Musical number genres that you don't hear anymore

[darquegk]

I was thinking the other day about genres of musical number that you don't hear quite as much anymore- some for good reasons, and some simply because of changing tastes.

For instance, a lot of Golden Age musicals have what you might call a "slut song" for the female comedic supporting lead- a cheerful number about how enthusiastically promiscuous she is. "I Cain't Say No," "The Love of My Life," "Always True to You in My Fashion," etc.

You also see a lot less of "dance sensation" numbers, probably because Broadway shows no longer create real-world pop hits and dance crazes. The most recent one I can think of is "The Transylvania Mania" in Young Frankenstein. (The rise of social media has contributed to this too: it's much more common that a bit of choreography from the show will go viral on its own, as in the hundreds of Heathers impersonations or Firebringer "Work Song" reenactments.)

[MrsSallyAdams]

Exceptions prove the rule but it's rare to hear:

A song about a city or state. (Honeymoon in Vegas, 2015, had one).


A modern patter song.
A major role for a bass/baritone. (The period piece A Gentleman's Guide... provided these in 2013)

A jokey "list" song of the Cole Porter variety. (not thinking of any modern examples at present)

[JSquared2]

I would say that the entire "Golden Age" musical theatre genre itself is pretty much dead.

[darquegk]

Oddly enough, I'm just now realizing that my most recent musical contains all of these so far except the "paean to a location."

[Mister Matt]

You also see a lot less of "dance sensation" numbers, probably because Broadway shows no longer create real-world pop hits and dance crazes. The most recent one I can think of is "The Transylvania Mania" in Young Frankenstein. 

There was also "Toledo Surprise" in Drowsy Chaperone and "Do the Necronomicon" in Evil Dead and to lesser degrees, "Cooties" in Hairspray and "Bend and Snap" in Legally Blonde (a show that actually fits the mold of classic musical comedy extremely well).  The original tryout of Addams Family opened with one entitled "Clandango".  But the last one I can think of that actually permeated into pop culture would be "Time Warp" from Rocky Horror.

A jokey "list" song of the Cole Porter variety. (not thinking of any modern examples at present)

The one that immediately springs to mind would be "Everybody's Girl" from Steel Pier (also of the aforementioned "slut song" variety).

A modern patter song.

Words, Words, Words from Witches of Eastwick is a good one.  And Model Behavior from Womenon the Verge could almost be considered a modern patter song.

I would say that the entire "Golden Age" musical theatre genre itself is pretty much dead.

It wasn't even a genre.  It was a relatively brief period that represents the proliferation of musical theatre and its popularity shortly after it had risen from being merely "popular entertainment" to a respected art form.  If be "genre", you mean the formulaic structure and sound of the majority of the musicals (shows like The Most Happy Fella, West Side Story and Gypsy were anomalies), keep in mind that most of them were flops.  Generally, when people speak of the Golden Age, they mention the diamonds among a lot of coal.

[Fan123]

This might not be apparent in modern shows yet, but in this day and age I wonder if we're going to see fewer songs of the type "woman indicates lack of interest in a man, he continues to pursue her without being discouraged, you just know they're going to end up together". Songs like 'Marian The Librarian', 'It's a Chemical Reaction, That's All', 'Could You Use Me', 'I'll Know', etc. All of which I enjoy, but I wonder if they would work if presented within new works to modern audiences. For example, I remember there were some negative reactions on this board to the Ogie/Dawn subplot and his song 'Never Ever Getting Rid of Me' in 'Waitress'.

[Elegance101]

Fan123 said: "This might not be apparent in modern shows yet, but in this day and age I wonder if we're going to see fewer songs of the type "woman indicates lack of interest in a man, he continues to pursue her without being discouraged, you just know they're going to end up together". Songs like 'Marian The Librarian', 'It's a Chemical Reaction, That's All', 'Could You Use Me', 'I'll Know', etc. All of which I enjoy, but I wonder if they would work if presented within new works to modern audiences. For example, I remember there were some negative reactions on this board to the Ogie/Dawn subplot and his song 'Never Ever Getting Rid of Me' in 'Waitress'."

Yeah, you need a good dynamic and good actors to pull these songs off. Using Ogie, I thought it actually worked because Chris Fitzgerald was so good and funny; to me, he wasn't creepy or scary in his song, his performance made it work. I know not everyone felt this way, but that's why I think that song can be good.

[TheGingerBreadMan]

You also see a lot less of "dance sensation" numbers, probably because Broadway shows no longer create real-world pop hits and dance crazes. The most recent one I can think of is "The Transylvania Mania" in Young Frankenstein. (The rise of social media has contributed to this too: it's much more common that a bit of choreography from the show will go viral on its own, as in the hundreds of Heathers impersonations or Firebringer "Work Song" reenactments.)

This example isn't quite as recent (from 2000), but Lippa's Wild Party has "The Juggernaut". 

[ilysespieces]

Elegance101 said: "Fan123 said: "This might not be apparent in modern shows yet, but in this day and age I wonder if we're going to see fewer songs of the type "woman indicates lack of interest in a man, he continues to pursue her without being discouraged, you just know they're going to end up together". Songs like 'Marian The Librarian', 'It's a Chemical Reaction, That's All', 'Could You Use Me', 'I'll Know', etc. All of which I enjoy, but I wonder if they would work if presented within new works to modern audiences. For example, I remember there were some negative reactions on this board to the Ogie/Dawn subplot and his song 'Never Ever Getting Rid of Me' in 'Waitress'."

Yeah, you need a good dynamic and good actors to pull these songs off. Using Ogie, I thought it actually worked because Chris Fitzgerald was so good and funny; to me, he wasn't creepy or scary in his song, his performance made it work. I know not everyone felt this way, but that's why I think that song can be good."

 

I would disagree, personally. The first thing I said to my friend after we could talk was about how uncomfortable that song was and and how messed up it was that it was seen as a positive trait that he was so obsessed with her. I hope those kinds of songs/thems just fade away. Even the best performers can't make that type of song good, imo.

 

I think my exact words were "Ok ogie was cute and talented, but damn dude, take a ****ing hint. And by hint I mean she said no. Like a bunch."

[Elegance101]

Yeah, I can definitely see how people had problems with that number. I just love Chris Fitzgerald enough to kind of let it slide, but I completely understand that other people can't.

[bwaylinds]

When I saw the word "genre" in this thread title I thought of genres more like "rock" or classical as opposed to genres meaning the "funny best friend song" or the "male protagonist I want song" but anyways going by my first definition of genre, we hardly ever see anything with such a heavy folk influence ie- Come From Away (cough which should've won the tony over Dear Evan Hansen's trashy pop score cough) or The Great Comet which has a score unlike anything I've ever heard.

[AADA81]

"If I Could Tell Her" from Dear Evan Hansen is certainly similar to the 'obsessed male who won't be discouraged' song.  He's not as sophisticated or as suave as Harold Hill, but he knows enough to lie to his object of desire to get closer to her and manipulate her feelings, which is not exactly admirable.

BTW, the 'Golden Age' of musicals lasted 20 years and produced plenty of hits that remain in the repertoire of theater companies across the country.  The business model was different then.  Shows didn't last 20+ years to become Bway 'attractions' like Phantom and Chicago, but they could also pay off their initial investments in 6 months.  Times and cultures change and I think the best of Bway musicals, then and now, reflect that.  Every era has its Hamiltons and its Escape to Margaritavilles, but there will always be plenty of shows in between those two extremes that are worth remembering, in my opinion.