From the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Flower Drum Song.
It seems that only Rodgers could write such beautiful songs.
— posted by Roger W. Smith
August 2026
“Love, Look Away”
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Category Archives: Broadway musicals
music that catches shades of meaning
I was listening today to the enchanting “Lida Rose” duet (barbershop quartet and soprano) from The Music Man (track above).
In another blog, I wrote that “music distills, packages, and holds emotion.”
This is true — I guess one would say obvious. You hear music and recall precisely the circumstances when you first heard it and your state of mind at that time.
The thought that occurred to me today was that some of the best music — the best songs — are not, in this sense, “obvious”; and that they convey a sort of “intermediate” or “indeterminate” state of mind (a mind in flux); unique to the circumstances and characters they portray (and who are portrayed by the singers) — in this case, in Broadway musicals (see tracks below). that we can all relate to. They are often moments of realization, epiphany. and yet the words and music are simple and sincere: unpretentious,
Listen to these songs. The characters are at a moment of acute realization. Something is happening — they don’t quite know what, foresee the outcome.
This makes me think about — realize — the complexity of human experience.
Yours and mine.
We remember when we first fell in love. It was unique (the experience) in that it was ours alone, yet “general” in the sense that it connected us to humanity. to human feelings. Which, at the time, we would not have known to define; or have known quite what was happening.
This can be seen in the songs below.
Pop music (e.g. rock ‘n’ roll) never achieves this — needless to say — is not subtle.
Till There Was You
The Music Man
This Nearly Was Mine
South Pacific
Happy Talk
South Pacific
If I Loved You
Carousel
When the Children Are Asleep
Carousel
People Will Say We’re in Love
Oklahoma
Hello, Young Lovers
The King and I
Something Wonderful
The King and I
I Have Dreamed
The King and I
Come to Me, Bend to Me
Brigadoon
The Heather on the Hill
Brigadoon
Love, Look Away
Flower Drum Song
— posted by Roger W. Smith
May 13, 2025
the second most beautiful Broadway song?
“We Kiss in a Shadow”
Tuptim, Lun-Tha
Rogers and Hammerstein, The King and I
PDF (below) contains production credits from performances by the St. Paul’s Theatre Guild in Dorchester, MA
My father. Alan W. Smith, was Musical Director.
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See also:
— posted by Roger W, Smith
May 2025
the most beautiful Broadway song, ever
“Something Wonderful”
from Rogers and Hammerstein’s The King and I
“Something Wonderful” is sung by Lady Thiang
My father. Alan W. Smith, was Musical Director of several productions of the King and I in Boston by the St. Paul Theatre Guild.
The role of Lady Thiang was played by Barbara Tyler and Andra Wahl in different productions by the St. Paul Theatre Guild.
I am so proud of my father.
— posted by Roger W. Smith
April 2025
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See also:
It was a wonderful time for a wonderful generation.
I have posted a few of my favorite songs from The King and I.
It is probably my favorite Broadway musical.
I often choke up and get goose bumps … in part because I think of my father, Alan Smith; and his dear friends and collaborators J. Arthur (Joe) Williams and Rev. A. Paul Gallivan (Father Paul).
It was a wonderful time for a wonderful generation: that of my parents. How I miss them; their deeds and their music.
— posted by Roger W. Smith
March 2023
Broadway musicals
The great era of Broadway musicals, in my humble opinion, was the 1940s and 50s. Today’s hits are poor successors.
This music is in my and my siblings’ blood. My father was involved in such shows and music as a conductor and orchestra member in summer stock and theatrical group productions. The music was constantly playing in our house on LPs and on the piano — by my parents, my older brother, and my father; and I attended rehearsals over which my father presided as musical director.
My older brother would sit down at the piano — I always liked the way he played, with feeling and taste — and play a piece such as “My Time of Day” from Guys and Dolls. And I would develop an appreciation for the song.
My father was amused by the character in Guys and Dolls Nicely-Nicely Johnson and by the opening “Whadaya Talk Whadaya Talk Whadaya Talk” sequence in The Music Man, which I saw performed at the Carousel Theatre in Framingham, Massachusetts with my father in the orchestra. My father found it amusing that in Camelot, which I also saw at the Carousel Theatre with my father performing, Merlin doesn’t age, he “youth-eths.” My mother loved the song “Come to Me, Bend Me” from Brigadoon.
My father said that he considered My Fair Lady to be a perfect work. He pointed out that the song “Good Night My Someone” from The Music Man was the same melody as “Seventy Six Trombones” with only the tempo changed.
I have posted a few of my all-time favorite songs here. Many of them, upon repeated hearings, produce a lump in my throat. The good taste and musicality of the songs and the performances are notable. And the performers and their voices are marvelous.
My favorite songs (musical with songs)? It’s a tough call. I would say The King and I. Carousel a close second.
— Roger W. Smith
April 2021
St. Paul Catholic church, Dorchester, MA, program, “The King and I,” 1958
Alan Smith, musician, was my father.
— Roger W. Smith
February 2016