My Top 20 Broadway Songs Ever
(Clockwise from top left) Betty Buckley in CATS, Bebe Buewirth & Ann Reinking in CHICAGO, Glenn Close in SUNSET BOULEVARD, Kristin Chenoweth & Idina Menzel in WICKED
This list started off as a Top 10 list but it just grew and grew and grew. I finally stopped at 20. Paley was extremely eager to watch this years Tony Award ceremony because Hamilton has become such an advertising juggernaut. Even 8 year olds are dripping with eagerness to see the show. I created the list as a go to for Paley to learn more about Broadway Theater. Some quick highlights, I know you are rolling your eyes with “Memory” being my number one slot. Let me explain. Cats was my first “REAL” Broadway show experience and I actually got to see Betty Buckley perform “Memory”. That was the creme de la creme so far in my lifetime. There were two other shows that came pretty close to topping Betty. First there is Chicago with Ann Reinking & Bebe Neuwirth on stage, that show was jaw dropping. Then there was the rare moment I went with an acting friend to a workshop for a new musical based on the book Wicked. A year later I finally got to see the full production with the same friend. To this day I have refused to see the show, how can you top Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel, Impossible!
1. "Memory" - Cats
2. "It's De-Lovely” - Anything Goes
3. "As if We Never Said Goodbye" - Sunset Boulevard
4. "The Ladies Who Lunch" - Company
5. "At the Ballet" - A Chorus Line
6. "Nowadays" - Chicago & FOSSE
7. "A House is Not a Home" - Promises, Promises
8. "Cell Black Tango" - Chicago
9. "Home" - The Wiz
10. "I'm The Greatest Star" - Funny Girl
11. "Totally F****d" - Spring Awakening
12. "Stay With Me" - Into the Woods
13. "Gimme Gimme" - Thoroughly Modern Millie
14. "Popular" - Wicked
15. "And I am Tell You I am Not Going" - Dream Girls
16. "You Gotta Have A Gimmick" - Gypsy
17. "Hey Big Spender" - Sweet Charity & FOSSE
18. "The Bitch of Living" - Spring Awakening
19. "The Revolutionary Costume for Today" - Grey Gardens
20. "Sisters" - Irving Berlin's White Christmas
Honorable Mentions
"True Love" - High Society
"Sing" - A Chorus Line - I use to lipsync to this song like crazy when I was a kid.