Music Hath Charms: Musicals edition

Musicals are such a fun way to lose yourself in something familiar and sing along (vocal ability not included) at the top of our lungs just for the joy of it.  There are also many musicals with an important message hiding in fun, upbeat music with profound lyrics.  I’m going to start with some fun musicals that are on my all time favourite list.  I will do another set of musical lyrics that tell a story about a family and the effects of mental illness on them all. ** All lyrics taken from https://allmusicals.com  **   

No Place Like London

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (1979)

[Antony]

I have sailed the world

beheld its wonders

from the Dardanelles,

to the mountains of Peru,

But there's no place like London!

I feel home again...

I could hear the city bells ring...

Whatever would I do?

No there's...

[Sweeney Todd]

No place like London

Mister Cellophane

Chicago (1975)

And even without clucking like a hen

Everyone gets noticed, now and then,

Unless, of course, that personage should be 

Invisible, inconsequential me!

Cellophane

Mister Cellophane

Shoulda been my name

Popular

Wicked  (2003)

[Galinda]

When I see depressing creatures

With unprepossesing features

I remind them on their own behalf

To think of 

Celebrated heads of state or 

Specially great communicators

Did they have brains or knowledge?

Don’t make me laugh!

They were popular! Please -

It’s all about popular!

It’s not about aptitude

It’s the way you’re viewed

So it’s very shrewed to be 

Very Very popular 

Like me!

Defying Gravity

Wicked  (2003)

[Elphaba]

Something has changed within me

Something is not the same

I’m through with playing by the rules

Of someone else’s game

Too late for second-guessing

Too late to go back to sleep

It’s time to trust my instincts

Close my eyes: and leap!

It’s time to try

Defying gravity

I think I’ll try

Defying gravity

And you can’t pull me down!

[Glinda]

Can’t I make you understand?

You’re having delusions of grandeur.

[Elphaba]

I’m through accepting limits

‘Cuz someone says they’re so

Some things I cannot change

But till I try.  I’ll never know!

Too long I’ve been afraid of 

Losing love I guess I’ve lost

Well, if that’s love

It comes at much too high a cost!

For Good

Wicked. (2003)

[Glinda]

I’ve heard it said

That people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn

And we are led

To those who help us most to grow

If we let them

And we help them in return

Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true

But I know I’m who I am today

Because I knew you.   

...

[Elphaba]

It well may be

That we will never meet again

In this lifetime

So let me say before we part

So much of me 

Is made of what I learned from you

You’ll be with me

Like a handprint on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have rewritten mine

By being my friend:

Like a ship blown from its mooring

By a wind off the sea

Like a seed dropped by a skybird

In a distant wood

Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?

But because I knew you:

...

[Both]

I have been changed for good

Do You Love Me

Fiddler on the Roof (1964)

[Tevye]

But do you love me?

[Golde]

Do I love you?

For twenty-five years I’ve washed your clothes

Cooked your meals, cleaned the house

Given you children, milked the cow

After twenty-five years, why talk about love right now?

[Tevye]

Golde. the first time I met you

Was on our wedding day

I was scared

[Golde]

I was shy

[Tevye]

I was nervous

[Golde]

So was I

[Tevye]

But my father and my mother

Said we’d learn to love each other

And now I’m asking.  Golde

Do you love me?

[Golde]

I’m your wife

[Tevye]

“I know...”

But do you love me

...

Then you love me?

[Golde]

I suppose I do

[Tevye]

And I suppose I love you too

[Both]

It doesn’t change a thing

But even so

After twenty-five years

It’s nice to know

Tomorrow

Annie  (1977)

The sun’ll come out 

Tomorrow

Bet your bottom dollar

That tomorrow

There’ll be sun!

Just thinkin’ about

Tomorrow

Clears away the cobwebs,

And the sorrow

‘Til there’s none!

When I’m stuck with a day

That’s gray.

And lonely,

I just stick out my chin

And grin,

And say.

Oh!

That the sun’ll come out

Tomorrow

So ya gotta hang on 

‘Til tomorrow

Come what may

Tomorrow!  Tomorrow!

You’re only

A day

Away!

There are so many musicals out there these are just a few that allow my heart and mind to perk up a little, and when safe I sing along with all my soul (sorry to those near me who have no clue what I'm singing, lol).  Musicals come in all sorts of genres and depths of message.  One of the great things about musicals is there are always new ones coming out and older ones cycle back around to develop new followers.  If these lyrics seem interesting then go out and look for the rest of the music and see if it speaks to you at all.  If you are willing to experiment I'm sure you can find the right musical for you, Good Luck!