songs without any relevance to the musical — Page 3

SidJone09-
The reason "Officer Krupke" is there is BECAUSE it would be too dark without it.

A lot of these numbers that are being called "irrelevant" really aren't quite. Many of them, like "Krupke" are used to break the action to give the audience a break. While it may not really fully advance the plot, if it's been incredibly intense, and you don't relieve that tension a little bit, your audience will hate it.

Act 1 Finales, especially in the 60s and 70s were meant to end, with a BANG (Hence "Turkey Lurkey Time") to keep audiences' blood going, and to help convince them to stay until Act 2 (Having the main character in something we want to see them get into/out of helps too).

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There are far too many songs that are completely irrelevant. I was njust discussing this yesterday with a friend, with special mention of 'Motherhood' in 'Hello, Dolly!'. I saw a pantomime last night, and not a single song had any relevance to anything whatsoever. Really annoying. I suppose this is all about the 'I want, I am, New' breakdown. Almost all 'New' songs are unnecessary, but they give life and often some fun to the show.

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Updated On: 2/23/07 at 10:42 AM

I was in a professional production of Oliver a couple of years ago. Now, I was only ten years old, so forgive me if my memory is lacking, but I don't recall Bill Sikes even being there when she sings Oom Pah Pah, nevermind Oliver. I thought it was just a drinking song.

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"Oom-pah-pah" was just a drinking song in the stage show thrown in to give Nancy more to do and open Act 2. It's a fun song to open with, but had it been cut from the stage show, it wouldn't have been a big deal. In the movie, it was given a purpose, which was clever on their part.

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"Who's Got The Pain?-DAMN YANKEES "

Its to set up the "show" for Joe Hardy.
Its part of the fan club appercation thing at the end of ACT 1.
It just shows the fan clubs, and how Lola has created one.
[That and the HEART [reprise] fit to show the fan clubs ]

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Nearly every Rodgers and HArt song? I guess old style musicals don't count...

All I Need is the Girl in Gypsy? the thing is I would hate seeing a Gypsy without the song and I trhink it adds to Lousie's feelings but...

Wa Steam Heat already mentioned?

the thing is these kinda moments/songs are IMHO partly why I love musicals--even though I don't want a show like Passion to have a Steam Heat--you know what I mean

Updated On: 2/23/07 at 06:54 PM

Some songs are just there for fun, with really nothing added to the plot. Most of the songs named in the first post were, in fact, important songs. Unimportant songs that don't add plot would be:

"Show Off" from Drowsy Chaperone -- It, of course, adds characterization, but for plot, it does nothing.
"Mama Says (You Can't Back Down" from Footloose
"Everyone's A Little Bit Racist" from Avenue Q
"(The Legend Of) Miss Baltimore Crabs" from Hairspray

They are, of course, character songs, but every song out there is a character song, so long as a character is singing it.

I'm laughing out loud about the "Feed the Birds" entry because it's totally true.

Also, I second "Miss Baltimore Crabs" from Hairspray. I think it's meant to be a funny little side thing, but definetly the weak link of the show.

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Um, guys, stop mentioning the Drowsy Chaperone. I mentioned it as a joke, because, especially with "As We Stumble Along" and "Show Off", they really aren't meant to deal with a plot because it isn't SUPPOSED to be a great show in terms of writing. It, as the Man in Chair explains, was mainly about showing off the actors' talents, and nothing else.

I also am going to chime in another entry, "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" in Guys and Dolls is completely irrelevant. The scene carries on after like it would've without a big show-stopper in the middle of it, almost as if it never happened in the first place...

Krupe is relevant to WSS, aside from the fact that it adds some humor to the tension. Though it doesn't directly affect the intense action and tension of the second act, it serves as important commentary on the situation--the police/adults are completely clueless when it comes to handling these "juvenile deliquents"--and they're well aware. This completely coincides with the last visual pose of the musical--the gangs have walked out, and all the adults stand on the stage, looking at each other, completely clueless has to handle any of this. It's an important theme of WSS, and an important underlying in all the action that goes on.

I want to disagree with Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat, but thinking about it, you are right.

Feed the Birds has very important plot relevance! For the movie, Mary instills the idea of feeding the birds, so Michael won't give his toppins to the bank because he wants to feed the birds, that's what starts the whole problem at the bank and results in Mr. Banks' almost firing, and eventual character change.

I'll Share It With You and Who Do You Love I Hope don't seem to serve that big a function in Annie Get Your Gun, aside to give those characters something to sing, and to be a bitch to the musicians. Old fashioned wedding kind of feels the same way, since as soon as the song is over, they decide not to get married. Moonshine Lullaby is my favorite song, but really serves no plot relevance. I don't think Sun in the morning is that important either, except for a huge dance break.

My favorite song in Guys and Dolls may not be that important either--More I Cannot Wish You. i guess it serves some purpose, encouraging Sarah to accept/love Sky.

I'm not sure that Ascot Gavrotte is essential in MFL. I guess it establishes the class distinctions and the world Eliza is trying to get into, but it doesn't need to be described in song. Plus, I don't like it.

Though I really like it, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again isn't essential to Phantom. I mean, we know Christine misses her father. It's nice to get her to get the grave for Wandering Child, but she didn't need to sing. It's mostly a show-off song for Christine.

That's enough for now. There's definitely more I can name.

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Re: What a Game-IT is for character development of Father trying to actually be a father to his son instead of being self absorbed.

One song of no relevance that comes to my mind is "Those Magic Changes" in Grease. It neither moves the plot along nor reveals anything about the character singing it.

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