nerd. My objection was specifically with the song, which I found incredibly annoying. That song put a serious dent in her likability for me.

Updated On: 8/31/20 at 11:19 AM