A NEW YEAR AND TEN SHOWTUNES

Happy New Year reader! I hope this year is more fruitful and exciting as possible. With some drama and angst and a catfight thrown in, it could be a bad episode of Knots Landing. I have gone stark staring bonkers and bought some CDs. Yes - CDs! I have been going crazy for anything showtuney and unable to find some rare recordings on iTunes, I have bought some CDs - very cheaply and will then upload them.

Whenever you feel the January blues kick in, please watch an episode of the Golden Girls, eat some cheescake and listen to one of the following showtunes -

JELLICLE SONGS FOR JELLICLE CATS - from CATS
The lyrics are all very bizarre but terribly uplifting. I defy anyone not to paw their hand like a pussy cleaning itself after prancing round the living room in your high heels.

BEING ALIVE - from COMPANY
I recommend the live Bernadette Peters version. I can imagine seeing her swinging her head about as if her curly hair were going to fall off.

BROADWAY BABY - from FOLLIES
Either Bernadette again as it's bloody good and she does both cutesy and downtrodden so very well. The other option is Elaine Stritch live at Liberty. Elaine did a stomping version at a Follies benefit concert in the 80s and brought the rafters down with a totally different take.

BUENOS AIRES - from EVITA
Patti Lupone kicks the crap out of this and I just want to samba whenever I hear her hit this belting notes.

ONE NIGHT ONLY - from DREAMGIRLS
The movie version is more polished than the Original Broadway Cast Recording and Beyonce has some great disco chops. It's fierce and guaranteed to get you moving as though it were the Macarena.

WHAT I DID FOR LOVE - from A CHORUS LINE
Simply a stunning song - any dancer can relate to this song. The chorus line are asked how they would feel if they had to stop dancing right away. The first line of "Kiss today goodbye...." sums up the perfect showtune.

SHOW OFF - from THE DROWSY CHAPERONE
Sutton Foster kills in this tour de force number where she plays the bottles and changes about 5 times when you see the spectacle. A stunning song.

AS IF WE NEVER SAID GOODBYE - from SUNSET BOULEVARD
Just amazing when Norma returns to the studio and finds herself bathed in the spotlight, years after it left her. Any gay man can relate to this.

ONE DAY MORE - from LES MISERABLES
Not my favourite song from the show - that lies with I Dreamed A Dream - however, this song could rouse the dead with it's anthemic delivery. Colm Wilkinson and Michael Ball in the original cast round it out.

DEFYING GRAVITY - from WICKED
This sounds cliched now as it's just an unbelievable song from one of my favourite all time shows. I saw Idina Menzel blow the audience away in it's first few weeks in London in 2006 and nobody (not even Kerry Ellis) has beaten it. It goes through so many rhythms and turns the listener to showtune mush and when she belts out that last note..... well - all bets are off!