For a school project I needed to create something about a global issue, so I am doing a cabaret with songs about immigration. I have a few obvious ones, and was wondering if you guys knew any! Thanks!
RAGS also has the great song "Greenhorns"-- an "Ugly American" diatribe against the wretched refuse washing up on the docks of Ellis Island at the turn of the last century. Looks like pasting lyrics here is tough though-- most internet sources don't list them.
Andrew Lloyd Webber composed A BEAUTIFUL GAME which focused on the sectarian violence/conflict in Northern Ireland. It has now been retitled THE BOYS FROM THE PHOTOGRAPH and features the young men who once played the beautiful game ( as Pele once called soccer football which is the most popular sport in Europe and arguably in other parts of the world). One other issue which was covered in this very sad musical is one that focuses on the issue of immigration. Two ladies sing about the political and economic reasons why someone would leave one's homeland. One is determined to find a better home elsewhere but the other sings about why her homeland is the best place to live. The song is called GOD'S OWN COUNTRY, which is wistfully sung from the original London cast recording. Please ignore the images as they relate more to the career of the singer who was part of the original cast.
"I Whistle A Happy Tune" and "My Lord and Master" THE KING AND I "Children of the Wind," "Rags," and most of the score of RAGS "Ragtime" and much of the score of RAGTIME "Poems" PACIFIC OVERTURES "How Are Things in Glocca Mora" FINIAN'S RAINBOW Much of the score of HAMILTON "The American Dream" and "The Movie in My Mind" MISS SAIGON "Too Bad" and "Siberia" (loosely) SILK STOCKINGS "I Am So Easily Assimilated" and loosely much of the score of CANDIDE "I Belong Here," "I'll Be Here Tomorrow" and much of the score of THE GRAND TOUR "This Amazing London Town" THE ROTHSCHILDS much of the score of NEW GIRL IN TOWN "I Am Going to Like It Here" and much of the score of FLOWER DRUM SONG "Climb Every Mountain" (in a way) THE SOUND OF MUSIC "Anatevke" FIDDLER ON THE ROOF "The Swamps of Home"s and "Normandy" (in a way) ONCE UPON MATTRESS much of the score of TITANIC "No Boom Boom" ZORBA Some of IN THE HEIGHTS
I thought of "America" from West Side Story as well. But then realized it's not precisely about immigration since Puerto Rico is part of The United States! It's more about "Moving".
henrikegerman's mention of TITANIC made me think of another great one, "Ladies' Maid." Many many parts for that one as well as an optimistic message out of context.
Also I saw a great musical at NYMF last year called MANUEL VS THE STATUE OF LIBERTY about "illegal immigration" which had some great songs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG4Ez3gxJbk
and I echo MISS SAIGON, RAGTIME, IN THE HEIGHTS... surprisingly a lot material to choose from :)
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
It's probably not a good choice for your project because most of the song has nothing to do with being an immigrant, but Christmas Eve's section of "It Sucks to Be Me" from Avenue Q is hilarious.
Also, the entire musical Flower Drum Song, both the original and the revised version, is about navigating cultural differences. I can't think of one specific song that's about the immigrant experience, but many of them are motivated by the conflict between old world and new world traditions.