The Best Broadway Musicals of the Fifties and Beyond
After fruitful careers as a scientist and inventor I've gone back to what I love most - writing children's books
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- Joined Oct 2013
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1551
Copyright © 2018
The fifties were a big decade for Broadway musicals. The musicals brought a whole new wave of sensitive tunes and lyrics to the world.
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Jazz and swing music was declining.
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A lot of rock and roll songs used basic chord patterns, such as the blues, and the ‘Fifties Progression’, also known as “Stand by Me Changes” (1-6-4-5 or 1-6-2-5). The lyrics were often ‘dumbed down’ too. Was there a place for ‘cleverer songs’ from the musical theater?
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Let’s take a look at the Tony award winners and finalists.
1950s
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Rodgers and Hammerstein won in 1950 for South Pacific.
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Rogers and Hammerstein won again in 1952 with The King and I.
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In 1951 Guys and Dolls won. Frank Loesser, wrote both the amazing lyrics and the music!!
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1955 – The Pajama Game (Richard Adler and Jerry Ross) – they won again in 1956 with Damn Yankees
P.S. Jerry Ross’ birth name was Jerold Rosenberg – maybe a cousin, who knows?
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Damn Yankees 1956
Richard Adler and Jerry Ross won again in 1956 with Damn Yankees
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1957 – Lerner and Lowe won for My Fair Lady
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My Fair Lady 1957
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1958 – The Music Man (Meredith Wilson) beat out West Side Story (can you believe?)
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You might know this version:
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Compare with the original from the movie
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And, again we meet the barbershop quartet, singing so beautifully that it hypnotizes the characters.
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WEST SIDE STORY!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHOULD HAVE WON!!!!
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And let’s not forget two other great musicals of the sixties (who won Tony’s),
Fiddler on the Roof won in 1965
Music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein
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Lyrics:
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
Catch me a catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Look through your book,
And make me a perfect match
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
I’ll bring the veil,
You bring the groom,
Slender and pale.
Bring me a ring for I’m longing to be,
The envy of all I see.
For Papa,
Make him a scholar.
For mama,
Make him rich as a king.
Chava and Hodel:
For me, well,
I wouldn’t holler
If he were as handsome as anything.
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
Catch me a catch,
Night after night in the dark I’m alone
So find me match,
Of my own.
(Spoken)
Since when are you in a match, Chava? I thought you had your eye on your books.
(Hodel chuckles)
Tzeitel con’t:
And you have your eye on the Rabbi’s son.
Well, why not?
We have only one Rabbi and he has only one son.
Why shouldn’t I want the best?
Because you’re a girl from a poor family.
So whatever Yenta brings, you’ll take, right?
Of course right!
Hodel, oh Hodel,
Have I made a match for you!
He’s handsome, he’s young!
Alright, he’s 62.
But he’s a nice man, a good catch, true?
True.
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
Catch me a catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker
Look through your book,
And make me a perfect match
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
I’ll bring the veil,
You bring the groom,
Slender and pale.
Bring me a ring for I’m longing to be,
The envy of all I see.
For Papa,
Make him a scholar.
For mama,
Make him rich as a king.
Chava and Hodel:
For me, well,
I wouldn’t holler
If he were as handsome as anything.
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match,
Find me a find,
Catch me a catch,
Night after night in the dark I’m alone
So find me match,
Of my own.
(Spoken)
Since when are you in a match, Chava? I thought you had your eye on your books.
(Hodel chuckles)
Tzeitel con’t:
And you have your eye on the Rabbi’s son.
Well, why not?
We have only one Rabbi and he has only one son.
Why shouldn’t I want the best?
Because you’re a girl from a poor family.
So whatever Yenta brings, you’ll take, right?
Of course right!
Hodel, oh Hodel,
Have I made a match for you!
He’s handsome, he’s young!
Alright, he’s 62.
But he’s a nice man, a good catch, true?
True.
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I promise you’ll be happy,
And even if you’re not,
There’s more to life than that—
Don’t ask me what.
Chava, I found him.
Won’t you be a lucky bride!
He’s handsome, he’s tall,
That is from side to side.
But he’s a nice man, a good catch, right?
Right.
You heard he has a temper.
He’ll beat you every night,
But only when he’s sober,
So you’ll alright.
Did you think you’d get a prince?
Well I do the best I can.
With no dowry, no money, no family background
Be glad you got a man!
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
You know that I’m
Still very young.
Please, take your time.
Up to this minute,
I misunderstood
That I could get stuck for good.
Chava and Hodel:
Dear Yenta,
See that he’s gentle
Remember,
You were also a bride.
It’s not that
I’m sentimental
Chava and Hodel and Tzeitel:
It’s just that I’m terrified!
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Plan me no plans
I’m in no rush
Maybe I’ve learned
Playing with matches
A girl can get burned
So,
Bring me no ring
Groom me no groom
Find me no find
Catch me no catch
Unless he’s a matchless match.
And even if you’re not,
There’s more to life than that—
Don’t ask me what.
Chava, I found him.
Won’t you be a lucky bride!
He’s handsome, he’s tall,
That is from side to side.
But he’s a nice man, a good catch, right?
Right.
You heard he has a temper.
He’ll beat you every night,
But only when he’s sober,
So you’ll alright.
Did you think you’d get a prince?
Well I do the best I can.
With no dowry, no money, no family background
Be glad you got a man!
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
You know that I’m
Still very young.
Please, take your time.
Up to this minute,
I misunderstood
That I could get stuck for good.
Chava and Hodel:
Dear Yenta,
See that he’s gentle
Remember,
You were also a bride.
It’s not that
I’m sentimental
Chava and Hodel and Tzeitel:
It’s just that I’m terrified!
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Plan me no plans
I’m in no rush
Maybe I’ve learned
Playing with matches
A girl can get burned
So,
Bring me no ring
Groom me no groom
Find me no find
Catch me no catch
Unless he’s a matchless match.
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jerrold Lewis Bock / Sheldon M Harnick
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The great musical tradition continued through the seventies. Chicago is a great musical… also by Kander and Ebb!
https://tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/tab/misc-musicals/chicago-all-that-jazz-chords-1755166
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From here we jump to the amazing Andrew Lloyd Webber. Copycat or not? What do you think?
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And one more on jazzing up Broadway songs. How can you help it?
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And a new addition:
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Published: Nov 10, 2018
Latest Revision: Nov 24, 2021
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Copyright © 2018
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