I Dreamed A Dream

Hello there!

I've been really busy with seasonal celebrations and haven't had the time to sit down properly to write yet. I've also really lose the feels to write until a few days ago! (I never ever complete my posts sigh) I figured that mornings are a good time to write because my brain is fresh and awake (well, I am more of a morning person!).

Anyway, I like to write about my New Year Resolutions on this platform usually. For the past few years, it had always just been Be Happy or Live Everyday Fully. But this year, with help from a friend, I've decided to make a better New Year Resolution!

I don't like to make a list of them because they are horribly difficult to keep. Set your standards low right? Hahaha. Anyway, while Xin Ru asked for my NYR to be Treat Xin Ru Better, I figured that I treat her well enough. Instead, thanks to Jia Sen, my NYR for 2016 will be to Drink Less Alcohol. Honestly, that is my NYR for this year. I've decided (finally, and about time) to reduce my alcohol consumption. This is seeing how often I drink, how much I drink, and the money I spend on drinking.

Don't bash me if I still drink, I'm not telling myself to quit drinking. I'm just saying that I will try to reduce drinking for this year! Wait for me to tell you when I gave up on that resolution in 2017 ok?

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Ok, but today I'm going to write NOT about New Year Resolutions. Instead, I'm going to talk about Broadway Music. Honestly, music written for broadway shows are largely different than your usual popular music. While Taylor Swift does draw inspiration from her life to write her music, Broadway music are usually telling an actual story at that point in the musical. It is a musical after all, right?

Today, I'm going to write about my personal favourites for Broadway music. You may find it weird, but I do enjoy these music a lot!

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#01: No One Is Alone (Into The Woods)


Into The Woods is not always the most popular musical, well not like Wicked at least. However, the way they weaved the fairytales into a twisted fairy tale musical just makes Into The Woods so much more intriguing than most musicals I've seen.

No One Is Alone is a song sung by Cinderella, the Baker, Jack, and Little Red during a point where they felt lost in the musical. Personally, I like the lyrics You decide what's right, you decide what's good. While Cinderella lost her mother, Little Red lost her grandmother, Jack lost his mother, and the Baker lost his wife, they realised that they were never alone. They were surrounded by love, and even without the guidance of the women of their lives, they had one another. There, they have to figure out for themselves what they believed was right or wrong.

Furthermore, the song is sung by all 4 key characters of the music, although the main vocals were handled by Cinderella. The voices come together beautifully, and are appropriate for a good song that joins all 4 stories into one tune.

It is a beautiful song, as with the musical. While it is mildly twisted, with the horrors of death (unlike fairy tales in general), there is a funny pull towards it.

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#02: America (West Side Story)


Honestly, hands down one of the better dance numbers ever done for a musical.

West Side Story tells the story of 2 rival gangs in America (whites versus coloured) in a time when America was societally divided due to the colour of their skins. In this scene, the dance number is done by The Sharks. The females in the story sing for America, while the males sing against it.

America is a beautiful song for both the music, and the dance arrangements. The exchanges done between males and females sarcastically makes for very interesting music. The dance exchanges between both genders are also comfortable to watch.

While most dance numbers are done with a huge group together, America is done as an argument song between the males and females within The Sharks. Therefore, it feels more like a dance-off more so than a mass dance number. Personally, I adore the moves the females used within the dance. The way they turn and dance with their dresses is gorgeous.

West Side Story is an interesting musical to watch for people who aren't so into musicals. It has a simple story line to it, with interesting music and a relatable story if you could pick out the deeper meaning behind their actions.

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#03: Summer Nights (Grease)


Grease is hands down one of the most classic musicals written in their time. It speaks of the love between Sandy and Danny. This is one of the opening numbers, where Danny and Sandy sing (separately) to their friends of their love for each other. While Sandy talks about how completely dreamy it was, and Danny sings about how... well, triumph, he was; We all know that Sandy's version will definitely be the truer of the two.

This is a beautiful number, because it shows how Danny and Sandy come from different walks of life. While Sandy was a good girl who sings of staying up till 10 O'clock, Danny was a boy who sang of making out under the dock. This song reflects the common stereotype towards Summer Romance - it is romantic and beautiful during the summer, but the end of summer signifies the Goodbye toward the romance as well.

The song is also beautiful because we get to hear the exchanges between Danny and Sandy from line to line, describing the same instances in their own manner.

Grease is a very easy musical to absorb, very much like a Nicholas Sparks Novel-based Movie. However, Grease also involves the culture of America at that time. We get to enjoy a beautiful love story of two very different people coming together. Despite their differences, they fell in love and worked their way together. And, Summer Nights get to be one of the opening numbers that set their romance in place perfectly.

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#04: I Dreamed A Dream (Les Miserables)


 (Ps. I prefer Anne Hathaway's reprise of the song because her emotions were so raw and beautiful)

Les Mis has have to got one of the better musical numbers among all musicals ever written. The show is set in a difficult time when people had the strongest emotions regarding their lives and their country. It was difficult for the people, and singing about it was a great way to express their inner emotions that weren't easily expressed through words.

One of my favourite numbers in Les Mis is this number done by Fantine, regarding her broken dreams and her estranged husband. She talks about she used to have such beautiful dreams and ideals, and how they are shattered with the departure of her husband. Leaving Cosette with her, she had to break her dreams to make a living for her daughter and herself.

It is very often that we face broken dreams, and sing about the times when we dreamed of so much ideals. Fantine's story is but one of the many, but yet set in a time when life was difficult on its own. With a story like hers set in a time like that, it made her emotions doubly strong. With the setting in place, I Dreamed A Dream possessed so much raw emotions in both the lyrics and melody.

Les Mis is a good musical for people who are looking for something a little deeper, a little harder to grasp. It has a beautiful meaning behind it, and was one of the musical that got me hooked into musicals in the first place. I absolutely adore the story of Les Mis, it is gorgeous.

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#05: Not The Boy Next Door (The Boy From Oz)


A tribute to Peter Allen, The Boy From Oz sang of the life story for Peter Allen. Casting Hugh Jackman as Peter Allen himself, it isn't my first choice when I'm thinking of my favourite musicals. However, Not The Boy Next Door really impressed me.

Well, it could be that Hugh Jackman performed it. However, I truly enjoy the song. The lyrics were meaningful and expressive for a person who was a little different from the standard boy. It is almost a tribute to all the artistic people out there, who are a little afraid to show how they are not just the boy next door. It is indeed a play on words also, with the common stereotype around the girl next door. Not The Boy Next Door truthfully expresses the inner desires of some of us, that wasn't so common in the society then yet.

Tribute to Peter Allen for being so different, Hugh Jackman for bringing the music alive, and Not The Boy Next Door for letting all of us express the inner us that we may not be courageous enough to express openly.

I haven't actually watched the entire musical for The Boy From Oz, but I heard that it's pretty good. I don't actually know though hmmm.

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There are so many good music from different broadway musicals, and I could continue listing them but then I'd bore you. For me, these are my personal favourites. The underlying meaning behind the songs expresses how broadway music isn't always just about singing the stories in the musical. Sometimes, they hold a deeper meaning.

Other amazing numbers will have to include Defying Gravity from Wicked, the entire Lion King Repertoire, selected pieces from Phantom, Hairspray numbers, Mamma Mia (c'mon you know it's catchy), and I honestly like some music from Hedwig. In fact, Les Mis has so many beautiful numbers that it could use up an entire post on its own.

My favourite musical of all times? I honestly can't choose. It is a close fight between Wicked and Les Mis, but I am a great fan of many others as well. Sigh.

Ending off, here's one of the chirpier songs from a musical very close-to-heart (for me) that could possibly make your day better!