The Best Broadway Musicals of the Fifties and Beyond by Mel Rosenberg - מל רוזנברג - Ourboox.com
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The Best Broadway Musicals of the Fifties and Beyond

After fruitful careers as a scientist and inventor I've gone back to what I love most - writing children's books Read More
  • Joined Oct 2013
  • Published Books 1559

The fifties were a big decade for Broadway musicals. The musicals brought a whole new wave of sensitive tunes and lyrics to the world.

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Jazz and swing music was declining.

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A lot of rock and roll songs used basic chord patterns, such as the blues, and the ‘Fifties Progression’, also known as “Stand by Me Changes”. The lyrics were often ‘dumbed down’ too. Was there a place for ‘cleverer songs’ from the theatre?

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We can take a look at the Tony award winners and finalists.

 

1950s[edit]

Year Musical Book Music Lyrics
1950
4th Tony Awards
South Pacific † Oscar Hammerstein II & Joshua Logan Richard Rodgers Hammerstein
1951
5th Tony Awards
Guys and Dolls Abe Burrows & Jo Swerling Frank Loesser
1952
6th Tony Awards
The King and I Oscar Hammerstein II Richard Rodgers Hammerstein
1953
7th Tony Awards
Wonderful Town Jerome Chodorov & Joseph Fields Leonard Bernstein Betty Comden & Adolph Green
1954
8th Tony Awards
Kismet Luther Davis & Charles Lederer Alexander Borodin Chet Forrest & Bob Wright
1955
9th Tony Awards
The Pajama Game George Abbott & Richard Pike Bissell Richard Adler & Jerry Ross
1956
10th Tony Awards
Damn Yankees George Abbott & Douglass Wallop Richard Adler Jerry Ross
Pipe Dream Oscar Hammerstein II Richard Rodgers Hammerstein
1957
11th Tony Awards
My Fair Lady Alan Jay Lerner Frederick Loewe Lerner
Bells Are Ringing Betty Comden & Adolph Green Jule Styne Comden & Green
Candide Lillian Hellman Leonard Bernstein Richard Wilbur
The Most Happy Fella Frank Loesser
1958
12th Tony Awards
The Music Man Franklin Lacey & Meredith Willson Willson
West Side Story Arthur Laurents Leonard Bernstein Stephen Sondheim
New Girl in Town George Abbott Bob Merrill
Oh, Captain! José Ferrer & Al Morgan Ray Evans & Jay Livingston
Jamaica Yip Harburg & Fred Saidy Harold Arlen Harburg
1959
13th Tony Awards
Redhead DorothyHerbert Fields, David Shaw & Sidney Sheldon Albert Hague D. Fields
Flower Drum Song Joseph Fields & Oscar Hammerstein II Richard Rodgers Hammerstein
La Plume de Ma Tante Robert Dhéry Gérard Calvi Ross Parker

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Rodgers and Hammerstein won in 1950 for South Pacific and in 1952 with The King and I.

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In 1951 Guys and Dolls won. Frank Loesser, wrote both the amazing lyrics and music!!

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1955 – The Pajama Game (Adler and Jerry Ross) – they won again in 1956 with Damn Yankees

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Damn Yankees

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1957 – Lerner and Lowe won for My Fair Lady

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My Fair Lady 1957

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1958 – The Music Man beat out West Side Story (can you believe?)

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You might know this version:

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West Side Story

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0:32

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America – comparing the movies

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And let’s not forget two other great musicals of the sixties (who won Tony’s),

Fiddler on the Roof won in 1965

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MATCHMAKER MATCHMAKER

 

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Lyrics:

Matchmaker, Matchmaker,Make me a match,Find me a find,Catch me a catchMatchmaker, MatchmakerLook through your book,And make me a perfect matchMatchmaker, Matchmaker,I’ll bring the veil,You bring the groom,Slender and pale.Bring me a ring for I’m longing to be,The envy of all I see.For Papa,Make him a scholar.For mama,Make him rich as a king.Chava and Hodel:For me, well,I wouldn’t hollerIf he were as handsome as anything.Matchmaker, Matchmaker,Make me a match,Find me a find,Catch me a catch,Night after night in the dark I’m aloneSo find me match,Of my own.(Spoken)Since when are you in a match, Chava? I thought you had your eye on your books.(Hodel chuckles)Tzeitel con’t:And you have your eye on the Rabbi’s son.Well, why not?We have only one Rabbi and he has only one son.Why shouldn’t I want the best?Because you’re a girl from a poor family.So whatever Yenta brings, you’ll take, right?Of course right!Hodel, oh Hodel,Have I made a match for you!He’s handsome, he’s young!Alright, he’s 62.But he’s a nice man, a good catch, true?True.I promise you’ll be happy,And even if you’re not,There’s more to life than that—Don’t ask me what.Chava, I found him.Won’t you be a lucky bride!He’s handsome, he’s tall,That is from side to side.But he’s a nice man, a good catch, right?Right.You heard he has a temper.He’ll beat you every night,But only when he’s sober,So you’ll alright.Did you think you’d get a prince?Well I do the best I can.With no dowry, no money, no family backgroundBe glad you got a man!Matchmaker, Matchmaker,You know that I’mStill very young.Please, take your time.Up to this minute,I misunderstoodThat I could get stuck for good.Chava and Hodel:Dear Yenta,See that he’s gentleRemember,You were also a bride.It’s not thatI’m sentimentalChava and Hodel and Tzeitel:It’s just that I’m terrified!Matchmaker, Matchmaker,Plan me no plansI’m in no rushMaybe I’ve learnedPlaying with matchesA girl can get burnedSo,Bring me no ringGroom me no groomFind me no findCatch me no catchUnless he’s a matchless match.
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Jerrold Lewis Bock / Sheldon M Harnick
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and Cabaret won in 1967

music by Kander and Ebb

 

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The great musical tradition continued through the seventies. Chicago is a great musical, although it only has a couple of really good songs…. also Kander and Ebb!

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From here we jump to the amazing Andrew Lloyd Webber. Copycat or not? What do you think?

 

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And one more on jazzing up Broadway songs. How can you help it?

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And a new addition:

 

 

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