My Musicals Playlist

In an earlier episode of The Fandesals Podcast (currently on Google, Apple and Spotify and also on YouTube), we discussed the topic of our favorite musicals. I decided to recycle an old post from an earlier version of my blog related to this. The episode on YouTube is embedded at the end of this post. Enjoy!

September is my late father’s birthday month. I thought it would be nice to have this month feature more than my usual music playlists since my father was the one who made me fall in love with music.

I grew up with my father playing music all the time and growing up, he even taught us to sing. To this day, my sisters and I joke around saying “Hangin! (Air)” when we’re singing because our father always says that to remind us to use air from our diaphragm instead of straining our throats when we sing. 

The cool thing about my father was that he did not just like one type of music, so even as children we were exposed to many different genres, which influenced us to be the same way. I can’t tell you how many times people have been surprised to hear me playing classical music one moment and my sister playing hip hop the next…then my niece starts playing something from a musical. We like a lot of different types of music and I think that makes our individual Spotify liked songs lists a weird combination of artists.

This week, I want to share a playlist of songs from musicals that I enjoy listening to. Here are the songs in the playlist and a bit about them. Enjoy!

Edelweiss - This one is from the music The Sound of Music, something that our father introduced us to back when we were still young. I remember as I got older we still watched the movie often and my father would sing this with me as the movie played. I get teary-eyed sometimes when I think about that.

Helpless - From the musical Hamilton, this song was supposedly inspired by the style of songs/duets by Ja Rule and Ashanti (I could hear it in the way it is performed actually). Combined with the song Satisfied, the two songs occur in the same scene in the musical, from the point of view of the two Schuyler sisters. It’s an interesting concept and I enjoyed listening to how it all played out.

Satisfied - You can’t listen to Helpless without listening to Satisfied! I loved the use of hip-hop in this musical and the rap in this one is something I love to (attempt to) sing. It is an amazing track that is even better when you see it as it is performed (it’s on YouTube).

I Don’t Know How to Love Him - Another musical my father introduced us to is Jesus Christ Superstar. We used to watch it every Holy Week so by the time I was in high school I could sing the entire thing from memory. This is my favorite because of the way it was sung: you could feel the emotional dilemma the character was going through because of her love for him.

Could We Start Again Please - Another one from Jesus Christ Superstar, this was sung when Jesus had died and Mary and the apostles were mourning him. This was so sad and I can’t help but feel for them whenever I hear it. 

I’d Give My Life for You - I know there are more popular songs in the musical Miss Saigon than this one, but I remember singing this a lot when I was younger so this is what I included in this playlist. I may not have a child of my own yet but I could relate to how the mother wanted to do everything for her child since I am like that with my family. This is a really good one. 

Bad Idea - From the musical Waitress, this is a song where the two characters are talking about the feelings they had for each other (even if they were both married to someone else). I love how this was sung and I enjoy listening to it every time I hear it. 

Run Away with Me - This is from the musical The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown. So many amazing male Broadway singers have a version of this and every single version (even a female version from the composer) gives me the “feels” when I hear it.

If I Didn’t Believe In You - The Last Five Years is a musical that was turned into a movie that starred Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. I love the emotion that was in this song. I love how Jeremy Jordan performed this. My heart broke for the characters as I heard this.

Head Over Feet - While this is a pop (?) song, this version for the Jagged Little Pill musical. Is so good that I can’t help but add this to the list. I love that this gives the song a different feel from the original. 

On My Own - Les Miserables is a classic and this song is that song that really made my heart break, being an unrequited love story and all. I think we all can relate to that feeling at one point in our lives. Of course, I had to add the Lea Salonga version to this playlist.

All I’ve Ever Known - Hadestown is one of my favorite musicals and this song is one of those that I fell in love with when I first heard it. I would love to see this musical one day. I can’t wait until this pandemic is over.

Wait for Me - Another one from Hadestown. I love this and I love it even more when it is performed. I saw it at an awards show and it was a spectacle to watch. I would really love to see this in person one day! I heard that this is already being staged in South Korea…I wish the pandemic would be over so I could go over there and see this!

First Burn - OK technically this is not part of the musical, but it is a version of the song Burn from Hamilton as performed by the various actors who had played Eliza Hamilton, the character who sang Burn in the musical. I love the power in this song and I love singing along to it (even if the notes get crazy high and my voice cracks).

Come What May - From the musical Moulin Rouge, this is one of my favorite songs from the movie (and now a Broadway musical). The fact that Aaron Tviet performed it is just a welcome bonus!

Journey to the Past - From another movie/Broadway musical, this is one of my favorite songs from the entire thing. Again, another beautiful song that just takes me to another world when I hear it.

Falling Slowly - There are so many versions of this song now but I still fall back to this one. I love the soft sound and how the minimal style emphasizes the emotions of the songs more. 

Do I Love You Because You’re Beautiful - From the musical Cinderella, I just have a soft spot for the fairy tale so I had to include this song here. This was sung as they met at the ball, if I’m not mistaken.

Never Enough - From  the movie musical The Greatest Showman, I end the playlist with Never Enough by Loren Allred. Again, another song that just tugs at your heartstrings when you hear it. It’s such a beautiful song.