%20(2).png)
They say that falling in love is wonderful... and doesn't Broadway know it! Valentine's Day is here and love is all around us. At this most romantic time of the year, we can't help but wonder... what is the greatest Broadway love song ever?
BroadwayWorld continues our great tradition of finding that consensus- and this year we have more answers than ever! We've gathered responses from over 1500 performers, composers, industry professionals, and entertainment personalities from all over the world.
Performer
The Last Five Years | Tina | Shuffle Along | Dreamgirls National Tour | Bring it On
"Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd. This song always makes me tear up. It makes me think of love on so many different levels. Everytime I hear this song it reminds me of my father and the unconditional love we share. If you ask me, nothing can beat unconditional love and the love of family!
Performer
Just In Time | Floyd Collins | The Great Gatsby | Little Shop of Horrors | American Son | The Last Five Years | Newsies | Bonnie & Clyde | Rock of Ages | West Side Story
The first one that comes to mind is "Falling Slowly" from Once. That was always one of my favorite movies and I loved the Broadway show.
Performer
The Minutes | Carousel | Waitress | Beautiful
The first love song that popped into my head is "It Takes Two" from Into the Woods because I can't think of a better, there's all kinds of sweeping love ballads, but that gets down to it, the nitty-gritty of what it is to be with somebody.
Performer
A Christmas Carol | The Color Puple | If/Then | Once on This Island
I love "What About Love" from The Color Purple. This song speaks of the surprise and exhilaration of love discovered between two unlikely hearts.
Performer
Beaches | Parade | Doctor Zhivago; Baby | It's You! | Wicked
This is not because I was in the show, but it has to be "All the Waste of Time" from Parade, which is my favorite show of all time. It really gets to the meat of what we don't say and why we should say more. My husband and I are actually gonna sing it on Valentine's Day in a concert!
Performer
Heart of Rock and Roll | Bandstand | Newsies | Gigi
"You Matter to Me" from Waitress has been on me and my wife's playlist recently. It's so incredibly beautiful, and it has extra contextual beauty knowing we are going to have a baby in April!
Performer
Cabaret | Macbeth | The Threepenny Opera
"I Won't Send Roses" from MACK & MABEL. I think being honest about your shortcomings is much more useful than talking about candlelight dinners and what rate your heart is beating at.
Performer
Just In Time | Merrily We Roll Along | Hamilton | Spring Awakening
"They Say It's Wonderful" from Annie Get Your Gun. And I'll say, hearing it as a closeted fourth grader... how profound!
Performer
Art | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | How I Met Your Mother | Company | Cabaret | Assassins | Proof | Sweeney Todd
"Love Has Come Of Age" from the JEKYLL & HYDE album with Colm Wilkinson. His voice is phenomimazing! I've always dreamed of that song being sung at my wedding, but only if Colm'll sing it himself. Probably a long shot...
Performer
Ragtime | Into the Woods | Waitress | Carousel | Violet | Scottsboro Boys | American Idiot | In the Heights
Right now, it's "It Takes Two" from Into the Woods. I remember hearing Brian d'Arcy James and Sara Bareilles singing it and I would be dancing backstage with Patina Miller. It feels so good.
Performer
Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends | Lempicka | The Prom | Bandstand | 42nd Street | Mamma Mia! | The Drowsy Chaperone | Elf
"Not While I'm Around" from Sweeney Todd. I was introduced to that song when... you know you go through a certain time in your life and I really needed to hear something like that. So that represents such love to me that song, such love and caring.
Performer
Once on This Island | Porgy and Bess | The Little Mermaid | The Phantom of the Opera | Les Misérables
Even though it was a tragic song that I did in Side Show, people keep asking me a lot of times to sing that at weddings, "You Should Be Loved." Also, "The Music of the Night." It's actually a beautiful song. It's a little more sexy than love long. "I Believe My Own Eyes," from Tommy, I mean, come on. There's a lot great stuff that I've been able to sing. Even Miss Saigon, that tragic love story, with "Sun and Moon." It's hard to pick.
Performer
Giant | All My Sons | Dirty Rotten Scoundrels | The Retreat from Moscow | Sweet Smell of Success | M. Butterfly | Anna Christie | Comedians |
It has to be "Send in the Clowns" from A Little Night Music.
Performer
Merrily We Roll Along | Carousel | Significant Other | Wicked | Grease | Godspell
It's not a Broadway love song but it's Barbra Streisand so I feel like it would qualify, which is "The Way We Were." It's so romantic and it's not sappy, there's history to it and then thinking about the way Marvin Hamlisch laid it all out. For me it's the best.
Performer
Cabaret | The Great Gatsby | Hadestown | Miss Saigon
My favorite Broadway love song would absolutely have to be "Freak Like Me". By Patrick Page. And the cast of Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark. Oh yes.
Performer
Pretty Woman | Legally Blonde | Saturday Night Fever | Footloose | The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Mine would have to be "Our Love Is Here To Stay", not only because Gershwin is unrivaled in sheer genius as far as I'm concerned, but I was lucky enough to have been in the "long" running "Fascinating Rhythm" and listening to my co-stars sing that song every night into the finale' (which was Hang On to me), gave me chills and still brings back some of my best and happiest Broadway memories as a performer...
Performer
Death Becomes Her | Company | The Prom | Chicago | Shrek the Musical | Matilda | Pippin
My current Broadway love song is: I just Want to dance with you...from THE PROM ...it’s beautiful and perfect....letting the world melt away with that one special someone...That’s the one!!
Performer
Hello Dolly! | Dear World | Triumph of Love | Sunset Boulevard | Carrie | The Mystery of Edwin Drood | Song & Dance | Cats | Pippin | Promises | Promises | 1776
"You're Nearer" from TOO MANY GIRLS by Rodgers and Hart.
Performer
LIZA'S AT THE PALACE...! | Flora | The Red Menace | Chicago | The Act | The Rink | Victor/Victoria
"A Quiet Thing" from FLORA, THE RED MENACE
Performer
Driving Miss Daisy | The Best Man | A Little Night Music | Blithe Spirit | Deuce | Mame | Sweeney Todd | King & I | Gypsy | Dear World | Anyone Can Whistle
"If I Loved You" from Carousel because it reminds me of my first love...
Performer
Tootsie | Act One | Cinderella | Billy Elliot
"Not While I'm Around." I think it's beautiful. I know it's between more of a mother and son, but the lyrics aren't excessive and I think it's so succinct and beautiful.
Performer
Gutenberg! The Musical | The Book of Mormon | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Anything from Dance of the Vampires.
Performer
Anastasia | Carrie | Mamma Mia!
I really like "You Shine" from Carrie. But I also really love the Gershwin song- "They Can't Take that Away From Me." Life is filled with little moments. I love how the singer celebrates all of the little things that make his love wonderful, regardless of what their future holds. I think that is such a beautiful song.
Performer
Marjorie Prime | Gypsy | Pictures From Home | Moulin Rouge! | My Fair Lady | Fiddler on the Roof | Cabaret | The Snow Geese | Follies | South Pacific | The Drowsy Chaperone
My favorite Valentine’s Broadway love song is “Some Enchanted Evening” because that’s the way I felt when I first saw my wife.
Performer
Little Shop of Horrors | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Kinky Boots
My favorite Broadway love song is "The Origin of Love," obviously. I mean, how can it not? It's a beautiful song, it's beautifully written lyrics, it's the perfect song. The perfect love song.
Performer
The Last Five Years | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Annie Get Your Gun | Beauty and the Beast | Les Miserables
"All I Ask of You" from The Phantom of the Opera. I love the melodies in the song. I feel like the music compliments the acting and the story line in a truly remarkable way.
Performer
Death of a Salesman | Pictures from Home | Gary | Angels in America | The Nance | The Addams Family | November | The Odd Couple | The Frogs | The Producers | A Funny Thing Happened... | Guys and Dolls | Love! Valour! Compassion!
"Too Many Mornings". It always makes me cry. Missed opportunity, longing and regret, exquisite lyrics and a melody that breaks your heart. That Sondheim kid has a big future.
Performer
Ragtime | Leopoldstadt | Caroline Or Change | Frozen | Les Miserables | Ghost | Hair | Wicked | Hairspray
My first job out of school was Rent, and "I'll Cover You" will forever be one of my favorite love songs, And the reprise?! Forget it!
Performer
Angels in America | The Unsinkable Molly Brown | Fun Home | Ring of Fire
My favorite Broadway love song is Maury Yeston's "Unusual Way" from Nine. It's very haunting and it gets at something really complicated. I feel it very deeply.
Videos
TICKET CENTRAL
.jpg?format=auto&width=365)
Get Broadway's #1 Theatre Newsletter
All the show news & discounts for Broadway & beyond.
