When I was a teenager, I really liked musicals.
In fact, my sister and I would routinely check out musical soundtrack CDs from the library. I think we listened to soundtracks way more than we watched the actual musicals.
We were super obsessed with Oliver! one year, and I don’t think we’d even seen the musical. We just had the soundtrack on a cassette tape and we had every single song memorized.
I’m sure those Oliver tunes and lyrics are probably still floating around in my brain somewhere.
We also listened to Oklahoma, Les Miserables, Fiddler on the Roof, Sound of Music, West Side Story, and more.
But probably our very favorite was Phantom of the Opera. My uncle in South Dakota introduced us to this while we were visiting, and he said it was best if you listen to it all in one go.
So, we laid on the floor in his living room (my sister, some cousins, and me) and listened to the entire thing, which is 2+ hours, I think.
This is one musical where we really broke our pattern of only listening to the soundtrack, though, because some years later, my parents took us up to New York City to see Phantom of the Opera on Broadway.
(!)
And of course, I watched the movie version when it came out in 2004.
I haven’t listened to any of the Phantom songs in years; I probably should give that a try and see if I still like the music as much as I did back in the 90s.
I think that is an invalid question; who could pick just one? 😉 But Phantom or Les Miserables are awfully high up on my list.
I discovered Oliver when I was in eighth grade. I too was obsessed and memorized the entire soundtrack. It’s a great movie, btw! But my favorite all-time musical is The Unsinkable Molly Brown but only with Debbie Reynolds. Again, a good movie but even better on stage. I actually saw her perform it live back in the ’90s when she was in her 60s and she was totally amazing! She was still in great shape and the show is very physical. She still sounded fabulous as well. She was such an awesome performer that she just carried the show. When I think about it, it’s probably not the best script or even songs but Miss Reynolds owned it and ultimately that’s probably why I still love it.
Oh, that’s a great one! My parents had the record when I was a tiny girl, so I heard it a lot, and still know the songs! Also, State Fair, the one with Jeanne Crain, from the late 1940s, I think? The other versions are terrible.
1776 is probably the answer for me. It’s still the best musical about the Founding Fathers (yes, I went there Hamilton fans, deal with it!)
If I had a second choice it would probably be Scrooge (the Albert Finney version.) Leslie Bricusse wrote some great music for movies (Doctor Dolittle, Willy Wonka) but that one is my favorite.
If we’re talking Hollywood movie musicals then it’s probably a three-way tie with Top Hat (with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rodgers) Singin’ in the Rain and Meet Me in St. Louis in a dead heat. Honorable mentions to Swing Time (also Fred and Ginger,) Gold Diggers of 1933 and 42nd Street. There’s plenty more I love but you have to draw the line somewhere.
1776 is fantastic!
Oh so many but it has got to be Wicked! So good! I’ve seen it in Sacramento twice, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Wow. This is a hard one. Singin’ in the Rain, 1776, Fiddler on the Roof, West Side Story, Into the Woods, Les Mix, Phantom, and Thoroughly Modern Millie (all movie versions).
I actually took an online course on movie musicals last year. It was a partnership between Turner Classic Movies and Ball State University. It explored the cultural and historic influences on movie musicals – the upbeat things-are-getting-better ones during the Great Depression, the patriotic ones during WWII, etc. Each week focused on a decade. It was fascinating!
New MIZ – LOL!
OMG! LES MIZ!!! Stupid autocorrect!
I hate it when this happens on my phone. I try to text something, and autocorrect messes it up multiple times in a row!
A joke for you –
“A Priest, A rabbit and a Minister walk into a bar. The bartender asks the rabbit, “What’ll ya have?” The rabbit says, “I dunno. I’m only here because of autocorrect.”
Though I had a wonderful childhood, somehow, culture was not a part of it. As an adult I have tried to play catch up…I fell in love with Les Mis the first time I heard the heart pounding and melodious sound track. I also love the homey feel of Oklahoma.
I don’t really have a favorite. My mom loves them all. However if you get me started on “We love you, Conrad, oh yes we do,” then I will sing it for DAYSSSSS.
Oh, yes! Bye Bye Birdie is a classic. Seeing it now, there are some super-weird parts- like where the lady is kind of being abused while dancing in a leotard. Hey, The King and I is another classic with some pretty politically incorrect stuff- South Pacific, too. More modern- Baby, which got turned into “She’s Having a Baby” with Kevin Bacon.
I saw Phantom and Les Miz in the same year. I have to say, I prefer the storyline of Les Miz. One protagonist kills to get what he wants and the other is selfless. Since the music is great in both, that’s how I came to my own very personal decision. I have seen LM in New York, London, LA, SF and my home city. I love it every time. In fact, the first time I heard the first line of “Bring Him Home” (“God on high…”) I was instantly moved to tears. Still am.
Next, has to be Hamilton. We’ve seen it twice and would happily see it again. We also liked 1776, but it does not have Ham’s insanely infectious energy.
The very first soundtrack album I ever bought was Fiddler on the Roof, followed by Cabaret. Yup, real albums, with grooves and everything.
This question is like asking which of your children is your favorite.
My favorite movie is The Sound of Music so I guess that is #1. No particular order but additional musicals that I enjoy are Guys and Dolls, West Side Story, Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, Into the Woods, Wicked, Ragtime, and Bandstand. There’s certainly more that I cannot think of right now. Love this prompt!
Ruth: That online course you took sounds so interesting!
When I was in fifth grade in Alaska, our teacher asked us to bring in a recording of our favorite song to share with our class. I chose to bring in the Les Miserables soundtrack (on cassette tape–it was 1989) and play “Red & Black.” I distinctly remember neither my teacher nor my classmates knew what to say about it. I guess they weren’t expecting a rousing call to arms for the French Revolution? 🙂
Lots of fantastic musicals for sure! Thought I’d share a quick story- given the prompt and that you also play the piano… Many years ago, a guy I knew heard me say that I enjoyed the music from Phantom; he mentioned that he had never heard the score before. TWO weeks later, he invited me to meet him in one of the piano practice rooms at our college campus. He proceeded to play song after song from Phantom- from memory (no music). Turns out he had gone out and bought the full CD soundtrack and taught himself the music so he could play it for me [he prefers playing by ear to reading notes]. The rest is history. We’ve been together for almost 21 years now, and he’s a keeper 🙂
Faithful reader here… Thanks for writing both of your blogs- I enjoy them! Btw, glad to hear that you’re still happy with Hungry Harvest (I remember emailing to tell you about it back in 2016!).
Oh wow, that’s impressive, especially because I remember that All I Ask of You is written in a key with a bazillion flats!
That is right up there at the top of the “most romantic real-life stories” I’ve ever heard.
Wonderful story!
I love musicals! I love anything with Judy Garland in it. My two favorites Meet Me in St. Louis and Easter Parade. There are very few musicals I don’t like. In 2016 my daughters chorus group to a trip to NYC, and of course I chaperoned, we saw Finding Neverland with Kelsey Grammer and Something Rotten. I am waiting for Wicked & Hamilton to come to a city nearby as I’d love to see them both.
I was in My Fair Lady in school so that has a special place but I’ve always been intrigued by Phantom. I saw Lion King on Broadway, It. Was. Amazing. My aunt had seen it in London a few years before and though whatever, I’ll go. Within 10 minutes she was trying to think of when she’d see it again. The in person is spectacular.