Hal Leonard’s The Singer’s Musical Theatre Anthology songbooks are great standard theatre repertoire resources for singers and teachers. The only problem is, there are a lot of songs to keep track of! To assist, I created this ‘interactive song guide’ for the seven Baritone/Bass volumes of The Singer’s Musical Theatre Anthology (+ the Teen’s Edition). I first organized all the songs by music style and then created corresponding Spotify playlists with audio recordings and tables that include additional song information. You can use the playlists and tables below to assist with finding the perfect theatre songs! My guides for the SMTA Soprano, Mezzo/Belter, and Tenor are available here.
P.S. Looking for more musical theatre song suggestions? Check out my professional repertoire guides here.
OPERETTA SONGS | c. 1870s-1920s
[Songs/arias from operettas and operas]
| SHOW | SONG TITLE | SONGWRITER(S) | TEMPO | TYPE | AGE RANGE | VOLUME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H.M.S. Pinafore (1878) | When I Was a Lad | Sullivan; Gilbert | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Iolanthe (1882) | When You’re Lying Awake | Sullivan; Gilbert | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Mlle. Modiste (1905) | I Want What I Want When I Want It | Herbert; Blossom | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| The Mikado (1885) | As Some Day It May Happen | Sullivan; Gilbert | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| The Pirates of Penzance (1879) | I Am the Very Model | Sullivan; Gilbert | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Street Scene (1946) | Wouldn’t You Like to Be on Broadway | Weill; Hughes | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
TRADITIONAL MUSICAL THEATRE SONGS (JAZZ AGE & GOLDEN AGE) | c. 1920s-60s
[Traditional theatre, jazz & tin pan alley songs from the 1920s to mid-’60s]
| SHOW | SONG TITLE | SONGWRITER(S) | TEMPO | TYPE | AGE RANGE | VOLUME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 in the Shade (1963) | Gonna Be Another Hot Day | Schmidt; Jones | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| All American (1962) | Once Upon a Time | Strouse; Adams | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Allegro (1947) | A Fellow Needs a Girl | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Annie Get Your Gun (1946) | The Girl That I Marry | Berlin | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2, BT |
| Annie Get Your Gun (1946) | I’m a Bad, Bad Man | Berlin | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Annie Get Your Gun (1946) | My Defenses are Down | Berlin | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2, BT |
| Anything Goes (1934) | All Through the Night | Porter | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Anyone Can Whistle (1964)** | Everybody Says Don’t | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Anyone Can Whistle (1964)** | With So Little to Be Sure Of | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Bye Bye Birdie (1960) | A Lot of Livin’ to Do | Strouse; Adams | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Bye Bye Birdie (1960) | Put on a Happy Face | Strouse; Adams | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4, BT |
| Bells are Ringing (1956) | Just in Time | Styne; Comden; Green | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Bells are Ringing (1956) | Long Before I Knew You | Styne; Comden; Green | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| The Boys from Syracuse (1938) | This Can’t Be Love | Rodgers; Hart | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| Camelot (1960) | Camelot | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1, BT |
| Camelot (1960) | C’est Moi | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B1, BT |
| Camelot (1960) | How to Handle a Woman | Loewe; Lerner | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1, BT |
| Camelot (1960) | I Wonder What the King is Doing Tonight | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Camelot (1960) | If Ever I Would Leave You | Loewe; Lerner | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B1, BT |
| Camelot (1960) | The Seven Deadly Virtues | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Can-Can (1953) | It’s All Right with Me | Porter | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Carousel (1945) | The Highest Judge of All | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| Carousel (1945) | If I Loved You | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B1, BT |
| Carousel (1945) | Soliloquy | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B1 |
| Cinderella (1957) | Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful? | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B1, BT |
| Cinderella (1957) | Ten Minutes Ago | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B1, BT |
| Do Re Mi (1960) | All of My Life | Styne; Comden; Green | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| The Fantasticks (1960) | Try to Remember | Schmidt; Jones | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B1, BT |
| The Firebrand of Florence (1945) | A Rhyme for Angela | Weill; Gershwin | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Fiddler on the Roof (1964) | If I Were a Rich Man | Bock; Harnick | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962)** | Bring Me My Bride | Sondheim | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962)** | Everybody Ought to Have a Maid | Sondheim | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962)** | Comedy Tonight | Sondheim | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | BT |
| A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1962)** | Your Eyes are Blue | Sondheim | Ballad | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| Gigi (1958) | Gigi | Loewe; Lerner | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| Guys and Dolls (1950) | Luck Be a Lady | Loesser | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2, BT |
| Guys and Dolls (1950) | More I Cannot Wish You | Loesser | Ballad | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B2 |
| Guys and Dolls (1950) | My Time of Day | Loesser | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2, BT |
| Hello, Dolly! (1964) | It Only Takes a Moment | Herman | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | BT |
| How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1961) | A Secretary is Not a Toy | Loesser | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Kismet (1953) | Fate | Wright; Forrest | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Kiss Me, Kate (1948) | I’ve Come to Wive It Wealthily in Padua | Porter | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Kiss Me, Kate (1948) | Were Thine That Special Face | Porter | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Kiss Me, Kate (1948) | Where is the Life That Late I Led | Porter | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Knickerbocker Holiday (1938) | September Song | Weil; Anderson | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Little Mary Sunshine (1959) | You’re the Fairest Flower | Besoyan | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Little Me (1962) | Real Live Girl | Cole; Leigh | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5, BT |
| Lost in the Stars (1949) | Lost in the Stars | Wildhorn; Bricusse | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Lost in the Stars (1949) | Thousands of Miles | Wildhorn; Bricusse | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Louisiana Purchase (1940) | What Chance Have I with Love? | Berlin | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Love Life (1948) | This is the Life | Weill; Lerner | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Man of La Mancha (1965) | Dulcinea | Leigh; Darion | Ballad | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B1 |
| Man of La Mancha (1965) | The Impossible Dream | Leigh; Darion | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B1 |
| Man of La Mancha (1965) | Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote) | Leigh; Darion | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B1 |
| Me and My Girl (1937) | Leaning on a Lamp Post | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2, BT |
| Milk and Honey (1961) | There’s No Reason in the World | Herman | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| The Most Happy Fella (1956) | Joey, Joey, Joey | Loesser | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| The Music Man (1957) | Marian the Librarian | Willson | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| The Music Man (1957) | The Sadder but Wiser Girl | Willson | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| The Music Man (1957) | Ya Got Trouble | Willson | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| My Fair Lady (1956) | Get Me to the Church on Time | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Comedic | Middle-Age; Mature | B4 |
| My Fair Lady (1956) | I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face | Loewe; Lerner | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| My Fair Lady (1956) | With a Little Bit of Luck | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Comedic | Middle-Age; Mature | B4 |
| Oklahoma! (1943) | Lonely Room | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Oklahoma! (1943) | Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’ | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B1, BT |
| Oklahoma! (1943) | The Surrey with the Fringe on Top | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| Oliver! (1960) | My Name | Bart | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| Oliver! (1960) | Reviewing the Situation | Bart | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965) | Come Back to Me | Lane; Lerner | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965) | Melinda | Lane; Lerner | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1965) | On a Clear Day | Lane; Lerner | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| On the Town (1944) | Lonely Town | Bernstein; Green; Comden | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| On the Town (1944) | Lucky to Be Me | Bernstein; Green; Comden | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| Paint Your Wagon (1951) | They Call the Wind Maria | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B1, BT |
| Paint Your Wagon (1951) | Wand’rin’ Star | Loewe; Lerner | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B4 |
| Pipe Dream (1955) | All At Once You Love Her | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Pipe Dream (1955) | The Man I Used to Be | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Puttin’ on the Ritz (1930) | Puttin’ on the Ritz | Berlin | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | BT |
| The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd (1965) | Look at That Face | Bricusse; Newley | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B5 |
| The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd (1965) | Who Can I Turn To? | Bricusse; Newley | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| The Roar of the Greasepaint – The Smell of the Crowd (1965) | A Wonderful Day Like Today | Bricusse; Newley | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4, BT |
| Saturday Night (1954)** | Isn’t It? | Sondheim | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| She Loves Me (1963) | Grand Knowing You | Bock; Harnick | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| She Loves Me (1963) | Ilona | Bock; Harnick | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| She Loves Me (1963) | Try Me | Bock; Harnick | Uptempo | Comedic | Teen; Y.A. | B5 |
| Show Boat (1927) | Ol’ Man River | Kern; Hammerstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Silk Stockings (1955) | All of You | Porter | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| The Sound of Music (1959) | Edelweiss | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4, BT |
| South Pacific (1949) | Some Enchanted Evening | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| South Pacific (1949) | This Nearly Was Mine | Rodgers; Hammerstein | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Stop the World – I Want to Get Off (1961) | Gonna Build a Mountain | Bricusse; Newley | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6, BT |
| Stop the World – I Want to Get Off (1961) | Once in a Lifetime | Bricusse; Newley | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Stop the World – I Want to Get Off (1961) | What Kind of Fool Am I? | Bricusse; Newley | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| The Threepenny Opera (1928) | Mack the Knife | Weill; Brecht; Blitzstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1960) | Colorado, My Home | Willson | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1960) | I’ll Never Say No | Willson | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| West Side Story (1957) | Cool | Bernstein; Sondheim | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B5, BT |
| West Side Story (1957) | Jet Song | Bernstein; Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B5, BT |
| Where’s Charley? (1948) | Once in Love with Amy | Loesser | Ballad | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| Wish You Were Here (1952) | Relax | Rome | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| Wonderful Town (1953) | It’s Love | Bernstein; Comden; Green | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Wonderful Town (1953) | A Quiet Girl | Bernstein; Comden; Green | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
TRADITIONAL MUSICAL THEATRE SONGS (POST-GOLDEN AGE) | c. 1960s-80s
[Traditional-sounding theatre songs from the mid-1960s to the ’70s and even ’80s]
| SHOW | SONG TITLE | SONGWRITER(S) | TEMPO | TEMPO | AGE RANGE | VOLUME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1776 (1969) | Molasses to Rum | Edwards | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| 42nd Street (1980) | Lullaby of Broadway | Warren; Dubin | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Annie (1977) | Something was Missing | Strouse; Charnin | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Barnum (1980) | The Colors of My Life | Coleman; Stewart | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Barnum (1980) | There’s a Sucker Born Ev’ry Minute | Coleman; Stewart | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Baby (1983) | At Night She Comes to Me | Shire; Maltby | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Cabaret (1966) | Why Should I Wake Up? | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Cabaret (1966) | Don’t Go | Kander; Ebb | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Chicago (1975) | All I Care About | Kander; Ebb | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Chicago (1975) | Razzle Dazzle | Kander; Ebb | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| City of Angels (1989) | Funny | Coleman; Zippel | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| Closer Than Ever (1989) | If I Sing | Shire; Maltby | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Company (1970)** | Happily Ever After | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Company (1970)** | Marry Me a Little | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Company (1970)** | Multitudes of Amy | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Company (1970)** | Sorry-Grateful | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Curtains (2007) | Coffee Shop Nights | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Curtains (2007) | I Miss Music | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Dick Tracy (1990)** | Live Alone and Like It | Sondheim | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Evening Primrose (1966)** | If You Can Find Me | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Follies (1971)** | The Right Girl | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Follies (1971)** | The Road You Didn’t Take | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| The Frogs (1974)** | Ariadne | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| The Frogs (1974)** | Fear No More | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| The Happy Time (1968) | I Don’t Remember You | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| Is There Life After High School? (1982) | The Kid Inside | Carnelia | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1968) | The Bulls | Jouannest; Brel; Corti | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (1968) | Funeral Tango | Jouannest; Brel; Shuman | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1968) | Those Canaan Days | Webber; Rice | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| La Cage aux Folles (1983) | Masculinity | Herman | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| A Little Night Music (1973)** | In Praise of Women | Sondheim | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| A Little Night Music (1973)** | You Must Meet My Wife | Sondheim | Ballad | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Mack and Mabel (1974) | I Won’t Send Roses | Herman | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| March of the Falsettos (1981) | Marriage Proposal | Finn | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Merrily We Roll Along (1981)** | Good Thing Going | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2, BT |
| Minnie’s Boys (1970) | Mama, a Rainbow | Grosseman/Hackaday | Ballad | Dramatic | Teen; Y.A. | B3 |
| Minnie’s Boys (1970) | Where Was I When They Passed Out Luck | Grosseman/Hackaday | Uptempo | Comedic | Teen; Y.A. | B3, BT |
| Nine (1982) | Guido’s Song | Yeston | Ballad | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Nine (1982) | Only with You | Yeston | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| On the Twentieth Century (1978) | I Rise Again | Coleman; Comden; Green | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Passion (1994)** | Is This What You Call Love? | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Passion (1994)** | No One Has Ever Loved Me | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Promises, Promises (1968) | Promises, Promises | Bacharach; David | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| The Rink (1984) | Marry Me | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| Road Show (2003)** | It’s In Your Hands Now | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B7 |
| Road Show (2003)** | Talent | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Seesaw (1973) | It’s Not Where You Start | Coleman; Fields | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| Shenandoah (1975) | I’ve Heard it All Before | Geld; Udell | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Shenandoah (1975) | Meditation I | Geld; Udell | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Shenandoah (1975) | Meditation II | Geld; Udell | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B1 |
| Starting Here, Starting Now (1977) | I Don’t Remember Christmas | Shire; Maltby | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Sweeney Todd (1979)** | Epiphany | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Sweeney Todd (1979)** | Johanna (Judge’s Version) | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B7 |
| Sweeney Todd (1979)** | Pretty Women | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) | The Candy Man | Bricusse; Newlsey | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) | Pure Imagination | Bricusse; Newlsey | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Woman of the Year (1981) | Sometimes a Day Goes By | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown (1967) | The Kite | Gesner | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
CONTEMPORARY LEGIT MUSICAL THEATRE SONGS | c. 1980s-Present
[Contemporary theatre songs significantly influenced by classical music styles + vocalism. Includes songs from 80s/90s ‘pop opera’ musicals, modern operetta-influenced shows, etc.]
| SHOW | SONG TITLE | SONGWRITER(S) | TEMPO | TYPE | AGE RANGE | VOLUME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspects of Love (1989) | Other Pleasures | Webber; Black; Hart | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| Beauty and the Beast (film; 2017)* | Evermore | Menken; Rice | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Beauty and the Beast (1994) | If I Can’t Love Her | Menken; Rice | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3, B16 |
| Big Fish (2013) | How It Ends | Lippa | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Chaplin (2006) | The Life That You Wished For | Curtis | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Chaplin (2006) | Where Are All the People? | Curtis | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Closer Than Ever (1989) | If I Sing | Shire; Maltby | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Curtains (2007) | I Miss Music | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Death Takes a Holiday (2011) | Alive! | Yeston | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Death Takes a Holiday (2011) | I Thought That I Could Live | Yeston | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Death Takes a Holiday (2011) | Roberto’s Eyes | Yeston | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Doctor Zhivago (2015) | Yurii’s Decision | Simon; Korie; Powers | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (2013) | I Don’t Understand the Poor | Lutvak; Freedman | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Grey Gardens (2006) | Marry Well | Frankel; Korie | Uptempo | Comedic | Middle-Age; Mature | B5, B16 |
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) | Hellfire | Menken; Schwartz | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B7 |
| Jekyll & Hyde (1997) | Lost in the Darkness | Wildhorn; Bricusse | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Les Misérables (1987) | Drink with Me | Schönberg; Boublil; Krtezmer | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5, B16 |
| Les Misérables (1987) | Empty Chairs at Empty Tables | Schönberg; Boublil; Krtezmer | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2, BT |
| Les Misérables (1987) | Javert’s Suicide | Schönberg; Boublil; Krtezmer | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5, B16 |
| Les Miserables (1987) | Stars | Schönberg; Boublil; Krtezmer | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2, BT |
| The Little Mermaid (2007)* | Fathoms Below | Menken; Ashman | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Little Women (2005) | How I Am | Howland; Dickstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Love Never Dies (2010) | Why Does She Love Me? | Webber; Slater | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| A Man of No Importance (2002) | Love Who You Love | Flaherty; Ahrens | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Martin Guerre (1996) | Justice Will Be Done | Schönberg; Boublil; Clark | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (2012) | Dust and Ashes | Malloy | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Nine (1982) | Guido’s Song | Yeston | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2, B16 |
| Nine (1982) | Only with You | Yeston | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B2 |
| Passion (1994)** | Is This What You Call Love? | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Passion (1994)** | No One Has Ever Loved Me | Sondheim | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Parade (1998) | It’s Hard to Speak My Heart | Brown | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| Ragtime (1998) | Make Them Hear You | Larson | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| Side Show (1997) | Private Conversation | Krieger; Russell | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| Side Show (1997) | You Should Be Loved | Krieger; Russell | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3, B16 |
| Something Rotten! (2015) | To Thine Own Self Be True (Reprise) | Kirkpatrick; Kirkpatrick | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Sunset Boulevard (1993) | The Greatest Star of All | Webber; Black; Hampton | Ballad | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B3 |
| Titanic (1997) | In Every Age | Yeston | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Titanic (1997) | There She Is | Yeston | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| Toy Story 2 (film; 1999)* | When She Loved Me | Newman | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Mature | BT |
CONTEMPORARY MIXED MUSICAL THEATRE SONGS | c. 1990s-Present
[Contemporary theatre songs that mix traditional musical theatre and modern pop music stylistic attributes + vocalism to varying degrees. Mostly character songs.]
| SHOW | SONG TITLE | SONGWRITER(S) | TEMPO | TYPE | AGE RANGE | VOLUME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Addams Family (2010) | Happy/Sad | Lippa | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Avenue Q (2003) | Fantasies Come True | Lopez; Marx | Ballad | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| Avenue Q (2003) | I Wish I Could Go Back to College | Lopez; Marx | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| Avenue Q (2003) | I’m Not Wearing Underwear Today | Lopez; Marx | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B4, BT |
| Avenue Q (2003) | Purpose | Lopez; Marx | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| Avenue Q (2003) | What Do You Do with a B.A. in English? | Lopez; Marx | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B4 |
| The Band’s Visit (2017) | Beat of Your Heart | Yazbek | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| The Band’s Visit (2017) | Haled’s Song About Love | Yazbek | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Beauty and the Beast (1994)* | Gaston | Menken; Ashman | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B3, BT |
| Beauty and the Beast (1994)* | If I Can’t Love Her | Menken; Rice | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3, B16 |
| Beauty and the Beast (1994)* | Me | Menken; Rice | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B3, BT |
| Beauty and the Beast (film; 2017)* | Evermore | Menken; Rice | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Big Fish (2013) | Fight the Dragons | Lippa | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Big Fish (2013) | How It Ends | Lippa | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| The Bridges of Madison County (2014) | When I’m Gone | Brown | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| A Bronx Tale (2016) | Look to Your Heart | Menken; Slater | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Catch Me If You Can (2011) | Fifty Checks | Shaiman; Wittman | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Catch Me If You Can (2011) | The Man Inside the Clues | Shaiman; Wittman | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Chaplin (2006) | The Life That You Wished For | Curtis | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Chaplin (2006) | Where Are All the People? | Curtis | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Curtains (2007) | Coffee Shop Nights | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Curtains (2007) | I Miss Music | Kander; Ebb | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2005) | Love Sneaks In | Yazbek | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Elegies for Angels, Punks, and Raging Queens (2001) | Heroes All Around | Hood; Russell | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B4, B16 |
| First Date (2013) | I’d Order Love | Zachary; Weiner | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Footloose (1998) | I Confess | Snow; Pitchford | Ballad | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B3 |
| A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (2013) | I Don’t Understand the Poor | Lutvak; Freedman | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Grey Gardens (2006) | Marry Well | Frankel; Korie | Uptempo | Comedic | Middle-Age; Mature | B5, B16 |
| Honeymoon in Vegas (2015) | Come to An Agreement | Brown | Ballad | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Honeymoon in Vegas (2015) | Out of the Sun | Brown | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) | Hellfire | Menken; Schwartz | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B7 |
| In the Heights (2007) | Inútil | Miranda | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B6 |
| I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (1996) | The Baby Song | Roberts; DiPietro | Ballad | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (1996) | Shouldn’t I Be Less in Love with You? | Roberts; DiPietro | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| John & Jen (1995) | It Took Me a While | Lippa | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| The Little Mermaid (2007)* | Fathoms Below | Menken; Ashman | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| The Little Mermaid (2007)* | Les Poissons | Menken; Ashman | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3, BT |
| Little Women (2005) | How I Am | Howland; Dickstein | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| A Man of No Importance (2002) | Love Who You Love | Flaherty; Ahrens | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Monty Python’s Spamalot (2004) | Always Look on the Bright Side of Life | Idle | Uptempo | Comedic | Middle-Age; Mature | B4 |
| Monty Python’s Spamalot (2004) | Robin’s Song | Innes; Idle | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| Monty Python’s Spamalot (2004) | You Won’t Succeed on Broadway | Du Prez; Idle | Uptempo | Comedic | Middle-Age; Mature | B5 |
| Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 (2012) | Dust and Ashes | Malloy | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Newsies (1992)* | Santa Fe | Menken; Feldman | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Teen; Y.A. | B3 |
| Parade (1998) | It’s Hard to Speak My Heart | Brown | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3 |
| The Producers (2001) | Along Came Bialy | Brooks | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| The Producers (2001) | Haben sie gehoert das Duetsche Band? | Brooks | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4, B16 |
| The Producers (2001) | I Wanna Be a Producer | Brooks | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5, BT |
| The Producers (2001) | In Old Bavaria | Brooks | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B4 |
| The Producers (2001) | The King of Broadway | Brooks | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| The Prom (2018) | We Look to You | Sklar; Beguelin | Ballad | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B7 |
| Road Show (2003)** | It’s In Your Hands Now | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B7 |
| Road Show (2003)** | Talent | Sondheim | Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Rocky (2014) | Fight from the Heart | Flaherty; Ahrens | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Ruthless (1992) | I Hate Musicals | Porter | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Seussical (2000) | How Lucky You Are | Flaherty; Ahrens | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Adult | B6 |
| Shrek (2008) | The Ballad of Farquaad | Tesori; Lindsay-Abaire | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Shrek (2008) | When Words Fail | Tesori; Lindsay-Abaire | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Side Show (1997) | The Devil You Know | Krieger; Russell | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Smile (1986) | Smile | Hamlisch; Ashman | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Something Rotten! (2015) | To Thine Own Self Be True (Reprise) | Kirkpatrick; Kirkpatrick | Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Tarzan (2006)* | No Other Way | Collins | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B5 |
| Tootsie (2019) | Jeff Sums It Up | Yazbek | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Tootsie (2019) | This Thing | Yazbek | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Toy Story 2 (film; 1999)* | When She Loved Me | Newman | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Mature | BT |
| Tuck Everlasting (2016) | Everything’s Golden | Miller; Tysen | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B7 |
| Victor/Victoria (1995) | King’s Dilemma | Mancini; Bricusse | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Victor/Victoria (1995) | Paris by Night | Mancini; Bricusse | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Violet (1997) | That’s What I Could Do | Tesori; Crawley | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| When Pigs Fly (1996) | Laughing Matters | Gallagher; Waldrop | Ballad | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| When Pigs Fly (1996) | Sam and Me | Gallagher; Waldrop | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Whoop-Dee-Doo! (1993) | Last One Picked | Gallagher; Waldrop | Uptempo | Comedic | Y.A.; Mature | B3, B16 |
| Wicked (2003) | Wonderful | Schwartz | Uptempo | Comedic | Middle-Age; Mature | B4, B16 |
| The Wild Party (2000) | I’ll Be Here | Lippa | Ballad/Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B4, B16 |
| Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010) | Yesterday, Tomorrow and Today | Yazbek | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Young Frankenstein (2007) | The Brain | Brooks | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
| Young Frankenstein (2007) | Man About Town | Brooks | Uptempo | Comedic | Adult; Middle-Age | B6 |
CONTEMPORARY POP/ROCK MUSICAL THEATRE SONGS | c. 1970s-Present
[Contemporary theatre songs heavily influenced by pop, rock and other commercial music styles from the past and present.]
| SHOW | SONG TITLE | SONGWRITER(S) | TEMPO | TYPE | AGE RANGE | VOLUME |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Big River (1984) | River in the Rain | Miller | Ballad | Dramatic | Teen; Y.A. | B1 |
| Big River (1984) | Waitin’ for the Light to Shine | Miller | Uptempo | Dramatic | Teen; Y.A. | B4, BT |
| The Bridges of Madison County (2014) | When I’m Gone | Brown | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Dreamgirls (1981) | When I First Saw You (You Are My Dream) | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 | |
| Grease (1971) | Greased Lightnin’ | Casey; Jacobs | Uptempo | Dramatic | Teen; Y.A. | B4, BT |
| In the Heights (2007) | Inútil | Miranda | Uptempo | Dramatic | Middle-Age; Mature | B6 |
| Is There Life After High School? (1982) | The Kid Inside | Carnelia | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B3 |
| Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) | Pilate’s Dream | Webber; Rice | Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B2 |
| Pretty Woman (2018) | Freedom | Adams; Vallance | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Pretty Woman (2018) | Something About Her | Adams; Vallance | Uptempo | Dramatic | Adult; Middle-Age | B7 |
| Rent (1996) | Santa Fe | Larson | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B3, BT |
| Rocky (2014) | Fight from the Heart | Flaherty; Ahrens | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B7 |
| Spring Awakening (2006) | All That’s Known | Sheik; Sater | Uptempo | Dramatic | Teen; Y.A. | B5, BT |
| tick, tick… BOOM! (2001) | Real Life | Larson | Power Ballad | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B5 |
| The Wild Party (2000) | I’ll Be Here | Lippa | Ballad/Uptempo | Dramatic | Y.A.; Adult | B4, B16 |
*A Disney musical
**A Stephen Sondheim musical (some consider him to be a musical theatre sub-genre himself)
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