Response Songs

David Levy · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 46

.... you know, songs that directly respond to songs that came before
them. The classic pop example is "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn to
Cry," although since those were by the same artist, maybe not quite
the ideal example.

Anyway, I was thinking about response songs in musical theatre,
particularly when they aren't in the same show. For example,
Bernstein & Markell's hilarious "Something" from Upstairs at O'Neill's
is a response to "Nothing" from A Chorus Line. Today I happened to
listen to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and The Mad Show back to
back and caught the former's "Happiness" being responded to by the
latter's "Misery" which I had totally forgotten about.

Any others come to mind?

Archived from group: rec>arts>theatre>musicals

TD · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 62

David Levy wrote:

I happened to listen to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and The Mad
Show back to
> back and caught the former's "Happiness" being responded to by the
> latter's "Misery" which I had totally forgotten about.
>

Isn't it the other way around? "The Mad Show" opened Off-Broadway Jan.
9, 1966 and "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" opened the following
year, March 7, 1967.

TD

robert armstrong · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 221

The Girl Friend / The Boy Friend

Bob A

"Aside from that, Mrs. Kennedy, how did you enjoy the motorcade?"

robert armstrong · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 221

I think this is similar: title Simple Joys of Maidenhood in Camelot
appears to parody title of infamous poem Seven Plagues of Maidenhead.

In the latter a young woman says why can't I get ravaged? In the former
Julie sings, or Vanessa whines, why can't I get ravaged just a little
bit? As the saint said, there are more tears shed over answered
prayers...

Yes I like Vanessa, just not in that.

Bob A

"Aside from that, Mrs. Kennedy, how did you enjoy the motorcade?"

David Levy · Joined: 04 Dec 2007 Posts: 46

On Feb 1, 5:23 pm, TD wrote:
> David Levy wrote:
>
> I happened to listen to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and The Mad
> Show back to
>
> > back and caught the former's "Happiness" being responded to by the
> > latter's "Misery" which I had totally forgotten about.
>
> Isn't it the other way around? "The Mad Show" opened Off-Broadway Jan.
> 9, 1966 and "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" opened the following
> year, March 7, 1967.

Huh, interesting. Still, it's clear that The Mad Show is responding
to the famous Peanuts strips that gave birth to the song. (I wonder
if the Mad Show team had heard Clark Gesner's demo when the were
writing their show... There was also a concept album before the cast
album (starring Orson Bean), but I don't think it was out that early...

fmomoon · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 260

"David Levy" wrote in message @q39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
> ... you know, songs that directly respond to songs that came before
> them. The classic pop example is "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn to
> Cry," although since those were by the same artist, maybe not quite
> the ideal example.
>
> Anyway, I was thinking about response songs in musical theatre,
> particularly when they aren't in the same show. For example,
> Bernstein & Markell's hilarious "Something" from Upstairs at O'Neill's
> is a response to "Nothing" from A Chorus Line. Today I happened to
> listen to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and The Mad Show back to
> back and caught the former's "Happiness" being responded to by the
> latter's "Misery" which I had totally forgotten about.
>
> Any others come to mind?

"At the Ballet" may not be a response song, but more parallel stories, but
that did come to mind. "I Still Believe" from MISS SAIGON, too. But for
direct response, I'd have to go to LA BOHEME and the first time the two
leads meet. It doesn't happen quite that way in RENT, to be sure.
--
Moni

In opera, there is always too much singing.
- Claude Debussy

Sweevil · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 43

"There Is Nothing Like A Brain", Roger Bart's bravura opening song in
much-dumped-on YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, is an "answer" to the SOUTH PACIFIC
anthem.

On Feb 1, 3:54 pm, "fmomoon" wrote:
> "David Levy" wrote in message
>
> @q39g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
>
> > ... you know, songs that directly respond to songs that came before
> > them. The classic pop example is "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn to
> > Cry," although since those were by the same artist, maybe not quite
> > the ideal example.
>
> > Anyway, I was thinking about response songs in musical theatre,
> > particularly when they aren't in the same show. For example,
> > Bernstein & Markell's hilarious "Something" from Upstairs at O'Neill's
> > is a response to "Nothing" from A Chorus Line. Today I happened to
> > listen to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and The Mad Show back to
> > back and caught the former's "Happiness" being responded to by the
> > latter's "Misery" which I had totally forgotten about.
>
> > Any others come to mind?
>
> "At the Ballet" may not be a response song, but more parallel stories, but
> that did come to mind. "I Still Believe" from MISS SAIGON, too. But for
> direct response, I'd have to go to LA BOHEME and the first time the two
> leads meet. It doesn't happen quite that way in RENT, to be sure.
> --
> Moni
>
> In opera, there is always too much singing.
> - Claude Debussy

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

What's the chronology of "Love Makes the World Go 'Round" and "Love
Makes the World Go Square?"

http://community.webtv.net/NewportsRetro/MoreNuts

Robert Bouton · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 67

> > "David Levy" was thinking about response songs in musical theatre,
> > > particularly when they aren't in the same show. For example,
> > > Bernstein & Markell's hilarious "Something" from Upstairs at O'Neals
> > > is a response to "Nothing" from A Chorus Line.

Probably one of the top ten funniest songs ever heard on a stage.

If you listen to the verse of Only He from the original Starlight
Express, you'll find the spoof of it, The Song That Goes Like This
from Spamalot appropriately appropriates many of its musical, er,
"ideas."

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

stephenoles@gmail.com (Sweevil)
"There Is Nothing Like A Brain" is an "answer" to the SOUTH PACIFIC
anthem. ------------------------------------------
More like a lame reference.

http://community.webtv.net/NewportsRetro/MoreNuts

Steve Newport · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 1415

ElBob-O@webtv.net (robert armstrong)
title Simple Joys of Maidenhood in Camelot appears to parody title of
infamous poem Seven Plagues of Maidenhead. In the latter a young woman
says why can't I get ravaged? In the former Julie sings, or Vanessa
---------------------------------
I like the new lyric for Vanessa that removes "cause a little war."

http://community.webtv.net/NewportsRetro/MoreNuts

robert armstrong · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 221

Down With Love (Harburg-Arlen) from Hooray for What: perfect "response"
to any commercial love song. You name it.

Bob A

"Aside from that, Mrs. Kennedy, how did you enjoy the motorcade?"

AndrewJ · Joined: 29 Nov 2007 Posts: 17

On Feb 1, 2:33 pm, David Levy wrote:
> ... you know, songs that directly respond to songs that came before
> them. The classic pop example is "It's My Party" and "Judy's Turn to
> Cry," although since those were by the same artist, maybe not quite
> the ideal example..
>
> Any others come to mind?

Only one I can can think of is "The Best Things in Life Are Dirty"
from the PAINT YOUR WAGON movie, in response to "The Best Things in
Life Are Free."

Abfou · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 4

On Fri, 1 Feb 2008 15:37:44 -0800 (PST), David Levy
wrote:

>On Feb 1, 5:23 pm, TD wrote:
>> David Levy wrote:
>>
>> I happened to listen to You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and The Mad
>> Show back to
>>
>> > back and caught the former's "Happiness" being responded to by the
>> > latter's "Misery" which I had totally forgotten about.
>>
>> Isn't it the other way around? "The Mad Show" opened Off-Broadway Jan.
>> 9, 1966 and "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" opened the following
>> year, March 7, 1967.
>
>Huh, interesting. Still, it's clear that The Mad Show is responding
>to the famous Peanuts strips that gave birth to the song. (I wonder
>if the Mad Show team had heard Clark Gesner's demo when the were
>writing their show... There was also a concept album before the cast
>album (starring Orson Bean), but I don't think it was out that early...

"Misery" is a response to the Peanuts franchise, specifically to the
book "Happiness Is a Warm Puppy" and its many successors: "Security Is
a Thumb and a Blanket," "Love Is Walking Hand In Hand," etc. These
weren't collections of the newspaper strips, but little square gift
books with simple aphorisms (in very large type) followed by full page
drawings, printed on brightly colored paper. If memory serves, the
first was published in the early 60s.

"Happiness..." was a runaway best-seller, and the formula "X is a Y"
became a staple of TV comedy routines, newspaper headlines, and
everyday conversation -- and parodies, like the one in "The Mad Show,"
were thick on the ground. When Gesner was assembling "You're a Good
Man, Charlie Brown" it must have been obvious that he'd have to
include a "Happiness" song. It was an inspired choice to end the show
with it; it gives a gentle, friendly sense of closure to what is,
after all, a somewhat unstructured and often very prickly show.

Abfou (a former Linus)

Sweevil · Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 43

Hey Bob, I'm singing "Down With Love" in my concert on March 16. That
song isn't heard enough.

"Brother, let's stuff that dove!
Down with love!!"

LOL

On Feb 2, 1:46 pm, ElBo...@webtv.net (robert armstrong) wrote:
> Down With Love (Harburg-Arlen) from Hooray for What: perfect "response"
> to any commercial love song. You name it.
>
> Bob A
>
> "Aside from that, Mrs. Kennedy, how did you enjoy the motorcade?"

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