Show tunes about immigration

[talinatter]

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!

[BroadwayConcierge]

[JBroadway]

"America" - West Side Story

"Ladie's Maid" - Titanic

"Far From the Home I Love" (sort of) - Fiddler on the Roof

"Paciencia y Fe" - In the Heights

"A Shtetl Iz Amereke" - Ragtime

[Gomez3]

"A New World" - Songs For a New World

[gypsy101]

The two that popped into my mind were "Rags" from Rags and "Sal Tlay Ka Siti" from The Book of Mormon

[Mr. Nowack]

"Melt Us" from ALL AMERICAN is a nice up beat one.

The title song from RAGS as musicaldigger says is a great dramatic one. 

[Dancingthrulife2]

Inutil and Paciencia y Fe from In the Heights come to mind. In fact the entire show deals with immigration in a pretty heartfelt manner.

[Someone in a Tree2]

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.

 

[jo]

Why does one leave one's native land?

 

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.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9GIQ6TaiJFs

 

And the lyrics --

 

http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/thebeautifulgame/godsowncountry.htm

 

It is poignant and heartbreaking ( but dramatic in essence), if you are looking for a song of this kind.

[perfectlymarvelous]

"Success" from Ragtime is an excellent deconstruction of the American dream and the fantasy vs. reality of immigration in the early 20th century.

[chewy5000]

Anthem from Chess?

[Shaunthedog]

Ragtime - Ragtime

 

[Mike Costa]

Part of Your World- The Little Mermaid

[Mr Roxy]

America - West SIde Story.

[henrikegerman]

"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
 

[Tom5]

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".

[Mr. Nowack]

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.

[MadonnaMusical]

There's a whole musical about immigration off-broadway right now called GREEN CARD. It might be worth checking out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-oHUDfiDDM

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 :)

[Gothampc]

Definitely "Greenhorns" from Rags.

"How Can I Call This Home" from Parade

[Mr Roxy]

Brave New World - The Education Of Hyman  Kaplan .

[EvanstonDad]

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.

[EvanstonDad]

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.