http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2010-03-30-breetanner30_ST_N.htm

Just... no. Just no.

Oh, and this gem:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0759529434?ie=UTF8&tag=stepheniemeye-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0759529434

I say we drive a stake through this once and for all. *Sigh*

This thing just won't die will it?

My Top 10 Favorite Musical Songs

Like I said before, I'm back from my blogging hiatus and I'm here to tell you some more of my totally biased opinions. But this time, its in the form of song!

Literally. I'm mean, we are talking about music here. Aw whatever, lame joke alert. Just pity laugh K?

Anyway, here is a list of my top 10 favorite songs ever from a musical.

(But before that, I'd like to explain something. In order to avoid picking too many songs from the same musical, I picked what I thought was the best song from said musical. This was done based off music style, the tone, what effect it has on the show, and just pure likability. For example, despite my love of "Popular" from Wicked, I like "Defying Gravity" better. So despite liking "Gravity" better than say, "Castle on a Cloud", its still not on the list. Get it? Got it? Good.)

10. El Tango de Roxanne from Moulin Rouge* - This song is seriously intense. Why? Because jealousy is an intense emotion. Which is why this song works so well.

9. Castle on Cloud from Les Miserables - This falls into the genre of "tragically adorable". I mean really, you just wanna give this poor little girl a hug. You simply can't not have your heart broken when you hear it. (Also, from a technical standpoint, I like it because its in the key of A Minor, which means, pianoistically speaking, there're no sharps or flats. That is a definite win.)

8. Go Go Go Joseph from Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - It starts on gorgeous, it ends on awesome. Plus it tells like three different stories throughout the song's running. That is very cool with me.

7. The Tango Maureen from Rent* - A song a guy sings regarding his cheating ex-girlfriend to her new girlfriend. Simply the premise of the song tells you its gonna be entertaining.

6. Everyone's a Little Bit Racist from Avenue Q* - Equipped with a biting message and a catchy little tune, this lovely little song is actually probably the least offensive song from the musical. That isn't why I picked it thought; I just pretty much love it.

5. By the Sea from Sweeney Todd* - In a show so dark and packed full of horrible happenings, this hilariously upbeat song completely offsets the entire show. Its all about one of the character's dream of living, well, by the sea someday. The movie version films it in an especially humorous manner- the colors and costumes are almost obnoxiously bright and cheery, despite the characters maintaining their emotastic appearances.

4. The Phantom of the Opera from, well, The Phantom of the Opera - Do I even have to explain why it's on the list? Everyone knows this song. And in many ways, that's part of it's awesome- the fact that everyone recognizes it's opening chords.

3. AC/DC from Starlight Express - I, being the epitome of maturity, went and counted all the questionable innuendos in this song. In less than a three minute period, I counted 14, 9 if you don't count the ones that were repeated. Heck, even the title. The title. Now, you'd think this would draw away from it's charm. But not only does this song have an ridiculously catchy beat, clever lyrics, and awesome backup singers, it was sung by the gorgeousness that is John Partridge. So maybe I'm just suffering from swoon bias, but this song so deserves it's spot on the list. (Update: I recently bought the piano book for this show, and I realized I missed a big one. There's 10 unrepeated innuendos. Just though you should know.)

2. Defying Gravity from Wicked - Greatest show stopper ever. Seriously. I still get goosebumps when I hear it. Its probably the best pre-intermission song ever. Why? Because, in full representation to the character singing it, it starts out small and builds to something grand and powerful, something worth hearing. I love epiphany songs, and this is easily my favorite of those.

1. Mr. Mistoffelees from Cats - This song is special and I just love it. It comes at a perfect point in the show- it's one of those all hope is lost, the bad guy just kicked out rears moments- when suddenly bang!, the underdog hero and his friend come out and save the day. It's got this wonderful smooth, up-beat jazz tune, the guy who sings it has a beautiful voice, visually the dancing is incredible, and gosh darn it, it just makes you happy.

*Yeah yeah yeah, any show with this marking has an interesting reputation preceding it. Well with the exception of #6, they don't deserve it.

I guess sparkles can be good...

Oh goodness dearie me, I'm back from my blogging hiatus! 'Cause let me tell you, doing two plays in a row (South Pacific, followed immediately by Annie) can really suck the life out of ya. And then, low and behold, I got sick. Seriously, who does that?

Anyway, it's Spring Break, and I now have something commonly referred to as "time". This is actually quite an anomaly for me, so I've decided to just sorta ease into it. But in celebration of this newly discovered "time", I decided to actually blog about something.

Namely, that fact that I TOTALLY SAW THE NATIONAL TOUR OF CATS THE MUSICAL AND IT WAS ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL!!!

*clasps hand over mouth*

*cough cough* Excuse me; brief moment of insanity now over. *shudders* That was weird.

Anyway, the show was awesome in case you hadn't already gathered. I didn't love the vocalists as much as I would have preferred to, (they were still very good however) and the dancing and music was spectacular. Admittedly, I tend to hold an aversion to sparkly beings,

but Mistoffelees was, hands down, my favorite.

Then again, I'm pretty sure he always has been. Anyway, Growltiger and Griddlebone in all their operatic glory were both a close second,
and the fact that that the number isn't in the movie still continues to tragify me.

Remember when I saw Phantom of the Opera? Well this was better. Wicked? Not so sure, but it was definitely its equal, possibly superior. Either way though, Cats was spectacular.

(On a funny note, the fire alarm went off near the end of the first act. It was a false alarm, probably triggered by the fog machine, but it probably couldn't have come at a worse time. I mean, here comes Grizabella, about to sing the only song you've ever heard of from this musical, Memory, and then there's this obnoxious mechanical voice in the background telling you to get the heck out of the theater. Lovely. Aw well, like I said, the show was still terrific.)

















...












Ha!

And you thought I was going to talk about Cats and not mention the Rum Tum Tugger. You're so silly, you actually thought I was going to behave all mature like. Ha and double ha!

Although not my favorite representation of him (no one beats the gorgeousness that is John Partridge, ever), the guy was still great. Hilarious too. Mom's gaydar went off, but surprisingly mine didn't, but that's probably because I'd read in the program that the guy, Adam Steiner was his name, was married. To a girl. Which, quite frankly, kinda' makes him a freak of nature. I'm mean, who ever heard of a straight guy playing the Rum Tum Tugger?



I mean really.