So Much Stuff to Sing

We conclude our series on vocal damage with the most iconic song of Broadway's past 20 years: "Defying Gravity" from Wicked. We talk about its reception, its influence, and whether it does more harm than good.

All clips are from the 2003 Original Broadway Cast album with Idina Menzel as Elpheba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

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Wlecome to the 80s megamusical and its child, the power ballad! This episode, we discuss "I Dreamed a Dream" from one of the biggest hits of all time, Les Miserables by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. In addition to talking about our feelings about the show generally (spoiler: it's complicated), this is also our first chance to talk about the legend herself, Patti Lupone.

All clips are from the 1985 Original London Cast Recording with Patti Lupone as Fantine and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

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Enter the Belters. As we continue look at vocal showpieces, we move into the 1980s to look at Dreamgirls and Jennifer Holliday's extraordinary performance of "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going." 40 years after it debuted on Broadway, this song is still synonymous both with Holliday and with singers who want to show they can be big and soulful. Even if they can't. All clips are from the 1982 Original Broadway Cast Album with Jennifer Holliday as Effie White and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

Email the show: [email protected]

We start off what we are affectionately calling our "Vocal Damage" miniseries with one of the greatest soprano showpieces every written for the Broadway stage: "Glitter and Be Gay" from Leonard Bernstein's 1956 comic operetta Candide. The piece is (in)famous for being hard in just about every way a song can be hard, and is most commonly performed today by opera singers. All clips are from the 1956 Original Broadway Cast Recording with Barbara Cook as Cunegonde and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

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We conclude our miniseries on soliloquy songs with one of Shannon's favorites: "How Can I Call This Home?" from Jason Robert Brown's 1998 show Parade. Parade is about an especially dark event in 20th century history; listener discretion is advised.

All clips are from the 1999 Original Broadway Cast Recording with Brent Carver as Leo Frank and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

Email the show: [email protected]

After 33 episodes, we finally come to the second of the twin pillars of modern musical theater: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Specifcially, we talk about "Gethsemane," Jesus's anguished scream of a song from Jesus Christ Superstar. Do we have strong opinions? Oh, you bet we do!

All clips are from the 1973 soundtrack of the film version with Ted Neeley as Jesus and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

Email the show: [email protected]

Willlkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome! We continue our exploration of songs that reveal character with the title song from 1966's Kander & Ebb classic Cabaret. Who is Sally Bowles, what does she want, and how are we meant to feel about her? All this, plus the Kennedy Center Honors!

All clips are from the 1966 Original Broadway Cast recording with Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

Email the show: [email protected]

We begin a new miniseries, focusing on character songs -- those moments when the spotlight falls on a single character and we get a chance to look inside their heart and soul. Fittingly enough, we're beginning with "Soliloquy," the centerpiece aria from Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic Carousel.

All clips are from the 2018 revival recording featuring Joshua Henry as Billy Bigelow and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

Email the show: [email protected]

We complete our second annual Sondheim miniseries by looking at "Unworthy of Your Love," the troubling pastiche of 70s love duets from Assassins, one of the most unsettling musicals ever produced. It's more fun than it sounds like!

All clips are from the 2004 Broadway Cast Recording featuring Alexander Gemignani and Mary Catherine Garrison and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

Email the show: [email protected]

"Please Hello" is from the neglected Sondheim masterpiece Pacific Overtures and is one of the wildest, funniest, and most complicated songs we've ever covered--and maybe one of the best? Learn more about the Asian American Arts Alliance.

All clips are from the 1976 Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Yuki Shimoda, James Dybas, Ernest Harada, Alvin Ing, Patrick Kinser-Lau, Mark Hsu Syers, and Mako and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary.

Listen to and buy the album on Amazon!

Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify.

Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod

Email the show: [email protected]