Recommend a Broadway Musical Song
 

I am generally not a fan of Broadway musicals. The genre just doesn't speak to me. But, I need to quickly learn a song from a musical (any Broadway musical). I'm a rhythm player, low intermediate level. Thanks for any suggestions!

Maybe “Edelweiss” from Sound of Music. Captain von Trapp plays it on guitar. Should be simple to learn. “Married” from Cabaret is a very sweet song, again easy to learn and suited to a chordal accompaniment. More current, there are many songs from Hamilton (first one that comes to mind is “Helpless.”) Something from an Elton John musical might work, like “Can You Feel the Love Tonight?”

"Your Eyes" from Rent.

"Try to Remember" from the Fantastiks

“Try to Remember”! Great idea!

Chances are you already know one or are at least familiar with one, there've been a bunch of crossover hits and jukebox musicals (where they write a broadway show around existing hits). That includes Bob Dylan (Girl from the north country) and Johnny Cash (Ring of Fire) and Abba (Mamma Mia!).

What genre speaks to you? Google it, I can almost guarantee there will be a musical written in that style. Rock (Tommy), Punk (American Idiot), Hip Hop (In the Heights, Hamilton), R&B/Doo Wop (Dream Girls, Jersey Boys), Pop (just about anything made in the last 30 years). Listen to some of the biggest hits from a show in the genre you like and you'll probably find a few you actually want to play.

Hello, Dolly.

Edelweiss is a beautiful song and is used pretty poignantly in the movie. I was just playing this song over the holidays.

If you play lots of rhythm, maybe some Cole Porter ("You're The Top", "Anything Goes", "I Get A Kick Out of You") would sound great, especially on a jazzy archtop.

"How 'Bout A Dance" for Bonnie & Clyde is a beautiful song, too.

James Taylor just recorded a version of "Surry With A Fringe On Top" from Oklahoma on his latest album. Doesn't look too hard and is a great song. I played Curly in our High School production and got to sing this song to a smokin' hot Laurey Williams. Those musicals were the best for getting to kiss with no commitment or baggage. Yahoo!!

Thanks to each of you, I will investigate these suggestions, much appreciated.

"Somewhere" (aka There's a Place for Us) from West Side Story might be good for you. Unlike a lot of classic show tunes, that and a lot of other Bernstein/Sondheim songs use a lot of cowboy chords, not those more difficult Great American Songbook changes.

How about "Til There Was You"?

Hi John, The OP said the answer was needed quickly, and that was six weeks ago.

But as long as this is back on the table, I’ll recommend that you all have a go at Mancini’s “Cat and Mouse” from Victor/Victoria. I spent a few weeks trying to do all the parts and now just play the intro (up to 0:26) as a warm-up for the left hand. The fingering is really tough, but once you work it out it’s fun to play and will stretch your left hand thoroughly and gradually, which is what I like about it. Great addition to the repertoire of exercises for warming up cold and uncooperative hands.

In A minor in standard tuning and playing with your thumb, you slur the open sixth string (hammer on) and follow through on the fifth and fourth strings, starting like this:

--------------------
--------------------
--------------------
--------------10---
----------7---------
--0-s-5------------

Check it out, it’s a lot of fun. And if anyone can play all three parts (0:27 onward), drinks are on me!

Opps I didn't notice the OP date either

"They Call The Wind Maria" from Paint Your Wagon.
Great acoustic guitar song, I play it all the time

I play it
Capo 3
verses
C -Am - C - Am- C - Am - F - G7- C

Chorus

Am - Em - F - G7- C

This is from the movie

"You've Tot To Be Carefully Taught" from "South Pacific" appeals to me. Below are versions by Michael Johnson and James Taylor.





- Glenn