songs without any relevance to the musical

#1

songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:49pm

what are some songs that you think are COMPLETELY irelevant to some musiclas. for me its:

sentimental man- wicked
dancing through life- wicked
finland- spamalot
little old ladys land- producers
masquerade- phantom

#2

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:54pm

"Dancing Through Life" is there to repeat over and over and over and over that Fiyero is "brainless."

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#3

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:55pm

I do there are some songs that could be excised from various shows, but all the songs mentioned above are relevant.
So much plot is established in both Dancing Through Life and Masquerade, and in the case of DTL character development.
Finland & Little Old Ladies are just there for a comedy, but since both those shows are meant to be broad comedies that is their point. Sentimental Man is extraneous, but it's so short I let it slide.

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#4

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:55pm

The Tango in Grand Hotel.

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#5

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:55pm

both of those songs from Wicked are for character exposition. They are not that strong, but they still serve a purpose.

none of the songs are relevant in Smamalot, really

Little old lady land is a comic number that explains how Bialy gets his money

Masquerade catches us up on the time span between acts. it tells us about the new chandelier. it has Christine and Raul talking about thier hidden relationship

all of these songs are relevant to the text, with the exception of finland, but spamalot is not a relevant musical.

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#6

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 4:55pm

sentimental man sets up the wizard's character
dancing through life sets up the beginning of elphie/glinda/fiyero's relationships, not to mention others.
finland - thats the total point.
never seen producers....
masquerade - the song is a celebration of the new opera star and new chandelier... etc.

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#7

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:15pm

now this might be controversial, cos its a classic - but how about The Rhythm of Life? i always thought that felt like a huge excuse to show off a new song that he knew would be a hit, not for its use to the plot or characters!
also there are a lot of older shows that have this - the shoehorning of hit parade material into a flimsy plot - but i didn't think that's what the original post really meant

#8

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 5:16pm

Who's Got The Pain?-DAMN YANKEES
Steam Heat-PAJAMA GAME
Rhythm of Life-SWEET CHARITY

Maybe it's just Fosse musicals...

#9

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 6:04pm

"i always thought that felt like a huge excuse to show off a new song that he knew would be a hit, not for its use to the plot or characters!"

I haven't seen the show, so I can't speak for how it helps or dosen't, but I do know that number was an out-of-town replacement, so to my knowledge, its not a vanity sequence.

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#10

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 6:18pm

"too darn hot"~kiss me kate...great song/dance number...but relevant? not a bit.
also "one by one" ~the lion king...cool song though

#11

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:40pm

Steam Heat (Pajama Game), it just stands out, but I love it just the same.

#12

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:47pm

Can I add "Hominy Grits"? I mean it really has no significance and is there for the laughs.

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#13

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:50pm

TURKEY LURKY TIME!

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#14

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 7:53pm

I never found any major reason for "Rock And Roll Party Queen" from Grease. If I'm wrong please let me know.

#15

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:00pm

I have to second "Steam Heat" and "Turkey Lurkey Time"

And I have to add "Only in New York" and "Long as I'm Here with You" from Millie. Even after I saw the show I didn't understand the point of Muzzy's songs other than to have a song at that point.

#16

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:01pm

I know that lots of people are going to kill me for this, but I think that “Memory” from Cats is mildly out of place. I like the song, but it feels like it should be in a different musical. Like, a musical with an actual PLOT. Perhaps.

#17

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:06pm

ass and tits- ACL

#18

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:08pm

Very Soft Shoes - Once Upon A Mattress. Pointless song for a pretty pointless character.

#19

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:15pm

broadwayismylife, the lyrics go "tits and ass" not "ass and tits". The name of the song is called "Dance: Ten; Looks: Three" and it has the releveance of how Val didn't have "tits" until she got the "operation". The dialogue before it is her talking how she's been turned down all of her life, for various reasons, and then she realized when she "swipes her dance card after an audition", she realizes they like her dance (10) but her looks not so much (3), and then the song comes in.

#20

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:39pm

Shipoopi comes immediately to mind

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"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel

#21

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:45pm

Whatever Muzzy's first song is called in "Thoroughly Modern Millie."

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#22

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 8:59pm

"Motherhood" in Hello, Dolly!
"Oom-Pah-Pah" in Oliver!

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#23

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:01pm

Wow. I consider a lot of these songs listed to be extremely relevant if not to the plot at least to the musical that they are in... and I get a nice laugh out of wicked fans confusing relevancy with boredom.

#24

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:06pm

I'm surprised no one has mentioned My Strongest Suit from Aida. I suppose it has a bit of significance to Amneris's character arc, but the point that is made in the song is made at multiple points throughout the show via dialogue.

#25

re: songs without any relevance to the musical

Posted: 2/22/07 at 9:12pm

"Only in New York" is just to introduce Muzzy's character and to show that she is happy to be back home in NY. (Since Millie and Jimmy are going to Muzzy's welcome home party.) And "Long as I'm Here with You" is the song that Muzzy is performing at Cafe Society when Jimmy and Millie go see her. ..it makes sense to me..