BMM 17 - Matchmaker

Tzeitel, you're the oldest! Yente has to arrange a match for you before she can make one for me!

Oh Yente, Yente!

Well, somebody has to arrange the matches. Young people can't decide these things for themselves!

She might bring someone wonderful...

Someone interesting...

And well off...

And important!

 Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Make me a match
Find me a find
Catch me a catch
Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Look through your book
And make me a perfect match!

Matchmaker, 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!
Me, well, I wouldn't holler
If 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 alone
So, find me match
Of my own! 

Since when are you interested in a match, Chava? I thought you had your eye on your books. And you have your eye on the rabbi's son. 

Well, why not? We only have one rabbi and he only has 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
All right, 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're all right!

Did you think you'd get a prince?
Well, I'll find the best I can!
With no dowry, no money, no family background,
Be glad you got a man!

Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
You know that I'm still very young
Please, take your time
Up to this minute I misunderstood
That I could get stuck for good!

Yente, see that he's gentle
Remember you were also a bride
It's not that I'm sentimental
It's just that I'm terrified!

Matchmaker, Matchmaker,
Plan me no plans
I'm in no rush
Maybe I've learned
Playing with matches
A girl can get burned

So, bring me no ring
Groom me no groom
Find me no find
Catch me no catch
Unless he's a matchless match! 

From Wikipedia: "Matchmaker, Matchmaker" is a song from the 1964 musical Fiddler on the Roof, with music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. It was later made into a film in 1971. The story revolves around a poor Jewish milkman, Tevye, and his five daughters, as he attempts to maintain his Jewish traditions. His three eldest daughters marry, but each daughter's choice of husband moves further and further away from their traditions. 

Tevye and Golde's daughters sing about a matchmaker choosing a partner for them. Hodel and Chava sing excitedly about their future marriages, arranged by the matchmaker, Yente. However, Tzeitel, the eldest daughter, warns the others that, as they are from a poor family, they'll have to marry whoever Yente brings for them, regardless if it's an unhappy marriage. Towards the end of the song, the sisters quickly realize that they might rather remain on their own than marry just anybody.

The blog Sermons From Seattle explains, "The story [of Fiddler] is that the matchmaker is to meet with the mother and father and match their three daughters to prospective husbands. But the girls want to choose their own partners and not use the matchmaker. Traditions are changing. Those old traditions are beginning to crumble." 

This song epitomizes the more traditional views regarding this issue that the daughters question at the very beginning. As time passes, they begin to think for themselves and change the tradition.

My own thoughts: This is probably my most favorite song from this musical. Not only is it fun to sing, not only do the lyrics roll off your tongue with relative ease, but it also poses a serious philosophical problem.

Today, we take it for granted that we may marry whomever we want. But back in the old days, most people didn't have that kind of freedom, especially the women. Some women had to take literally whatever they could get, so marriage was more of a public-approved form of slavery than anything else. 

This song is also a wonderful fit for Kaylee Drummond and her four sisters. Their mother is sort of their matchmaker, and at first, Faith, Lavinia, Daisy, and (to an extent) Catherine trust wholeheartedly that Mother knows what she's doing. Kaylee's not so sure, and the other girls start to see their mother in a less glamorous light when Lottie dismisses the idea of marrying for love to their faces. 

Lottie and Philip didn't get to marry for love (though they didn't totally hate each other at first), so why should it be any different for their daughters? That doesn't sit well with the girls at all, Faith especially. 

Philip wouldn't have been so flippant if he realized just how worried and scared his daughters were. And, of course, Lottie only wanted her daughters (except Kaylee) to marry into royalty so that she could take her dictatorship to the next level, the highest level of all. Becoming the puppet master of a Queen was her ultimate dream. 

Of course, that's not quite how it would have worked. But Lottie naturally assumes that being the Queen's mother makes her an exception to the rules; Ann's father was the exact same way, worse even. 

And that was one of the many reasons why Lottie despised Kaylee and tried to keep her away from Prince Troy, because she knew Kaylee would have resisted her a lot more. Kaylee is already a very fine woman by herself, and the only credit Lottie can claim is giving birth to her. Kaylee can already think for herself and Lottie knows it, as much as she resents it. 

Fortunately, Kaylee's sisters also break free from Lottie's control (except Catherine) and make up their own minds whom they want to marry as well as what kind of women they want to be. And Lottie gets a harsh reminder that her daughters are neither pawns nor tools, just as Philip gets a harsh reminder that his daughters deserve to be loved for who they are, not for what he or society expect them to be. 

Goes to show that, as important as tradition is, some traditions are meant to be broken. Someone has to be bold enough to challenge the old ideas and issue new ones. 

That's what I like about Fiddler on the Roof as a whole. It's not my most favorite musical but I can appreciate the overall message it conveys. So, you can probably tell that I borrowed bits and pieces of that story for my own story. 

BMM 16 - When I Grow Up

When I grow up,
I will be tall enough to reach the branches
That I need to reach to climb the trees
You get to climb when you're grown up  

And when I grow up,
I will be smart enough to answer
All the questions that you need to know
The answers to before you're grown up 

And when I grow up,
I will eat sweets every day
On the way to work
And I will go to bed late every night  

And I will wake up
When the sun comes up
And I will watch cartoons
Until my eyes go square
And I won't care
'Cause I'll be all grown up

When I grow up
When I grow up
When I grow up
When I grow up
I will be strong enough to carry
All the heavy things you have to haul around with you
When you're a grown-up 

And when I grow up,
When I grow up,
When I grow up,
I will be brave enough to fight the creatures
That you have to fight beneath the bed
Each night to be a grown-up 

And when I grow up
(When I grow up)
I will have treats every day
And I'll play with things that Mum pretends
That mums don't think are fun

And I will wake up
(I will wake up)
When the sun comes up
And I will spend all day just lying in the sun
And I won't burn
'Cause I'll be all grown-up
When I grow up

When I grow up
I will be brave enough to fight the creatures
That you have to fight beneath the bed
Each night to be a grown-up
When I grow up

Just because you find that life's not fair
It doesn't mean that you just have to grin and bear it
If you always take it on the chin and wear it,
Nothing will change
When I grow up

Just because I find myself in this story,
It doesn't mean that everything is written for me
If I think the ending is fixed already,
I might as well be saying
I think that it's okay
And that's not right!

From Wikipedia: "When I Grow Up" was the first song that Tim Minchin wrote for Matilda, attempting to find a tone for the entire musical, drawing inspiration from his child. He also drew inspiration from a childhood memory in which the adults on his grandfather's farm would fiddle with the padlock to a gate, whereas Minchin went out of his way to hurdle the gate, promising to himself to never open the farm gate. 

The song explains what it means to grow up. Even the adults feel they haven't yet grown up. New York Magazine notes that in the song, "they dream of being old enough to handle the burdens that life, with its rude sense of humor, has already given them."

The New York Times writes, "Matilda’s schoolmates sing of a time when they’ll be strong enough to carry the burdens forced upon them and to flush out monsters from under the bed. Grown-ups know that some burdens crush even the broadest shoulders, that there will always be some kind of monster to worry about, and that happy endings are at best only provisional. They say that they can do whatever they want when they are grown up."

My own thoughts: I've heard plenty about Matilda, though I've yet to see the musical, watch the movie, or even read the book.

I do like Roald Dahl, and I find the premise of Matilda's story quite intriguing. I appreciate the overall message, about how children are often smarter than they're given credit for, how a family is more about love than biological connections, and of course, it's mighty satisfying to see a truly despicable villain get their just rewards. 

I also like characters who manage to stay sweet and kind in times of hardship, how they have plenty of legitimate struggles but they always find some way to get back up. Matilda sounds a lot like James from James and the Giant Peach, and I definitely read and liked that story. 

Speaking of James, I sort of entertain the thought that he and Matilda end up marrying each other. They sound like they'd be a perfect fit.

So, what convinced me to illustrate a song for this musical? Well, I was browsing popular Broadway songs (I actually don't know that many, believe it or not) and this was included on the list. I decided to give it a try, and when I listened to it through Amazon Music, I liked it.

BMM 15 - The Impossible Dream

To dream the impossible dream
To fight the unbeatable foe
To bear with unbearable sorrow
To run where the brave dare not go

To right the unrightable wrong
And to love, pure and chaste, from afar
To try when your arms are too weary
To reach the unreachable star

This is my quest
To follow that star
No matter how hopeless
No matter how far
And to fight for the right
Without question or pause
To be willing to march into hell
For a heavenly cause

And I know if I'll only be true
To this glorious quest
That my heart
Will lie peaceful and calm
When I'm laid to my rest 

And the world will be better for this
That one man
Scorned and covered with scars
Still strove with his last ounce of courage
To reach
The unreachable
The unreachable
The unreachable stars

I'll always dream
(I'll always dream)
The impossible dream
(The impossible dream)
And yes, I will reach
(Yes, I will reach)
The unreachable stars

From Wikipedia: "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" is a popular song composed by Mitch Leigh, with lyrics written by Joe Darion. The song is the most popular song from the 1965 Broadway musical Man of La Mancha and is also featured in the 1972 film of the same name starring Peter O'Toole. 

The complete song is first sung by Don Quixote as he stands vigil over his armor, in response to Aldonza (Dulcinea)'s question about what he means by "following the quest." It is reprised partially three more times: the last by prisoners in a dungeon as Miguel de Cervantes and his manservant mount the drawbridge-like prison staircase to face trial by the Spanish Inquisition.

A version recorded by Jack Jones peaked at No. 35 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and reached No. 1 on the Easy Listening chart.

Leigh received the Contemporary Classics Award from the Songwriter's Hall of Fame for the song. 

My own thoughts: Never saw the musical, don't know if I ever want to, and I've heard several nice versions of this particular song. By far, my most favorite version is sung by Rhydian Roberts. 

Years ago, I made a little video about Terence set to this song. You can check it out here, though be forewarned that it features some of my much older, more sucky art: Terence ~ The Impossible Dream 

This song would also be a perfect fit for Beowulf, Malachi, Reid, and even Jonathan.

BMM 14 - Luck Be a Lady

They call you "Lady Luck"
But there is room for doubt
At times you have a very unladylike way
Of running out 

You're on this date with me
The pickings have been lush
And yet, before this evening is over,
You might give me the brush 

You might forget your manners
You might refuse to stay
And so the best that I can do
Is pray 

Luck, be a lady tonight
Luck, be a lady tonight
Luck, if you've ever
Been a lady to begin with,
Luck, be a lady tonight 

Luck, let a gentleman see
How nice a dame you can be
I know the way you've treated
Other guys you've been with
Luck, be a lady with me 

A lady doesn't leave her escort
It isn't fair
It isn't nice
A lady doesn't wander all over the room
And blow on some other guy's dice 

Let's keep this party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me, baby
I'm the fellow you came in with
Luck, be a lady tonight

 Luck, let a gentleman see
Just how nice,
How nice a dame you can be
I know the way you've treated
Other guys you've been with
Luck, be a lady with me 

A lady doesn't leave her escort
It isn't fair
And it's not nice
A lady doesn't wander all over the room
And blow on some other guy's dice 

So, let's keep the party polite
Never get out of my sight
Stick with me, baby
I'm the guy that you came in with
Luck, be a lady,
Luck, be a lady,
Luck, be a lady tonight 

From Wikipedia: "Luck Be a Lady" is a song written and composed by Frank Loesser in 1950 and first performed by Robert Alda. The song was featured in the musical Guys and Dolls. The lyrics relate the point of view of a gambler, Sky Masterson, who hopes that he will win a bet, the outcome of which will decide whether or not he is able to save his relationship with the girl of his dreams.

My own thoughts: Most people know this song from Mrs. Doubtfire, myself included. I've never seen Guys and Dolls, and I don't listen to Frank Sinatra all that much, though this is one of the few Sinatra songs I both listen to and enjoy.

It may come off as a tiny bit sexist, depending on your perspective. But it is quite catchy with a great rhyme scheme, and it helps that the "lady" being sung to is more of the figurative type.

BMM 13 - Pure Imagination

Hold your breath
Make a wish
Count to three

 Come with me
And you'll be
In a world of pure imagination
Take a look
And you'll see
Into your imagination 

We'll begin
With a spin
Traveling in the world of my creation
What we'll see will defy
Explanation

 If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There's nothing to it 

There is no life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be 

If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Want to change the world?
There's nothing to it 

There is no life I know
To compare with pure imagination
Living there
You'll be free
If you truly wish to be

From Wikipedia: "Pure Imagination" is a song from the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. It was written by British composers Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley specifically for the movie. It was sung by Gene Wilder who played the character of Willy Wonka. Bricusse has stated that the song was written over the phone in one day. 

In the week following Wilder's death in 2016, the song rose in streams and sales by more than 1000%. The song was featured in television, radio, and social media tributes to Wilder. While it was not at all used for the 2005 film adaptation Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the song was featured in the 2023 prequel film Wonka, both in its promotional materials and the film itself, sung by Timothée Chalamet as Wonka.

My own thoughts: While I've always liked both movies (though I've yet to make up my mind about the 2023 movie), I must confess I'm a bit partial to the Gene Wilder version. It's a bit warmer and more charming, it's extremely quotable, and the songs are most definitely singable.

It's kind of a tie between this song, "The Candy Man Can," and "I've Got a Golden Ticket" for my most favorite song, but I've also learned to love "Cheer Up, Charlie."

BMM 12 - I Feel Pretty

I feel pretty
Oh, so pretty
I feel pretty and witty and gay
And I pity
Any girl who isn't me today

I feel charming
Oh, so charming
It's alarming how charming I feel
I'm so pretty
That I hardly can believe I'm real

See the pretty girl in that mirror there
Who can that attractive girl be?
Such a pretty face!
Such a pretty dress!
Such a pretty smile!
Such a pretty me!

I feel stunning
And entrancing
Feel like running and dancing for joy
For I'm loved
By a pretty wonderful boy! 

Have you met my good friend, Maria,
The craziest girl on the block?
You'll know her the minute you see her
She's the one who is in an advanced state of shock!

She thinks she's in love
She thinks she's in Spain
(La-la-la!)
She isn't in love
She's merely insane

It must be the heat
Or some rare disease
(La-la-la!)
Or too much to eat
Or maybe it's fleas

Keep away from her!
Send for Chino!
This is not the Maria we know!

Modest and pure
Polite and refined
(La-la-la!)
Well-bred and mature
And out of her mind!

I feel pretty
Oh, so pretty
That the city should give me its key
A committee
Should be organized to honor me

I feel dizzy
I feel sunny
I feel fizzy and funny and fine
I'm so pretty
Miss America can just resign!

See the pretty girl in that mirror there
(What mirror? Where?)
Who can that attractive girl be?
(Which? What? Where? Whom?)
Such a pretty face!
Such a pretty dress!
Such a pretty smile!
Such a pretty me!

 I feel stunning
And entrancing
Feel like running and dancing for joy
For I'm loved
By a pretty wonderful boy! 

From Wikipedia: "I Feel Pretty" is a song written by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein from the 1957 musical West Side Story. 

The New York Times explained that "Mr. Sondheim…has said he was never particularly fond of his lyrics in 'West Side Story,' especially 'I Feel Pretty'," later expressing that "The idea of the song is so simple."

In the musical and 2021 film version, Maria is not yet aware that her love, Tony, has just killed her brother Bernardo, while in the 1961 film version, the song occurs before Bernardo's death. In the bridal shop where she works (in the 1961 film; Gimbels in the 2021 film), Maria sings about being happy and feeling beautiful because she is "loved by a pretty wonderful boy", while her coworkers tease her about her silly behavior. Robert Cummings of AllMusic comments that the song "features one of Bernstein's more memorable melodies: its first four notes, deliciously rhythmic in their rising contour, repeat, then are reduced to three, then to two. …Bernstein's instrumentation colors the music with a Latin character…and so does the girls' chorus that enters midway through. Stephen Sondheim's lyrics deftly capture Maria's bliss and newfound sense of confidence." 

Birmingham Mail described the song as "delightful," while The Tab deemed it a "classic." Applause Meter called it "sweetly charming" and VCOnStage called it "operatic."

My own thoughts: My feelings for West Side Story are about the same as my feelings for Romeo and Juliet. Don't love it, don't despise it, can appreciate its influence, but won't really seek it out for personal enjoyment.

This is the only song I'll listen to of my own accord.

BMM 11 - All I Ask of You

No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here
Nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you 

Let me be your freedom
Let daylight dry your tears
I'm here
With you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you

Say you love me every waking moment
Turn my head with talk of summertime
Say you need me with you
Now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you 

Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe
No one will find you
Your fears are far behind you 

All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me
To hold me and to hide me 

Then say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you need me with you here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
That's all I ask of you 

Say you'll share with me
One love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
Share each day with me
Each night, each morning
Say you love me
You know I do
Love me
That's all I ask of you 

Anywhere you go, let me go too
Love me
That's all I ask of you 

From Wikipedia: "All I Ask of You" is a song from the 1986 English musical The Phantom of the Opera, between characters Christine Daaé and Raoul, originally played on stage by Sarah Brightman and Steve Barton, respectively. It was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Charles Hart, and Richard Stilgoe, and solely produced by Lloyd Webber. An operatic pop piece, its lyrics serve as dialogue between the two characters and discuss themes such as commitment and romance. Like Lloyd Webber's song "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You" was compared to the music found in Giacomo Puccini's 1910 opera La fanciulla del West. 

Author and music historian Ethan Mordden stated that the song contains "lyrical magnificence" and noted that its brilliance helped it "accomplish wonderful things" on stage. The song was described as one of the biggest and most commercially successful hits from The Phantom of the Opera by the staff at Show Music.

"All I Ask of You" was commercially successful in several territories internationally. In the United Kingdom, it became Richard's 52nd top ten single by peaking at number three on 4 October 1986. Its success allowed it to be listed on the year-end chart in that country, where it was ranked at number 31. The song was later certified Silver by the British Phonographic Industry on 1 October 1986 for shipments of 250,000 physical copies. It topped the Irish Singles Chart for one week, replacing Status Quo's cover of "In the Army Now" (1986). The song reached the same peak in South Africa on the country's Springbok Radio chart, while in Australia, it peaked at number 24, according to the Kent Music Report.

My own thoughts: Although I haven't yet made up my mind about this musical, I have listened to a couple of the songs, including this one, and I like them. I especially like the duet between Susan Boyle and Donny Osmond.

I can easily hear a platonic version between some of my own characters, mainly between Reid, Beowulf, and the Windwillows. Since Beowulf is a werewolf and must avoid the sunlight at all times, this lyric is particularly fitting: "All I want is freedom, a world with no more night." When his path crosses with Reid's path, he gets his wish of being loved and being taken seriously at the same time. That's what cracks his tough shell for good.

And all Reid wants is to love the Windwillows, something they're a little too afraid and too proud to give him at first. But that's all they ever ask, too, to be loved and wanted and respected. Not everyone hates them, but a lot of people have given them a hard time for a whole host of reasons, so it kind of makes sense that they're reluctant to trust Reid wholeheartedly.

The sad irony is, Reid has always respected them, wanted them, and loved them with no strings attached, and they realize (almost too late) that they've always loved him as well and can't bear to lose him. Jonathan was the first one (and the only one at first) to take a chance on Reid and he's never regretted his decision yet.

I think being loved and understood is all everyone ever asks.

BMM 10 - The Sound of Music

The hills are alive with the sound of music
With songs they have sung for a thousand years
The hills fill my heart with the sound of music
My heart wants to sing every song it hears 

My heart wants to beat like the wings of the birds
That rise from the lake to the trees
My heart wants to sigh like a chime that flies
From a church on a breeze 

To laugh like a brook when it trips and falls
Over stones on its way
To sing through the night
Like a lark who is learning to pray

 I go to the hills when my heart is lonely
I know I will hear what I've heard before
My heart will be blessed with the sound of music
And I'll sing once more 

From Wikipedia: "The Sound of Music" is the title song from the musical of the same name that premiered in 1959. It was composed by Richard Rodgers with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. The song introduces the character of Maria, a young novice in an Austrian abbey. 

The song was sung by Mary Martin in the 1959 original Broadway production and by Julie Andrews in the 1965 film version, with a reprise by the Von Trapp family later in the film. The song was ranked tenth in the American Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest Songs in Movie History.

My own thoughts: As I mentioned before, I don't have a lot of patience for musicals due to how long they are, and The Sound of Music, while good, doesn't really hold my interest all the way. I'd rather listen to a song here and a song there on my own timetable. 

At least the songs are super-catchy. Rodgers and Hammerstein most definitely knew how to make music. Like the Sherman Brothers and the majority of Disney songs, it's almost impossible not to sing along.

BMM 9 - Seize the Day

Open the gates and seize the day
Don't be afraid and don't delay
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away
Arise and seize the day

Now is the time to seize the day
(Now is the time to seize the day)
Send out the call and join the fray
(Send out the call and join the fray)
Wrongs will be righted
If we're united
Let us seize the day

Friends of the friendless, seize the day
(Friends of the friendless, seize the day)
Raise up the torch and light the way
(Raise up the torch and light the way)
Proud and defiant
We'll slay the giant
Let us seize the day

Neighbor to neighbor
Father to son
One for all
And all for one

Open the gates and seize the day
(Open the gates and seize the day)
Don't be afraid and don't delay
(Don't be afraid and don't delay)
Nothing can break us
No one can make us
Give our rights away

Neighbor to neighbor
Father to son
One for all
And all for one

I can't find anything on Wikipedia about this song, so I'll just share my own thoughts. 

I never liked Newsies all that much. I saw the movie once and I remember it being okay, but it didn't really grip me, either. At best, I'm "meh" about the whole thing. 

This was pretty much the only song I liked for real. I just wish it wasn't so short; the end is so abrupt that it almost gives me whiplash.

BMM 8 - The Good Old Days

Whenever I'm, from time to time, depressed
And a trauma wells and swells within my breast
I find some pride deep inside of me
As I fondly walk the lane of memory 

I see Bonaparte, a mean one
If ever I've seen one
And Nero fiddlin' through that lovely blaze
Antoinette, dainty queen,
With her quaint guillotine
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Those were the good old days! 

I see Indians a-draggin'
An empty covered wagon
When scalping the settlers was the latest craze
And that glorious morn
Jack the Ripper was born
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Those were the good old days! 

I'd sit in my rocking chair
Peacefully rockin' there
Counting my blessings by the score
The rack was in fashion
The plagues were my passion
Each day held a new joy in store
Was anybody happy?

 I see cannibals a-munchin'
A missionary luncheon
The years may have flown but the memory stays
Like the hopes that were dashed
When the stock market crashed
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Those were the good old days! 

I'd walk a million miles or more
For some of the gore
Of those good...
Old...
Days!

I was so contented
When prisons were invented
And the ones with the gallows set my heart ablaze
I was burning with pride
The day Bonnie met Clyde
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Those were the good old days! 

I doze by the fireside
Dreaming of cyanide
Never a worry or a care
And how can one measure
The infinite pleasure
Of dreaming of the electric chair?
Some people found it shocking!
Skip it! 

In any aisle I'd lay 'em
With arson and with mayhem
It's a hammy routine but it always plays
And my favorite encore
Was the Hundred Year War!
Ha-ha-ha-ha
Those were the good old days!

 I'd gladly sail the seven seas
For just one reprise
Of those good...
Old...
Days! 

From Wikipedia: "Those Were The Good Old Days" is from the musical Damn Yankees. It's about Mr. Applegate (who is the Devil disguised as a salesman) recalling some historical events at its cruelest and worst.

My own thoughts: In my last semester of college, I attended my university's rendition of this musical for my theater class. We had to write a critique on it, and our grade depended more on thoroughness than anything else. A relatively simple assignment, but the professor had his way of knowing whether we actually did it.

By far, I found Mr. Applegate the most entertaining. While it was fairly obvious he was the Devil in disguise, the actor provided more than half the entertainment by himself, and it was no surprise that he received some of the most enthusiastic applause at the end. 

BMM 7 - Endless Night

Where has the starlight gone?
Dark is the day
How can I find my way home?
Home is an empty dream
Lost to the night
Father, I feel so alone 

You promised you'd be there
Whenever I needed you
Whenever I call your name
You're not anywhere
I'm trying to hold on
Just waiting to hear your voice
One word, just a word will do
To end this nightmare 

When will the dawning break
Oh, endless night
Sleepless I dream of the day
When you were by my side
Guiding my path
Father, I can't find the way 

You promised you'd be there
Whenever I needed you
Whenever I call your name
You're not anywhere
I'm trying to hold on
Just waiting to hear your voice
One word, just a word will do
To end this nightmare

I know that the night must end
And that the sun will rise
And that the sun will rise
I know that the clouds must clear
And that the sun will shine
And that the sun will shine 

And I know that the night must end
And that the sun will rise
And that the sun will rise
I know that the clouds must clear
And that the sun will shine
And that the sun will shine 

I know
Yes, I know
The sun will rise
Yes, I know
I know
The clouds must clear

 I know that the night must end
I know that the sun will rise
And I'll hear your voice deep inside
I know that the night must end
And that the clouds must clear 

The sun
The sun will rise
The sun
The sun will rise

From Wikipedia: "Endless Night" is a song written by Lebo M, Hans Zimmer, Julie Taymor, and Jay Rifkin. It premiered in 1997 as part of the musical The Lion King, a stage adaptation of Disney's 1994 animated feature film of the same name. Mark Mancina produced the song and arranged by Mark A. Brymer. Taymor wrote the lyrics based on the melody from "Lala", a song from the 1995 soundtrack album Rhythm of the Pride Lands. Jason Raize, who first performed the role of Simba for the Broadway production, first performed and recorded "Endless Night"; his version is included on the original cast recording. 

"Endless Night" is a ballad that lyrically deals with Simba grieving the death of his father Mufasa. The song includes vocals by a choir that encourages Simba to move forward. Reception to the song was mainly positive. Some commentators praised how it helped to develop Simba's character.

My own thoughts: The Lion King was never my favorite movie, but when I gave this song a try, I found myself liking it. 

It does a great job of showing how much Simba is still hurting from his father's loss, how the "Hakuna Matata" approach isn't really working, and it adds an extra layer of sadness to Mufasa's death. 

I can very easily hear a few of my own characters singing something like this.