Memorable romantic tracks from famous musicals and cartoons
The season of romance dawns upon us again. Love brings a few essentials of romance to mind. Roses, good food and of course, music.
Music is an ever important ingredient for cooking up a proper romantic storm. Without it, that Valentine’s Day or Anniversary Dinner just would not be the same.
Indeed, some of the best romantic songs hail from musicals and musical cartoons. Though I am not quite the romantic myself, I would say that these put a little melodic zing into that Valentine’s dish!
Why is music so important for romance?
Experienced romantics would agree that music plays a vital part in that candlelight dinner.
You might want to pause for a while and think about why that is.
Romantic music sets the mood.
Picture this. You are alone with your better half. It is totally quiet save for the clanking of the soup spoon and the gnashing of knives as the both of you cut through your beef steak dinner.
Save for a little conversation, that would seem a little empty, wouldn’t it?
Put on a little love song and the mood instantly changes.
Music serves to set the scene for an evening together, giving the added spark that just might be needed.
A couple easily identifies with music.
It is very common for couples to say, “Hey, they’re playing our song!” A high point in any relationship is when the couple finds something they identify with.
For many couples, the song that they heard on their first date together or being played on the radio as they took their first drive together became their song. They came to play it at their weddings, anniversaries and of course, Valentine’s Day.
A good romantic number is something a couple can put a finger on immediately. It serves to bring and bind them together.
The most relatable and positive emotion is love.
It is not hard to find that love songs far outnumber the ones about places, people or other emotions like fear and anger. Turn on the radio and what is playing is probably, though not always, a love song.
Why is that? Love is an emotion that all of us find the easiest to associate with. Together with happiness, it is the most positive on the spectrum of feelings.
If you were asked to write a song about a feeling, what would you pick?
Music expresses the complex emotion of love in a simpler form.
Love is a very complicated emotion to express for a wide variety of reasons. A good song helps a couple to state what they feel for each other aptly and concisely.
Think of the song “I’ve grown accustomed to her face” from My Fair Lady. That would certainly help a man to tell his wife how used she is to her company and that he cannot do without her!
Music brings together the many conflicting emotions of love.
Love involves joy and sadness at once. It comes with its highs and often quarrelsome lows as well. There is fear and at the same time, expectancy.
A good song can take all these different, sometimes contrasting feelings and put them together. I have a few songs to introduce later that do just that.
Love songs are calming.
Quite simply, love songs give the sense of romantic quiet that a couple needs. They take the stress that comes with relationships!
Why is music so important for romance?
Experienced romantics would agree that music plays a vital part in making that candlelight dinner a success.
You might want to pause for a while and think about why this season.
Romantic music sets the mood.
Picture this. You are alone with your better half. It is totally quiet save for the clanking of the soup spoon and the gnashing of knives as the both of you cut through your beef steak dinner.
Save for a little conversation, that would seem a little empty, wouldn’t it?
Put on a little love song and the mood instantly changes.
Music serves to set the scene for an evening together, giving the added spark that just might be needed.
A couple easily identifies with music.
It is very common for couples to say, “Hey, they’re playing our song!” A high point in any relationship is when the couple finds something they identify with.
For many couples, the song that they heard on their first date together or being played on the radio as they took their first drive together became their song. They came to play it at their weddings, anniversaries and of course, Valentine’s Day.
A good romantic number is something a couple can put a finger on immediately. It serves to bring and bind them together.
The most relatable and positive emotion is love.
It is not hard to find that love songs far outnumber the ones about places, people or other emotions like fear and anger. Turn on the radio and what is playing is probably, though not always, a love song.
Why is that? Love is an emotion that all of us find the easiest to relate to. Together with happiness, it is the most positive on the spectrum of feelings.
If you were asked to write a song about a feeling, what would you pick?
Music expresses the complex emotion of love in a simpler form.
Love is a very complicated emotion to express for a wide variety of reasons. A good song helps a couple to state what they feel for each other aptly and concisely.
Think of the song “I’ve grown accustomed to her face” from the musical My Fair Lady. That would certainly help a man to tell his wife how used she is to her company and that he cannot do without her!
Music brings together the many conflicting emotions of love.
Love involves joy and sadness at once. It comes with its highs and often quarrelsome lows as well. There is fear and at the same time, expectancy.
A good song can take all these different, sometimes contrasting feelings and put them together. I have a few songs compiled that do just that.
Love songs are calming.
Quite simply, love songs give the sense of romantic quiet that a couple needs. They take the stress that comes with relationships!
How have musicals played a part in building romance?
Musicals have played a vital part in forging love and relationships. In fact, you will find that many good love songs come from musicals!
Many musicals have illustrated interesting romantic couples and relationships.
Musicals have kept audiences riveted because they often address interesting and angst-filled romantic relationships the audience hopes to see resolved. Children watch the cartoon Beauty and the Beast, glued to it in the hope that the beast would triumph. When audiences watched the Phantom of the Opera, they were anxious for the safety of Raoul and Christine. Indeed, the best musicals or musical cartoons were romantic ones!
The path of true love never runs smooth and it certainly has its magnetism!
Watching a musical is a fitting togetherness activity for a couple.
Watching a nighttime screening of a musical is a fitting activity to bind two people together. The theatre it is screened in contributes to the romantic atmosphere as well.
What are some romantic songs from musicals?
These romantic tracks from various TV and Broadway musicals are certainly relatable, positive and certainly identifiable by many couples. One or two come from musical cartoons. I am sure that you are familiar with most, if not all, of these.
On the street where you live
Written by Frederick Loewe and Alan Jay Lerner, this is yet another romantic classic from My Fair Lady. The original was sung by the character Freddy Eynsford-Hill, played by John Michael King in the original movie. In the 1984 version of My Fair Lady, it was sung by BIll Shirley and dubbing actor Jeremy Brett.
On My Own (Lea Salonga version)
On My Own
Beautifully sung by the character of Eponine in Les Miserables by VIctor Hugo, it is about her loneliness and angst without Marius, whom she has developed feelings for. More complex than love, she also speaks of the suffering she has experienced because of the neglect of her formerly wealthy father and the eventual bankruptcy of her family.
The Tony Award winning score was penned by Alan Boubill. There have been many recordings of this song by artistes like Lea Salonga, who played Eponine. The latest Eponine is played by Anne Hathaway, who starred in the movie version of this musical
Again, it expresses the very complex nature of love -beauty and the angst of secret suffering.
Phantom of the Opera
Phantom of the Opera
Performed in Act One after the song Angel of Music, it is sung as the Phantom takes Christine to his lair. Audiences will remember this as the point when Christine sings her highest note in the whole musical.
Andrew Lloydd Webber, who penned this piece, got into little legal troubles over this song. Ray Repp sued him claiming that it was based on his song, Till You, while Roger Waters of Pink Floyd claimed that the first part of the song resembles the Pink Floyd number, Echoes.
The haunting melody and tense romantic interchange between Christine and the phantom portray the fear and tension that always comes with love. Little wonder that it became one of the most popular numbers from the musical.
Summer Nights
Summer Nights
A popular number from the movie Grease, this entertaining musical exchange between John Travolta was recorded for the big screen adaptation of the musical and became a single in 1978. It became a massive hit.
That was unsurprising because it was easily relatable, capturing the different perspectives of boys and girls regarding romance. Danny Zuko (Travolta) brags about the physical aspects of his summer fling with Sandy (Newton John) while, in a typical girl fashion, Sandy talks about her emotional attachment to Danny to her clique, the Pink Ladies.
Certainly an issue many of us are familiar with!
Sun and Moon by Lea Salonga and Will Chase
Sun and Moon
This song is part of the collection from the musical Miss Saigon. Sung by Kim, a Vietnamese prostitute and Chris, the French engineer owner of the club in which she works, the song was a popular romantic number again because of the endless difficulties , yet pure joy of true love.
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Performed by Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson, and charmingly sung by Mrs. Potts, this is surely a romantic trigger. Angela Lansbury played the charming and homey Mrs. Potts.
Again, this song illustrates conflicting joy and fear which make love. Do enjoy this little tune.
Can you feel the love tonight
Can you feel the love tonight
Composed by Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice for the Disney movie the Lion King. It peaked at number 14 on the UK singles chart and was at number 4 on the Billboard Hot Hundred in the US.
This song is certainly capable of getting couples in the mood for love. I base that on just the title alone!
Conclusion
I don’t think I will need to remind you (but will do it anyway) to include a little music when spending time with that special someone during this romantic season. At this juncture, I would also like to thank the wonderful hubbers who answered the question “What romantic songs from musicals come to your mind?” Do take the time to pay each of them a visit.
I hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s season!
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Comments
What a beautiful way to talk about music....music and romance go together like peanut butter and jelly! You've selected some lovely songs to make your point.
Voted up, awesome, and interesting.
Magical choice of music here, thanks for the sweet collection, God bless.
Michelle,
I have heard some of these tracks and The Phantom of the Opera is one of my best.
Have a great weekend.
Brilliant Michelle and I vote up,across and share.
Enjoy your weekend .
Lots of love
Eddy.
Love your choices! Excuse me if I put in a plug for Quando Quando Quando, ("our song").
great collection, michelle.
Love and Music always go together and you explained it well :)
voted up as beautiful/interesting
The first one I thought of when I saw the title was "Lady and the Tramp." LOL Beauty and the Beast is a close second.
Some many great choices here for romantic music, but Grease is my favorite movie so stands to reason I couldn't help but smile when I saw that one included. Thanks for sharing Michelle. Hope you had a great Valentine's Day and have voted way up and shared, too!!
Awesome choice of music here, music livens you and makes you go back in time too
Michelle, Some great choices here. My fave is 'As Long As He Needs Me' from Oliver which you have not included here but my faves of these is 'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' which is a great song in its own right as well as in a musical cartoon.
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