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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Oct 2013
- Joined Oct 2013
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1560
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 beat out West Side Story (can you believe?)
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You might know this version:
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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
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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, although it only has only a couple of really good songs…. 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
Ourboox Unique Identifier: OB-527705
Copyright © 2018
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