What’s the all-time greatest song from a musical?

[Barbara Fan]

What’s the all-time greatest song from a musical?

Radio 2 are having a poll to decide on the best ever song from a musical. Which song would you vote for from the choices below??? Only 1 song allowed

Elaine Paige will be revealing the Top 20 on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds on Sunday 31st January.

BBC - Radio 2's Greatest Song From a Musical Vote

The choices are

The Shortlist​

• Alexander Hamilton (Hamilton)
• All That Jazz (Chicago)
• America (West Side Story)
• And I Am Telling You (Dreamgirls)
• As If We Never Said Goodbye (Sunset Boulevard)
• As Long As He Needs Me (Oliver!)
• Beauty And The Beast (Beauty And The Beast)
• Being Alive (Company)
• Bring Him Home (Les Miserables)
• Cabaret (Cabaret)
• Circle Of Life (The Lion King)
• Defying Gravity (Wicked)
• Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita)
• Don't Rain On My Parade (Funny Girl)
• Electricity (Billy Elliot The Musical)
• Everything's Coming Up Roses (Gypsy)
• Food, Glorious Food (Oliver!)
• Friend Like Me (Aladdin)
• Gethsemane (Jesus Christ Superstar)
• I Am What I Am (La Cage Aux Folles)
• I Could Have Danced All Night (My Fair Lady)
• I Don't Know How To Love Him (Jesus Christ Superstar)
• I Got Rhythm (Girl Crazy / An American In Paris/ Crazy for You)
• I Know Him So Well (Chess)
• If I Loved You (Carousel)
• I'm Here (The Color Purple)
• The Impossible Dream (Man Of La Mancha)
• Let It Go (Frozen)
• Losing My Mind (Follies)
• Luck Be a Lady (Guys & Dolls)
• Maria (West Side Story)
• Maybe This Time (Cabaret)
• Memory (Cats)
• Not While I'm Around (Sweeney Todd)
• One Day More (Les Miserables)
• Over The Rainbow (The Wizard Of Oz)
• The Room Where It Happens (Hamilton)
• Seasons Of Love (Rent)
• Send In The Clowns (A Little Night Music)
• Shallow (A Star is Born)
• She Used To Be Mine (Waitress)
• Singin' In The Rain (Singin' In The Rain)
• Sit Down You're Rockin' The Boat (Guys & Dolls)
• Somewhere (West Side Story)
• Summertime (Porgy and Bess)
• This is Me (The Greatest Showman)
• Waving Through a Window (Dear Evan Hansen)
• What I Did For Love (A Chorus Line)
• You Can't Stop The Beat (Hairspray)
• You Will Be Found (Dear Evan Hansen)

My choice was

• And I Am Telling You (Dreamgirls) Jennifer Holliday

I first heard this at school lstening to Paul Gambuccini doing a run down of the American charts in early 80s on R1 and the first time i heard it the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and shiver went down my spine, such was the power of her voice (and I had to tape her off the readio and listen to it again and again)

 

[Mel O'Drama]

My choice was

• And I Am Telling You (Dreamgirls) Jennifer Holliday

I first heard this at school lstening to Paul Gambuccini doing a run down of the American charts in early 80s on R1 and the first time i heard it the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and shiver went down my spine, such was the power of her voice (and I had to tape her off the readio and listen to it again and again)

That was the first one that came to mind for me. Especially this version from the Tonys which is one of the best performances I've ever seen:

 

[Alexis]

There's a few of my favourites on that list. As If We Never Said Goodbye, Memory, I Know Him So Well, Loosing My Mind, Send In The Clowns, Beauty and The Beast, I Don't Know How To Love Him. Wow... There really are a lot. Even two songs from Les Miserables. Only neither of them is On My Own!

I think at the moment I would probably say Memory from Cats. It's not a musical I love, but I really, really love the song.

 

[Ome]

Who decided not to involve Grease, Grease II, Rocky Horror Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Commitments?



If I have to choose from the list I would go with the powerful "I'm Here" from THE COLOR PURPLE

 

[Alexis]

Who decided not to involve Grease, Grease II, Rocky Horror Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Commitments?



If I have to choose from the list I would go with the powerful "I'm Here" from THE COLOR PURPLE

Yes, I would like to know how they came up with this short list?

Where is You'll Never Walk Alone from Carousel?

 

[Angela Channing]

From that list I would choose Somewhere from West Side Story or One Day More from Les Miserables but there are some criminal omissions from what the choice is between.

My favourite song from a musical is Tell Me It's Not True from Blood Brothers or The Rhythm of Life from Sweet Charity.

 

[Grant Jennings]

Even before reading the list my choice was "Somewhere" ("Over The Rainbow" would be a very close second); it works beautifully within the context of the story but also stands on its own. Why isn't "Love Is Here To Stay" on the list?

 

[Angela Channing]

Even before reading the list my choice was "Somewhere" ("Over The Rainbow" would be a very close second); it works beautifully within the context of the story but also stands on its own. Why isn't "Love Is Here To Stay" on the list?

I agree. Somewhere is a stunning piece of song writing: it tells a story, it evokes an emotion and it seals the connection between the 2 characters. It a great melody and the lyrics are both hopeful and tragic.

 

[Grant Jennings]

Who decided not to involve Grease, Grease II, Rocky Horror Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Commitments?



If I have to choose from the list I would go with the powerful "I'm Here" from THE COLOR PURPLE

Grease II ?! Why not include Can't Stop The Music, Xanadu and The Apple while we're at it?

 

[Ome]

Why not include Can't Stop The Music, Xanadu and The Apple while we're at it?

I can't comment on these having never seen them.

 

[Ome]

Grease II ?! Why not include Can't Stop The Music, Xanadu and The Apple while we're at it?

Ah- I hadn’t realised (until I saw Toni laugh at your post) you were attempting to ridicule a preferred choice of mine.

 

[Sarah]

My favourite isn’t there but I’m going for Circle of Life from The Lion King.

 

[Grant Jennings]

Ah- I hadn’t realised (until I saw Toni laugh at your post) you were attempting to ridicule a preferred choice of mine.

It wasn't intended as ridicule, I actually love Xanadu and Can't Stop The Music despite the fact that they are widely criticized - just like Grease II. I threw in The Apple for good measure, I haven't seen it yet.

 

[Rove]

Just reading the title thread and my go to song was "You're The One That I Want" from Grease. Then I read the list If however I do have to select a song it will be...

Memory (Cats)​

 

[Alexis Colby Carrington]

Defying gravity - that final note - shivers!

 

[Barbara Fan]

My favourite song from a musical is Tell Me It's Not True from Blood Brothers or The Rhythm of Life from Sweet Charity.

Thats one of my favourites too, saw Marti Webb many moons ago in Blood brothers and she was great

Defying gravity - that final note - shivers!

Ive seen Wicked twice on B'way and Defying gravity was so powerful at the end of the 1st half, I had to buy the CD as soon as I got home

 

[Angela Channing]

Thats one of my favourites too, saw Marti Webb many moons ago in Blood brothers and she was great

I've seen Blood Brothers many times. I used to walk past the theatre in London quite often and whenever there was an interesting actress playing the lead I would buy tickets. My favourite was Kiki Dee playing the Mrs Johnson. Lyn Paul was very good too.

 

[Depeche Arsenal]

Absolute joke of a list. Clearly the "experts" aren't "expert" at all and there is a leaning to modern productions (TWO songs from "Dear Evan Hansen"?!!!!. Why oh why is Phantom not represented? I could go on. Based on the list presented I would probably choose between "Singing In the Rain", "If I Loved You" or "Summertime". I'm pleased the list isn't clouded by pop hits later used in musicals but nevertheless the list is still a joke.

 

[DallasFanForever]

I like the list very much actually considering some of my favorites made it. America, Beauty & The Beast, Circle of Life, Memory, The Impossible Dream and This Is Me are all great imo but I’d have to go with Over The Rainbow as my top choice

 

[Payton Cross]

Who decided not to involve Grease, Grease II, Rocky Horror Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Hedwig and the Angry Inch and The Commitments?



If I have to choose from the list I would go with the powerful "I'm Here" from THE COLOR PURPLE

Me too. my choice wouldn't be that difficult if "Grease" or "Yentl" were on the list as well, and even "A Star Is Born" from 1976 isn't on the list while Barbra Streisand's song "Evergreen" from that movie was a big hit, she even won a award for that.

But if i had to choose just one classic musical song, that i would vote for "Over The Rainbow" from the 1939 movie "The Wizard Of Oz, this song is still a classic and sang by many other artist.