"'After the war I went back to New York---'
'A-AFTER the war I went back to New York..."
*interrupts my current Hamilton song infatuation*
Hi, friends!
Today is the last day of Hamlette's We Love Musicals Week so I'm popping in to fill out the tag she has created for the festivities. It's my tradition for the last 3 years to do computer programming while listening to musicals on Valentine's Day so even though I don't have any computer programming homework this semester, musicals never go out of style.
1. What are your favorite musicals? (Tell us a top 3 to 5, that sort of thing.)
Hadestown:
I have a poster from this musical in my room and it is the first and last thing I see every day. This musical tells such a visceral grip on my heart, I don't have words for it. I loved it before seeing it, and then seeing it was one of the best experiences of my life.
Favorite songs: "Road to Hell" // "Any Way the Wind Blows" // "Livin' it Up on Top" // "Wait for me" + reprise //
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Six:
"And even though this feels so right, // I'm holding back the tears tonight // It's true I'll never be over you // 'cuz I have built a future in my mind with you..."
If the incredibly long post I just wrote about it didn't tell you that this is my second favorite musical of all time, I don't know what will.
Favorite songs: ALL OF THEM.
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Fiddler on the Roof (1971):
This also wins the award for favorite movie musical because nothing that has happened on screen makes me happier than Topol's dances as Tevye. Tevye's avoidant behavior of "I'm just going to tell Goldie that I had a dream..." is ICONIC. Just today I purchased a copy of the original stories by Sholem Aleichem that inspired this story!
Favorite songs: "If I Were A Rich Man" // "Tradition" :
The Hunchback of Notre Dame:
both animated and Broadway versions.
And yes, as my sister informs me, they are nothing like the book but I DON'T CARE because the book inspired this story that never fails to give me shivers in my soul.
Favorite songs: "God Help the Outcasts" will always be one of my favorite songs of all time (especially from an animated movie. There's no question), but also "Heaven's Light"?? GORGEOUS. I will also quote "Rest and Recreation" on a regular basis...
Into the Woods (2014):
This feeds the continual craving I have within me for fairytales. Sondheim is a musical legend and that is fully shown through the lines "Be careful of what you wish // for wishes come true not free"...
Favorite songs: One time I sat down and ranked all of the songs in a post...
2. What do you like about musicals?
Musicals provide a vulnerable and intimate look into the heart of the characters. In no other genre is it as easy find the soaring joys and plunging depths of a character's emotions because in musicals they sing it out to you. They take the highs and lows of human pain, heartache, and love and translate it into a way that anyone feeling those songs can sing to release them from the burden of not having the right words.
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Then there is time to just have fun with playing with music and singing. Like when there are different stories being sung and then they all come together? AH. I want to make a whole post about this, but for example. "96,000" from In the Heights is one of my go-to for story examples for giving characters different motivations.
Then there are times the characters are such darling idiots. Like, I'm playing "Kiss Me (pt. 1)" from Sweeney Todd over and over again because it makes me giggle because Johanna and Anthony are on SUCH different wavelengths they aren't listening to each other and it's like you TWO hold up for ONE SECOND---
3. What's the first musical you can remember seeing?
The Wizard of Oz (1939) which is consequently also the first movie I ever remember watching, so my movie-watching experience is very tied to singing and dancing. In fact, when I was very little I got bored of any movie that DIDN'T have singing and dancing...
I think the first live musical I saw was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in 2013? I still haven't seen the movie version because the version I saw was so much fun.
4. Have you ever seen a live musical onstage?
Yes! I am very lucky to have lived in places with amazing community theater productions and to also have gotten to travel and see amazing shows. I saw 11 live musicals last year alone which was a record that I don't think I'll ever be able to top and I'm very grateful for!
5. Have you ever performed in a musical?
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6. Do you periodically dance about and burst into song in real life?
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I do but in different ways than musicals, because usually I'm reenacting musicals. Lately, out of the blue I'll just start singing, "ALL I HEAR IS SCREAMS!" which is from the concept album of EPIC the Musical, which is a musical version of The Odyssey in 9 "Sagas." I haven't listened to the last one yet, which came out in December, because I'm not ready. That's okay, I'll just keep listening to The Underworld Saga (which, Hadestown fans, you should totally check out this whole musical, but this section will be a favorite, I bet).
7. What's the newest movie musical you've seen?
Looking through my journals and records of various kinds I think it is 2023's Wonka? This chocolatey masterpiece is sweet and fun in so many ways. "A World of Your Own" and "For a Moment" are some of my favorite songs because they are so joyful and celebrating life.
8. What's the oldest movie musical you've seen?
The oldest titles I could come up with that I for sure have seen all of is either Follow the Fleet (1936) or Shall We Dance (1937), but just because I watched them doesn't mean I remember them. In fact, I don't. I have absolutely no clue. I remember disliking Follow the Fleet, so I guess I'm glad I don't remember it?
I also have no real memory of Swing Time (1936) and I don't think I ever saw the beginning, but I remember one scene better than the other two combined, sooooo...
9. What's the last musical you watched?
La La Land (2016). I really want to write a blog post about this film but I don't know what to say that hasn't been said before. It is magnificent. According to Spotify, "City of Stars" is my most listened to song at the moment. I'd heard about it ever since it came out, but no one told me how tender, vulnerable, and real that song is. And "The Fools Who Dream" is one of the most heartfelt songs to have touched this earth.
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10. What musical do you hope to watch for the first time soon?
I mean watch is the key word there because there are a couple of musicals that I listen to a lot but have never actually seen. Like Hamilton. Forever the top two that I wanted to see were Little Shop of Horrors and Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, but I saw both of those last year! But I haven't seen the movie versions themselves.
A friend and I are trying to get together to watch Pillow Talk (1959), so that will probably be the next one! Though looking it up, there don't seem to be that many songs so maybe it's not a musical. Others on my list include: The Barkleys of Broadway (1949), Fame (2009), and Guys and Dolls (1955).
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That does it! It's taken me so long to wrap up this post because there are so many more musicals I want to talk about like my intense love for Hamilton and The Music Man and and and I'll let you all go, though. If YOU are looking for more musical fun, then check out all of the other posts in We Love Musicals Week, HERE!
Thanks, Hamlette for hosting!
And thanks to all of you for reading! Do any of you have musical songs stuck in your head now? I will as soon as I turn off my playlist, but I don't want to stop listening... How many of these musicals have you seen? Do you listen to musicals before you watch them or do you watch them before just putting the soundtrack on repeat? What makes a musical special to you?
Chloe the MovieCritic
Dude, I haven't seen Hunchback of Notre Dame in soo long! It's been on my list to rewatch for ages now!
ReplyDeleteI last watched it a year ago and it's already been too long! Enjoy being immersed in the amazing sounds. ^_^
DeleteHiya! I understand not seeing the last Saga yet, I was really scared to watch it not just because I didn't want it to end, but mostly because I was like this is a Greek Myth there's no way this ends well! (Personally I had not and still have not actually read the real Odyssey and so I though I recognized some plotlines based off of popular myths, and I'm a fan of Percy Jackson so-- I knew a bit about Greek myths but not enough to know the whole story.) I can only say that I was satisfied with my care. I hope you check out the last Sagas soon! (Warning though, they are very dark and very unclean, there's a whole song I skipped.)
ReplyDeleteI finally listened to it as a reward for completing a very difficult test. XD The last saga is bittersweet, but I really enjoyed it! I mean, vocals on "The Challenge"?? I can't get enough of it. The few things that I knew about the Odyssey, from when bits had been read to me when I was little, was: cyclops, sirens, and an archery contest. I of course latched on to that last bit because archery is one of my favorite things ever. I was also satisfied with Jorge's take on it and I'm glad you were, too! This is also my reminder to read more Percy Jackson...though you're right, Greek Myths rarely end well XD
DeleteAlso, yes. Many a time have I waltzed into a room and randomly starting singing ALL I HEAR ARE SCREAAMSS! Also sometimes when I'm in a good mood, "I know we'll be fiiiiine, I know it's light you'll fiind!" And "You can relax my friend." I actually sing that while doing school. XD
ReplyDelete"You can relax my friend" became my anthem during this last semester. That was when I needed encouragement, whereas "fight little wolf, fight!" was when I needed motivation. XD This show really has all of the emotions.
DeleteThank you so much for your comments, Frankie!
Tevye IS iconic. That is just a fact.
ReplyDeleteHah, I very nearly used the "Happy Song" post myself. :P
Oh, I forgot about The Wizard of Oz! That could potentially be my first musical too. (And I would recommend watching the movie of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, because it's very fun too.)
Say it louder for the people in the back. *nods approvingly in time to "If I Were a Rich Man"*
DeleteI figured other people would've seen that because it's so true XD
The Wizard of Oz established for me that people sing in movies. That's just what they do. And it's been hard to come out of that. XD Thanks for the recommendation for the Seven Brides for Seven Brothers movie! I just had the opportunity to go to one show at a theater and I could've seen 7Bf7B again, but decided to watch another show I really like in order to focus on actually seeing the movie. ^_^
I don't know how you're able to see so many great stage productions!
ReplyDeleteIt all came together so perfectly, Ivy! It's going to be a little harder now that I've moved (the theaters in my old town are going to be some of the things I miss the most!), but I already have a ticket to see one show here, which will be my first musical of the year!
DeleteSuch a fun post, Chloe! I love many of the musicals you've mentioned: Hunchback, Wizard of Oz, La La Land, Music Man, to name a few. And that number in Swing Time is fabulous, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteP.S. I second the recommendation for the film version of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers! The barn raising dance is such a good time :)
Thanks, Ari! Isn't La La Land a delight? I just got my parents to watch it for the first time and while they're still a little skeptical, it just reminded me of how much I love it. ^_^ YES! Fred and Ginger are amazing in every dance scene and I especially love the one at the end of Swing Time.
DeleteSecond noted! ^_^ The next movie musical I'm really trying to go for is Guys and Dolls, but I hope to make Seven Brides for Seven Brothers the one after that!
anyone feeling those songs can sing to release them from the burden of not having the right words
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY. Precisely that. That's the magic of musicals, right there. Perfectly phrased.
So cool you've been in a couple of fun musicals!
I really want/need to see Wonka.
I don't really remember any singing and dancing in Pillow Talk. But it's really funny :-D
Thank you, Hamlette! Getting how I felt about it somehow summed into words made me feel like a great lyricist myself, like Sondheim or Lin-Manuel Miranda. ^_^
DeleteWonka is such a treat! It's absolutely in the spirit of Roald Dahl.
Turns out Doris Day sang in one scene, but that was it. XD I had a side ache by the time we finished watching it because my friends and I were laughing at all of the ridiculousness.
Thanks for hosting this party!!
Late the party, but MUSICALS! I love musicals!! You know this about me.
ReplyDeleteHADESTOWN, MY BELOVED <3
I do love Hunchback! A certain someone introduced me to the Broadway version, and I'm very, very fond of that.
Oh man, I have been OBSESSED with Epic the past few months! My siblings put me onto it and !!! it's just SO GOOD!!!! (The last saga is excellent. 10/10. I think that's actually the one I listen to most. Although I also love whichever one starts with "Legendary".)
MUSICALS. One is never too late for musicals. As long as you jump in on your cue, you're fine. xD
Delete*sobs in the tune of "Wait for Me"*
Oooooooh, what's your favorite part of the Broadway version? As I said, I always find myself chuckling over "Rest and Recreation." I don't know why it tickles me so much, but it does. XD And of course I lose my mind of "Esmeralda." One of the best ways to end a first act, imo.
EPICCCCCCCCCC. Well done, Sam's siblings, well done. I now listen to "The Challenge" on repeat. AH, The Wisdom Saga! Telemachus is my CHILD so I love "Legendary." And "Little Wolf." And you get the picture. ^_^