Playlist: Broadway's Best Patter Songs
Which Broadway patter song is YOUR favorite?
By: Sidney Paterra Apr. 26, 2025
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Earlier this week, Pirates! The Penzance Musical opened on Broadway, bringing back one of the OG patter songs of the the musical theate canon- "I Am the Very Model of a Modern Major General." In this iteration of the classic musical, it is sung by the great David Hyde Piece, who plays the Modern Major-General Stanley.
What is a patter song?
A patter song is a type of musical number characterized by its rapid-fire delivery of lyrics, often filled with clever wordplay, internal rhymes, and tongue-twisting phrases. These songs are typically comic in nature and require precise diction and timing from the performer. Patter songs are especially associated with the operettas of Gilbert and Sullivan, and are designed to showcase a singer’s vocal agility and comedic timing. This style has influenced musical theater and remains a favorite for character-driven showstoppers.
Enjoy 30 of our favorite Broadway patter songs in this playlist, which includes tunes from: Barnum, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Merrily We Roll Along, Little Shop of Horrors, Company, She Loves Me, My Fair Lady, and of course... The Pirates of Penzance.
Want more showtunes? Study up on Broadway history with music from the 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s. Check out our favorite Overtures, Opening numbers, 'I Want' songs, Act 1 finales, Entr'actes, Act 2 openers, 11 o'clock numbers, and Finales. And study up on the basics of Broadway with Broadway 101, Broadway 201, Broadway 301, Broadway 401, and Never on Broadway.
