So Much Stuff to Sing (Shannon Dohar and Erik Stadnik)
Explorez tous les épisodes de So Much Stuff to Sing
| Date | Titre | Durée | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Feb 2024 | Episode 90 - Home | 00:36:57 | |
And we're back again with another "I Want" song, but we're still in the 1970s. This time we're tackling The Wiz and it's end-of-show I want song, "Home." Topics include Stephanie Mills, Diana Ross, and why the 80s really, really sucked. All clips are from the 1975 Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Wiz featuring Stephanie Mills as Dorothy and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jun 2022 | Episode 54 - Charming | 00:32:45 | |
Our seduction song cycle moves to Moscow as we revisit a perennial favorite, Dave Malloy's Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 and one of that show's standout moments -- "Charming." All clips are from the 2017 original Broadway cast recording of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 featuring Amber Gray as Helene and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jul 2023 | Episode 78 - A Strange Loop | 00:35:18 | |
Our final title song is also our most recent. We're back to Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop, which has opened -- and closed -- on Broadway since we last discussed it, but not without winning the Best Musical Tony. All clips are from 2022's A Strange Loop: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Jaquel Spivey as Usher and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 May 2020 | Episode 10 - A Weekend in the Country | 00:29:51 | |
Get ready for some conflict over, of all things, "A Weekend in the Country" from Stephen Sondheim and Hal Prince's A Little Night Music as we begin out next arc, focusing on Act 1 finales from Sondheim shows. It's gonna be quite a ride! All clips are from the 1973 Original Broadway Cast Recording and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Jan 2022 | Episode 46 - Gimme Gimme | 00:34:53 | |
After a brief detour, we've returned to our miniseries on star-making performances. This time, we're talking about Sutton Foster's breakout role in 2002's Thoroughly Modern Millie, and her signature number "Gimme Gimme." All clips are from the 2002's Thoroughly Modern Millie Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Sutton Foster and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 19 Oct 2024 | Episode 105 - Letters | 00:38:24 | |
Once again, we find ourselves back at Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, the show that we just can't escape, nor would we wish to. This time, we're finishing our miniseries on Second Act Openers with the excellent "Letters," where Dave Malloy crams so much content into only 6 minutes that we're almost left a little speechless. Almost. All clips are from the 2013 Original Cast Recording of Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 featuring Dave Malloy as Pierre, Phillipa Soo as Natasha, Gelsey Bell as Princess Mary, Lucas Steele as Anatole, and Manik Choksi as Dolokhov and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Feb 2021 | Episode 24 - Wheels of a Dream from Ragtime | 00:34:45 | |
This episode, we talk about "Wheels of a Dream" from 1997's Ragtime as we continue our miniseries on love duets. Audra McDonald and Brian Stokes Mitchell made this song iconic, and the pair discuss both their performances and the song's role in the show overall. But be warned: Erik drops a bombshell in this one. All clips are from the 1991 Original Broadway Cast Recording are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/Listen to the Original Broadway Cast album on Amazon. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 17 Nov 2023 | Episode 86 - Beautiful | 00:43:46 | |
To round out our off-Broadway miniseries, Shannon and Erik take a look at "Beautiful" from the online hit Heathers: The Musical, and don't always like what they see. Are they just the wrong audience, or is this the wrong adaptation? All clips are from 2014's Heathers: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording) featuring Barrett Wilbert Weed are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. PLEASE NOTE: In addition to discussions of sensitive topics such as gun violence, sexual assault, suicide, and eating disorders, this episode also includes clips from the show with language that some may find offensive. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Nov 2021 | Episode 42 - Carnaval del Barrio from In the Heights | 00:39:05 | |
It's time to alza la bandera as we conclude our dance number miniseries with "Carnaval del Barrio" from In the Heights written, of course, by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Full of of humor, love, and life, this song charms even Erik's cold, cold heart. Plus, we have another grand unifying theory! All clips are from the 2008 Original Broadway Cast album with Andréa Burns as Daniela and Lin-Manuel Miranda as Usnavi and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 May 2022 | Episode 53 - Razzle Dazzle | 00:33:52 | |
We continue our run of seduction songs with a return to one of the first shows we ever covered: Chicago. This time, we're looking at Billy Flynn's "Razzle Dazzle," a song that's both darker and slower than you may remember. All clips are from the 1975 original Broadway cast recording of Chicago featuring Jerry Orbach as Billy Flynn and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Mar 2022 | Episode 49 - Giants in the Sky | 00:32:22 | |
We continue our annual Stephen Sondheim celebration with a discussion of "Giants in the Sky," as we go deeper Into the Woods and look at what our chracters are learning. All clips are from the 1987 original cast recording of Into the Woods featuring Ben Wright and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Mar 2024 | Episode 92 - Waiting for the Girls Upstairs | 00:38:52 | |
From "Waiting for Life" to "Waiting for the Girls Upstairs" -- it's Sondheim time once again. This year, we're focusing on conversation songs, a sub-genre Sondheim may have himself invented. We begin with the aforementioned octet (!) from 1971's Follies and talk about why this song may be the key to understanding the whole show. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Oct 2021 | Episode 40 - Brotherhood of Man from How to Suceed in Business without Really Trying | 00:31:36 | |
We're dancing as if our jobs depended on it as we continue our jaunt through some iconic production numbers. This time we're talking about Frank Loesser's Pulitzer Prize winner How to Succeed in Business... and "Brotherhood of Man." But make way, boys -- Lillias White is coming to steal the show. All clips are from the 1995 Broadway Revival Cast album with Matthew Broderick as Finch and Lillias White as Miss Jones and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Nov 2020 | Episode 21 - Popular from Wicked | 00:30:40 | |
We conclude our mini-arc of classic comic turns with "Popular" from Stephen Schwartz's 2003 mega-blockbuster Wicked. Shannon defends her theatre-going choices, Erik creates a new rule, and the pair discuss the patriarchy. Because of course. All clips are from the 2003 Original Broadway Cast album and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Oct 2023 | Episode 84 - Science Fiction Double Feature | 00:31:12 | |
Happy Halloween, everyone! By sheer coicidence, our Off-Broadway miniseries timed up with spooky seaon, creating a wonderful synchronicity whereby our episde about "Science Fiction Double Feature" from The Rocky Horror Show is coming out just before Halloween. Wait...did you not know that Rocky Horror was a smash London and L.A. musical before becoming a movie? Well, grab a seat in the back row and listen... All clips are from 1975's The Rocky Horror Picture Show: The Original Soundtrack featuring Richard O'Brien are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 31 Mar 2024 | Episode 93 - Someone in a Tree | 00:43:06 | |
We're continuing our miniseries on Sondheim's conversation songs. This episode, we ask a very simple question: can a song simulataneously be about absolutely nothing and abosolutely everything? And we answer it with a resounding, "Yes," -- at least it can if the song is question is "Someone in a Tree" from Pacific Overtures. Join us as we try to pick apart the strands of this masterpiece and discuss Sondheim's favorite of his own songs. All clips are from 1976's Pacific Overtures featuring Mako as the Reciter, James Dybas as the Old Man, Gedde Watanabe as the Boy, and Mary Hsu Syers as the Warrior and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 03 Jun 2021 | Episode 32- Cabaret from Cabaret | 00:38:30 | |
Willlkommen, Bienvenue, Welcome! We continue our exploration of songs that reveal character with the title song from 1966's Kander & Ebb classic Cabaret. Who is Sally Bowles, what does she want, and how are we meant to feel about her? All this, plus the Kennedy Center Honors! All clips are from the 1966 Original Broadway Cast recording with Jill Haworth as Sally Bowles and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Dec 2022 | Episode 66 - The Muppet Christmas Carol | 00:59:50 | |
It's the most wonderful time of the year! For our third annual holiday special, we're being the rules a bit and looking at a festive movie musical -- namely, 1992's The Muppet Christmas Carol starring Michael Caine and the Muppets. We talk about the meloncholy air surrounding the making of the movie, the performances, and, of course, all of the songs written for the film by the great Paul Williams. Happy Holidays! See you in 2023! Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Dec 2020 | Episode 22 - Holiday Extravaganza!!! | 00:56:35 | |
Join us as we take a tour through 4--yes 4--holiday classics that have been in Broadway shows! We get super sappy! Happy Holidays!!! All clips are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Oct 2022 | Episode 61 - Don't Cry for Me Argentina | 00:37:10 | |
We just couldn't stay away from the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Time Rice songbook as we cover our musical theater blind spots. This time, it's Evita with Patti Lupone singing "Don't Cry for Me Argentina." What will Shannon make of this truly strange show that she'd never experienced before? All clips are from the 1978 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Evita featuring Patti Lupone and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 May 2024 | Episode 96 - Brother, Can You Spare a Dime? | 00:33:08 | |
Time for a new miniseries! This time, we're looking at songs originally from Broadway shows that found a greater life outside of them as anthems. Anthems of movements, times, places, industries -- Broadway has given us many anthems over the years. Arguably one of its earliest is one that everyone knows but may not know that it originated in a Broadway show: "Brother, Can You Spare a Dime?" by Y.E. Harburgh and Jay Gorney. The song, written for a 1932 revue called Americana appropriately enough, quickly became an anthem of the Great Depression and has maintained its status ever since. All clips are from 2004's Broadway: The American Musical featuring Bing Crosby and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. (N.B.: Erik adores this documentary and strongly recommends it for anyone who wants to sounds smart about Broadway history.) Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jan 2022 | Episode 45 - Co-op | 00:57:06 | |
And now for something competely different! Join us as we discuss the Documentary Now episode "Original Cast Album: Co-op" and talk about the songs, the jokes, and how it compares to Original Cast Album: Company. We also talk about the recent loss of Stephen Sondheim. All clips are from the Original Cast Album Co-op TV Soundtrack and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Sep 2021 | Episode 38 - Defying Gravity from Wicked | 00:36:43 | |
We conclude our series on vocal damage with the most iconic song of Broadway's past 20 years: "Defying Gravity" from Wicked. We talk about its reception, its influence, and whether it does more harm than good. All clips are from the 2003 Original Broadway Cast album with Idina Menzel as Elpheba and Kristin Chenoweth as Glinda and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jul 2024 | Episode 99 - I Am What I Am | 00:38:20 | |
We come to the conclusion of our miniseries of anthems, and we've saved one of the best for last. We're talking "I Am What I Am" from La Cage aux Folles, with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman, which became an anthem for LGBTQ Pride almost as soon as it was first sung in 1983. All clips are from 2016's Trailblazer Honors events featuring Ginger Minj and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to Ginger on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 31 Jul 2020 | A Quick Programming Announcement | 00:00:36 | |
No new episode this week, but we'll be back on August 15th! | |||
| 01 Aug 2021 | Episode 36 - And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls | 00:38:30 | |
Enter the Belters. As we continue look at vocal showpieces, we move into the 1980s to look at Dreamgirls and Jennifer Holliday's extraordinary performance of "And I Am Telling You (I'm Not Going." 40 years after it debuted on Broadway, this song is still synonymous both with Holliday and with singers who want to show they can be big and soulful. Even if they can't. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jul 2024 | Episode 100 - 100th Episode Spectacular...Part 1! | 00:47:34 | |
Yes, there are now 100 episodes of Shannon in New York City and Erik in Prague discussing the American Musical. To celebrate, we decided to each compile a list of 5 songs that, for us, represent what makes the musical the wonderful art form it is. The musical can do things that nothing else -- no other art form -- can do, and we think these songs illustrate that. In this episode, we discuss the first 5 of these songs -- our next episde will cover the other 5. We sincerely hope you enjoy and that you'll email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose. NB: There will be a playlist of just the songs discussed in these two episodes included in the notes of the next episode to avoid spoiling anyone who wants the second half of the list to be a surprise. Also, STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode. We also hope to make a playlist of your selections, so we can all share. All clips are from, in order, Merrily We Roll Along: New Broadway Cast Recording, Guys & Dolls: Original Broadway Cast Recording, The Music Man: Original Broadway Cast, The Rink: Original Broadway Cast, Rent: Original Cast Album, and Into the Woods: A New Musical and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 02 Oct 2024 | Episode 104 - King of New York | 00:33:58 | |
Newsies! Yes, at long last, we are talking about one of the most beloved musicals ever to starts as a failed Disney movie. With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman, Newsies could easily have just been a misbegotten offshoot of the Disney Renaissance, but it experienced a rebirth of its own, hitting Broadway in 2012. Join us as we talk about the process and about "King of New York," the song chosen to open the second act. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 May 2023 | Episode 73 - The Ballad of Booth | 00:37:53 | |
We're continuing our Sondheim birthday miniseries, this time focusing on his murder ballads, and we're moving on to a show that is dominated by murder ballads -- 1991's Assassins. Join us as we look at "The Ballad of Booth"and try to pick apart both this extremely rich song and the show's message. Audio note: It was raining when we recorded this episode, and you will occasionally hear the rain striking Shannon's air conditioner. We hope it won't distract too much from your enjoyment of the episode. Buy/listen to the musical on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jul 2020 | Episode 13 - Ever After from Into the Woods | 00:38:54 | |
Erik and Shannon complete their exploration of Sondheim's Act One finales by going...yes...Into the Woods and talking about "Ever After." They occasionally wander from the path, though, because that's where the prettiest flowers are. Apologies for Erik's voice in these past few episodes: he'd apparently swallowed a frog on recording day. Buy/Listen on Amazon. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 May 2021 | Episode 31 - Soliloquy from Carousel | 00:39:30 | |
We begin a new miniseries, focusing on character songs -- those moments when the spotlight falls on a single character and we get a chance to look inside their heart and soul. Fittingly enough, we're beginning with "Soliloquy," the centerpiece aria from Rodgers & Hammerstein's classic Carousel. All clips are from the 2018 revival recording featuring Joshua Henry as Billy Bigelow and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 May 2023 | Episode 74 - The Ballad of Guiteau | 00:39:50 | |
It's the end of our annual Sondheim birthday celebration, and our last murder ballad. This episode, we're back with Assassins looking at "The Ballad of Guiteau." Charles Guiteau is a thorny historical figure, but Erik and Shannon do their best to try to make some sense of him, his song, and this entire show.
Buy/listen to the musical on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 May 2021 | Episode 30 - Unworthy of Your Love from Assassins | 00:36:31 | |
We complete our second annual Sondheim miniseries by looking at "Unworthy of Your Love," the troubling pastiche of 70s love duets from Assassins, one of the most unsettling musicals ever produced. It's more fun than it sounds like! All clips are from the 2004 Broadway Cast Recording featuring Alexander Gemignani and Mary Catherine Garrison and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Dec 2020 | Episode 21.5 - Intermission | 00:01:00 | |
No new episode today, but we'll be back with a holiday extravaganza on December 15th! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 05 Jun 2023 | Episode 75 - Oklahoma! | 00:38:32 | |
We're back with a new miniseries! We're tackling title songs over the course of the next four episodes, and we're starting with the one that you're probably thinking of already. We're back to Rodgers & Hammerstein, but we're starting with their first show together. It's the beginning of the Golden Age of musicals, and the moment everything changed for the art form: it's time for 1943's Oklahoma!. All clips are from soundtrack to the 1955 film version of Oklahoma! featuring Gordon MacRae as Curly, Shirley Jones as Laurey, and the ensembles and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/listen to the musical on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 18 Dec 2023 | Episode 87 - Mary Poppins | 01:14:49 | |
Oh, it's a jolly holiday season here at So Much Stuff to Sing! This year, we're looking at one of the all-time great film musicals, Walt Disney's Mary Poppins. With songs written by Richard and Robert Sherman, and featuring seminal performances by Dick van Dyke, David Tomlinson, Glynnis Johns, and (in her film debut!) Julie Andrews, the film is both a landmark of cinema and a timeless masterpiece. But what about its deeply anti-capitalist message? We'll get into that -- and more -- on this bonus-sized end of year episode. | |||
| 15 Nov 2021 | Episode 43 - I Got Rhythm from Girl Crazy | 00:32:23 | |
Join us as we begin our next miniseries, this time talking about unknowns who were turned into megastars, practically overnight, and the songs that made it happen. Our first shooting star is one of the grandest of Broadway grand dames, the utterly unique Ethel Merman, and her first Broadway showstopper, "I Got Rhythm" by George and Ira Gershwin, from 1930's Girl Crazy. Since 1930 was before the age of the cast album, all clips are from the 1949 album Ehtel Merman: Songs She Has Made Famous featuring Ethel Merman are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Sep 2023 | Episode 81 - Lot's Wife | 00:51:41 | |
And now for something truly and genuinely completely different. Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori's Caroline, or Change first premiered on Broadway in 2004, and while the show wasn't a success either at the box office or the Tonys, it made an impact. Another recent Broadway production similarly failed to enflame the ticket-buying public, but it helped cement the show as something of a modern classic. Today, we discuss the musical's 11 o'clock number "Lot's Wife" to try to understand why. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Aug 2023 | Episode 80 - Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat | 00:32:39 | |
Another 11 o'clock number, please! This time, we're talking 1950's Guys & Dolls, Frank Loesser, and Nicely-Nicely Johnson -- yes, it's time for everyone's favorite gangster revival number, "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat." Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jul 2021 | Episode 35 - Glitter and Be Gay from Candide | 00:39:23 | |
We start off what we are affectionately calling our "Vocal Damage" miniseries with one of the greatest soprano showpieces every written for the Broadway stage: "Glitter and Be Gay" from Leonard Bernstein's 1956 comic operetta Candide. The piece is (in)famous for being hard in just about every way a song can be hard, and is most commonly performed today by opera singers. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Aug 2024 | Episode 102 - Who's Got the Pain? | 00:34:10 | |
As we begin our second hundred episodes, it's only fitting that we turn our attention to second-act openers. These songs often have to return the audience to the world of the show quickly and recast the spell the first act had woven. So, how do you do that? One answer is to give them a song and dance for the ages: this week we talk about "Who's Got the Pain?" from Damn Yankees, written by Adler and Ross, but made famous by Fosse and Verdon. All clips are from the 1958 film version of Damn Yankees featuring Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
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| 01 Nov 2023 | Episode 85 - The Origin of Love | 00:41:08 | |
From one queer, cult, off-Broadway hit to the next, it's time for Stephen Trask and John Cameron Mitchell's Hedwig and the Angry Inch and what is arguably its thesis song: "The Origin of Love" Shannon is escited because of Eddie Izzard, and Erik is excited because of Plato. All clips are from 1999's Hedwig and the Angry Inch: Original Cast Album featuring John Cameron Mitchell are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jun 2021 | Episode 33 - Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say) from Jesus Christ Superstar | 00:33:12 | |
After 33 episodes, we finally come to the second of the twin pillars of modern musical theater: Andrew Lloyd Webber. Specifcially, we talk about "Gethsemane," Jesus's anguished scream of a song from Jesus Christ Superstar. Do we have strong opinions? Oh, you bet we do! All clips are from the 1973 soundtrack of the film version with Ted Neeley as Jesus and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Feb 2023 | Episode 68 - The Impossible Dream | 00:32:34 | |
Some great shows have a few mediocre songs, and some great songs come from otherwise mediocre shows. Such is the case with this episode's selection -- or is it? Join us as we continue our journey of inspiration with "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)" from Man of La Mancha. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 02 Jun 2024 | Episode 97 - There's No Business Like Show Business | 00:34:25 | |
Anthem number two! This time, we're looking at an anthem for this business we call show: "There's No Business Like Show Business," written by Irving Berling for 1946's Annie Get Your Gun. While that's still a popular show, the song has definitely broken free and is now widely recognized as perhaps the definitive song about the ups and downs of a life lived on the stage. For this episode, we'll be discussing both the song, and Ethel Merman, who very much made it one of her signature songs, even though she wasn't the one who sang it in the show. All clips are from 1972's Merman Sings Merman and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Oct 2022 | Episode 62 - I Believe | 00:39:39 | |
We're trying to take care of musical theater blindspots, and this time it's Shannon's turn to introduce Erik to something new. So, how will he respond to "I Believe" from 2011's The Book of Mormon? Will he be converted, or will he slam the door in her face? All clips are from the 2011 Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Book of Mormon featuring Andrew Rannells and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Apr 2023 | Episode 72 - My Friends | 00:32:17 | |
To quote Shannon, "Murder! Murder! Murder!" All clips are from the 2002 production of Sweeney Todd in Concert featuring George Hearne as Sweeney Todd and Patti Lupone as Mrs. Lovett and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Aug 2024 | Episode 101 - 100th Episode Spectacular...Part 2! | 00:55:40 | |
We conclude our 100th episode spectacular with 5 more songs that make us love the American musical. As a reminder, please email or message us with the 5 songs you would choose so we can make a Spotify playlist to share with everyone! STOP READING to avoid getting spoiled for what's on this episode. All clips are from, in order, Follies: New Broadway Cast Recording, Hamilton: An American Musical Original Broadway Cast Recording, 1776: Original Broadway Cast, Parade: 2023 Broadway Cast Recording, Evita: Original Broadway Cast and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Aug 2021 | Episode 37 - I Dreamed a Dream from Les Miserables | 00:40:38 | |
Wlecome to the 80s megamusical and its child, the power ballad! This episode, we discuss "I Dreamed a Dream" from one of the biggest hits of all time, Les Miserables by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg. In addition to talking about our feelings about the show generally (spoiler: it's complicated), this is also our first chance to talk about the legend herself, Patti Lupone. All clips are from the 1985 Original London Cast Recording with Patti Lupone as Fantine and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jul 2022 | Episode 56 - Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats | 00:36:26 | |
MAKE IT BIGGER! That was the refrain in the 80s on the West End and Broadway, and we're looking at some of the highlights of the megamusical era in our new miniseries. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Mar 2021 | Episode 27 - You Could Drive a Person Crazy from Company | 00:35:49 | |
It's the most Sondheim-ful time of the year! In honor of The Great One's birthday, it's time for another Sondheim mini-series. This time, we'll be tackling a few of our favorite pastiche songs from his shows, starting with "You Could Drive a Person Crazy" from Company. We talk about the hidden rage of The Andrews Sisters, the correct pronunciation of "bubbe," and those lyrics.
Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Oct 2020 | Episode 18 - Adelaide's Lament from Guys and Dolls | 00:30:03 | |
Everything sucks, and the world is on fire, so let's at least have some fun with our show tunes! That's Erik and Shannon's approach, at least, as they begin a miniseries of classic comic turns, beginning with "Adelaide's Lament" from Frank Loesser's 1950 classic Guys and Dolls. Buy/Listen on Amazon. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 02 Mar 2024 | Episode 91 - Waiting for Life | 00:40:24 | |
We wrap up our miniseries on "I Wish" songs with "Waiting for Life" from Once on This Island by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Topics include whether being made into a tree is a good thing, The Little Mermaid, and whether Ahrens and Flaherty were the right fit for this source material. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jan 2021 | Episode 23 - Yours, Yours, Yours from 1776 | 00:33:06 | |
Welcome to 2021 and a new miniseries! We're looking at love duets, and we're beginning with "Yours, Yours, Yours" from 1776, the musical about the American Revolution that *isn't* Hamilton. This show is one of Erik's beloved favorites, and Shannon was completely unfamiliar--did he convince her to love it the way John and Abigail Adams love each other? Or did she declare her aesthetic independence? All clips are from the 1972 recording of the film score and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/Listen to the Original Broadway Cast album on Amazon. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jun 2020 | Episode 12 - Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George | 00:36:42 | |
After an opening statement about #BlackLivesMatter and some items we encourage you to read, Erik and Shannon move on to discussing "Sunday" from Sunday in the Park with George, the first of Sondheim's works with James Lapine. While holding back tears, they argue whether lyrics are poetry, ponder the big questions about art, and try to get at what makes this song transcendent. Buy/Listen on Amazon. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Sep 2020 | Episode 16 - Yorktown from Hamilton | 00:34:59 | |
Shannon and Erik continue their miniseries on selected Pulitzer Prize-winning musicals with a song called "Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down)" from something called...Hamilton? Maybe you've heard of it? Erik says things that will make the internet hate him, and Shannon shares her experience of waiting to see the show because it was going to be "cheaper on Broadway." Buy/Listen on Amazon. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 02 Nov 2024 | Episode 106 - The Writing on the Wall | 00:39:23 | |
New miniseries time! This time, we're taking a slightly different approach, focusing on a set of linked performers instead of a set of linked songs. Specifically, we're looking at some of the women who've played the original Green Girl, Elphaba from Wicked. First up is Stephanie J. Block who arguably was the original Elphaba, just not on Broadway. We look at her career and why it hasn't been quite what it might have been while we talk about "The Writing on the Wall," the finale to The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Rupert Holmes. It's a lot, so buckle in. All clips are from The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012 New Broadway Cast Recording) featuring Stephanie J. Block and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Apr 2021 | Episode 28 - Losing My Mind from Follies | 00:35:17 | |
As we continue our annual Sondheim-a-palooza, this time focusing on his pastiche numbers, we come to "Losing My Mind" from Follies. This challening and deeply beautiful show is celebrating its 50th anniversary and seems as powerful as ever. Join Erik and Shannon as they try to figure out why this beatiful, simple song is such a gut punch.
Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jun 2022 | Episode 55 - Hey, Little Songbird | 00:34:57 | |
We conclude our series on seduction songs with a trip down to 2019's Hadestown --written by Anaïs Mitchell and developed and directed by Rachel Chavkin -- to discuss "Hey, Little Songbird." All clips are from the 2019 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Hadestown featuring Patrick Page as Hades and Eva Noblezada as Eurydice are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Feb 2022 | Episode 47 - I'm Here | 00:40:41 | |
We've come to the end of our quick tour through breakout performances, but we've saved one of the best for last. This episode, we're discussing Cynthia Erivo's truly breathtaking arrival on the scene, with "I'm Here" from the 2015 revival of The Color Purple. All clips are from the 2016's The Color Purple New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Cynthia Erivo and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Feb 2021 | Episode 25 - Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors | 00:37:07 | |
We tackle the importance of re-interpretation this episode as we discuss the 2019 Pasadena Playhouse production of Little Shop of Horrors and that show's best known song, "Suddenly Seymour." What do George Salazar and Mj Rodriguez do to make the song their own, and how fo Erik and Shannon feel about it? Listen now and find out! All clips are from the pair's 2019 appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Unfortunately, there's no cast album for this production. Womp. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Sep 2022 | Episode 60 - Everything's Coming up Roses | 00:39:02 | |
We're back after our brief end of summer hiatus, and we've got a new miniseries in store. We all have our blind spots -- shows that we feel as if we should know, but don't. In this miniseries, we're trying to clear up some of those blind spots -- 2 from each host -- and we're starting with a biggie. Join us as we talk about one of the greates roles in musical theater: yes, it's time for 1959's Gypsy and "Everything's Coming up Roses." All clips are from the 2015 London Cast Recording of Gypsy featuring Imelda Staunton and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Mar 2023 | Episode 70 - I Know Where I've Been | 00:29:23 | |
We conclude our look at inspirational songs with "I Know Where I've Been" from Hairspray, the 2002 Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman musical based on the John Waters film of the same name. It's been a few years since we talked about the show's propulsive and endlessly optimistic closing number, so how does this song -- coming just before the final sequence and featuring a darker, if still optimistic tone -- sit within the show? And what's Erik's Grand Unified Theory of songs of inspiration? Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Nov 2022 | Episode 64 - You've Got Possibilities | 00:31:17 | |
And now for something completely different. We're embarking on a mini-mini-series: a 2-part look at songs that managed to have a life even if they shows they came from didn't. First up, it's "You've Got Possibilities" from the almost totally forgotten 1966 musical "It'sa Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman". A score by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams -- and production and direction by Hal Prince -- didn't save this show from being the biggest flop in Broadway history at the time, but somehow this song managed to find a place for itself. We discuss why. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Nov 2020 | Episode 20 - Everybody's Girl from Steel Pier | 00:29:05 | |
Some shows become classics. Some vanish without a trace. Some, however, fade with the exception of one stand-out song. Such is the case of "Everybody's Girl" from Kander & Ebb's 1997 show Steel Pier. Join Erik and Shannon as they discuss this song that defines fun, sassy, and bawdy. All clips are from the 1997 Original Broadway Cast album and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
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| 27 Jan 2024 | Episode 88 - Wouldn't It Be Loverly | 00:42:17 | |
We're back! We're starting our 5th year a little late, but as opinionated as ever! We're looking at "I want" songs here in 2024, and we're starting with one of the most famous and beloved examples: "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" from Lerner & Loewe's Golden Age classic My Fair Lady. But is it beloved by your intrepid hosts? Only one way to find out... Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Apr 2022 | Episode 50 - On the Steps of the Palace | 00:33:00 | |
After a brief break, we are back with our annual Sondheim series featuring the "I know now" songs from Into the Woods. This time, we look at one of the most challenging and daunting songs from the show, Cinderella's big moment "On the Steps of the Palace."
Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Apr 2021 | Episode 29 - Please Hello from Pacific Overtures | 00:40:01 | |
"Please Hello" is from the neglected Sondheim masterpiece Pacific Overtures and is one of the wildest, funniest, and most complicated songs we've ever covered--and maybe one of the best?
Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jun 2023 | Episode 76 - Kiss of the Spider Woman | 00:33:36 | |
We're continuing with our title songs miniseries, and we're back with Kander and Ebb for the first time in a while. This time, we're talking about "Kiss of the Spider Woman," and Shannon makes a shocking confession about this song. All clips are from 1993's Kiss of the Spider Woman: The Musical - Original Cast Recording featuring Chita Rivera as Aurora and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Aug 2022 | Episode 59 - I Still Believe | 00:35:44 | |
To close out our look at the Broadway megamusical, we turn our attention to one of the most popular -- and controversial -- entries in the subgenre: Miss Saigon. Join us as we dicuss "I Still Believe" and the enduring debate about this show's depiction of its Vietnamese characters. All clips are from the 1989 Original London Cast Recording of Miss Saigon featuring Lea Salonga and Claire Moore and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com "I Am Miss Saigon, and I Hate It" by Diep Tran | |||
| 15 Sep 2023 | Episode 82 - She Used to Be Mine | 00:43:28 | |
We finish our miniseries on 11 o'clock numbers with one of the defining shows and numbers of Broadway's current era: "She Used to Be Mine" from Waitress. The discussion gievs us a chance to talk pop versus Broadway, how Sara Bareilles conquered Broadway, and proper theater etiquette. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Sep 2020 | Episode 17 - Inner White Girl from A Strange Loop | 00:34:45 | |
Shannon and Erik conclude their trek through Pulizer Prince winning musicals with a song from the most recent entrant to that club: "Inner White Girl" from Michael R. Jackson's A Strange Loop. If you're anything like Erik, you may not know this 2019 show at all, some come along and discover something special. Please note: there was all sorts of audio weirdness with this one, so the quality may be a little annoying at times to audiophiles. Management regrets the error and will do better next time. Buy/Listen on Amazon. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Dec 2021 | Episode 44 - Miss Marmelstein | 00:34:07 | |
It's time...for Barbra. Before she was an icon and a legend, she was a featured performer in 1962's I Can Get It For You Wholesale, stealing the show singing "Miss Marmelstein." We talk about what makes Barbra such an icon, and she almost wasn't cast in the show. All clips are from the 1962 I Can Get It for You Wholesale: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Barbra Streisand and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 02 May 2024 | Episode 95 - It's a Hit | 00:40:14 | |
Well, it's that time again -- time to say goodbye to Sondheim for another year. But we're going out with a wide-ranging and multi-faceted discussion of all things Merrily We Roll Along centered around one of the only purely happy songs in the show: "It's a Hit." All clips are from 1982's Merrily We Roll Along: Original Broadway Cast Recording featuring Lonny Price as Charley Kringas, Jim Walton as Franklin Shepard, Ann Morrison as Mary Flynn, and Jason Alexander as Joe Josephson and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jul 2020 | Episode 14 - You've Got to Be Carefully Taught from South Pacific | 00:33:56 | |
New miniseries time! This time, we're covering a quartet of songs from Pulitzer Prize-winning musicals, starting with one of the few Broadway songs of the 1940s about racism: "You've Got to Be Carefully" taught from 1949's South Pacific. All that, plus it's the first song by Rodgers & Hammerstein covered on the show, so there's plenty to discuss! Buy/Listen on Amazon. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 May 2022 | Episode 52 - Big Spender | 00:33:48 | |
Hey, big spender! Spend a little time with Erik & Shannon as they begin a new miniseries, featuring songs of seduction. We begin with one of the most blatant come-ons ever staged for Broadway, "Big Spender" from 1966's Sweet Charity. All clips are from the 1966 original Broadway cast recording of Sweet Charity and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Apr 2022 | Episode 51 - Moments in the Woods | 00:40:12 | |
We conclude our journey through Into the Woods with The Baker's Wife's moving and profound exploration of the meaning of life, "Moments in the Woods."
Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 May 2020 | Episode 9 - Goodbye Until Tomorrow / I Could Never Rescue You | 00:40:40 | |
Shannon and Erik conclude their first foray into closing numbers with the final song from Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years "Goodbye Until Tomorrow / I Could Never Rescue You." They talk about beginnings in endings, endings in beginnings, and being young and stupid. All clips are from the 2015 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (take it up with Shannon!) and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Apr 2024 | Episode 94 - Now You Know | 00:43:31 | |
For the first time in over 4 years and 90 episodes (!), we return to Merrily We Roll Along, Sondheim's greatest flop and now one of the biggest hits on Broadway. We'll looking at Merrily for our next two episodes, actually, since it has multiple songs that fit this miniseries quite nicely. First up, we have the Act 1 closing number, "Now You Know." All clips are from 2023's Merrily We Roll Along: New Broadway Cast Recording featuring Daniel Radcliffe as Charley Kringas, Jonathan Groff as Franklin Shepard, and Lindsay Mendez as Mary Flynn and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Mar 2021 | Episode 26 - Pierre & Natasha from Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 | 00:42:39 | |
For the first time, we are revisiting a show! Yes, to finish off our mini-series of love duets, we are talking about "Pierre & Natasha" from Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, which we last talked about over a year ago, when the world was a different place. Be prepared: this is essentially us doling out rapturous praise for about 40 minutes. All clips are from the 2013 off-Broadway cast album featuring Dave Malloy and Phillipa Soo and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jun 2020 | Episode 11 - A Little Priest from Sweeney Todd | 00:35:32 | |
As we continue our journey through Sondheim's Act 1 closers, we come to "A Little Priest," from the Sondheim of Shannon's heart, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. But does Erik feel the same way, or will he be thrown into the grinder? All clips are from the 2005 Broadway Revival Cast and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jul 2021 | Episode 34 - How Can I Call This Home? from Parade | 00:40:22 | |
We conclude our miniseries on soliloquy songs with one of Shannon's favorites: "How Can I Call This Home?" from Jason Robert Brown's 1998 show Parade. Parade is about an especially dark event in 20th century history; listener discretion is advised. All clips are from the 1999 Original Broadway Cast Recording with Brent Carver as Leo Frank and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 05 Oct 2023 | Episode 83 - Try to Remember | 00:35:37 | |
We're back -- a little late -- but we come bearing a new miniseries! This time, we're heading off-Broadway to explore the wide range of shows and songs that fall under that collective banner. All clips are from 1960's The Fantasticks Original Off-Off-Broadway Cast Album featuring Jerry Orbach are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Apr 2023 | Episode 71 - The Ballad of Sweeney Todd | 00:37:47 | |
It's Sondheim time again -- the most wonderful time of the year here at SMSTS. This year, Shannon got her pick of themes, and she chose Sondheim's murder ballads. So, y'know, buckle up. We're starting off with the opening of 1979's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Attend the tale. All clips are from the 1979 Original Broadway Cast Recording of Sweeney Todd featuring Len Cariou as Sweeney Todd and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Jun 2024 | Episode 98 - Aquarius | 00:34:19 | |
From the hard work and determination of show business to the let it all hang out and just be spirirt of the hippie movement, our anthem series continues with "Aquarius" from Hair. Written by James Rado, Gerome Ragni, and Galt MacDermot, "Aquarius" become synonymous with the hippie movement with an assist from The Fifth Dimension. Be prepared for lots of talk of very bad astrology! All clips are from 2009's Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical - The New Broadway Cast Recording and are protected by the Fair Use guidelines of Section 107 of the Copyright Act for criticism and commentary. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Aug 2020 | Episode 15 - La Vie Boheme from Rent | 00:31:35 | |
After a technologically induced hiatus, Shannon and Erik are back talking Pulitzer winners. In this case, the mega-smash Rent and its joyous Act I closer, "La Vie Boheme." Does Benny get a bad rap? Is Shannon a Roger or a Mark? And what, exactly, was gay.com? Buy/Listen on Amazon. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Nov 2022 | Episode 63 - One Second and a Million Miles | 00:44:05 | |
We conclude our tour of musical theater blindspots with Jason Robert Brown's 2014 The Bridges of Madison County and the sweeping love duet "One Second and a Million Miles." Will Shannon persuade Erik that this score deserves to be known far and wide, or will his cold, stony heart be unmoved? Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Feb 2024 | Episode 89 - Corner of the Sky | 00:39:11 | |
We're just getting started with I Want songs, and we're tackling another classic. This time, from 1972's Pippin, we're talking about "Corner of the Sky." We talk Stephen Schwartz, Bob Fosse, and where cats and children fit. Strap in. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Aug 2022 | Episode 58 - Nobody's Side | 00:32:41 | |
Not all megamusicals were big hits -- not on Broadway, at least. This episode, we look at one of the most infamous and enduring of the failed London to Broadway transfers: Chess. The score, by Time Rice, Benny Andersson, and Bjorn Ulvaeus, has endured, however, powered by such pop hits as "Nobody's Side." Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Aug 2023 | Episode 79 - Fifty Percent | 00:36:06 | |
We're back and starting a brand new miniseries. This time, we're looking at the so-called "eleven o'clock number" in a vairety of its permutations. First up, we have an archetypal example of the genre -- "Fifty Percent" from 1978's Ballroom. Trust us, you may now know the show, but you need to know the song. All clips are from 1999's My Favorite Broadway: The Leading Ladies featuring Dorothy Loudon and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 03 Dec 2022 | Episode 65 - Meadowlark | 00:38:31 | |
The second and final part of our look at songs that escaped the shows they were written for brings us to arguably one of the greatest songs never to be performed on Broadway -- "Meadowlark" from the ill-fated Stephen Schwartz musical The Baker's Wife. The show may be forgettable, but the song certainly is not. Watch Lindsay Mendez perform "Meadowlark" at 54 Below. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Oct 2020 | Episode 19 - Little Girls from Annie | 00:25:16 | |
No, we're not talking about that song, but we ARE talking about 1977's Annie--specifically Miss Hannigan's great comic solo "Little Girls." Learn the source of Shannon's complicated relationship with the show and hear Erik explain grammar. Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Feb 2023 | Episode 67 - Climb Ev'ry Mountain | 00:32:02 | |
Welcome to 2023! As we enter a new year, we could all do with some inspiration, so we're starting the year off with a miniseries of inspirational songs. First up, we look at The Sound of Music for the first time, with "Climb Ev'ry Mountain." The last Rodgers & Hammerstein collaboration, this 1959 musical is one of the best known and best loved of all Broadway -- and film -- musicals. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jul 2022 | Episode 57 - The Phantom of the Opera | 00:38:01 | |
The undisputed king of the megamusical, Andrew Lloyd Webber, is back with his biggest hit, and one of the biggest hits in musical theater history: The Phantom of the Opera. This episode we discuss the title song, our history with the show in general, and the sequel that never really caught on. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Sep 2021 | Episode 39 - Hello Dolly! from Hello Dolly! | 00:33:18 | |
Everybody on stage for the big dance number! Yes, for our next miniseries, we are looking at some of Broadway's most iconic production numbers, starting with 1964's "Hello Dolly!" from...yes, you guessed it, Hello Dolly! We talk about the alchemy that this show captured and how it's the quintessence of a certain kind of Broadway show. All clips are from the 1964 Original Broadway Cast album with Carol Channing as Dolly Levi and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Mar 2023 | Episode 69 - Tomorrow | 00:25:59 | |
We return to Annie, a show we last talked about a few years back with Miss Hanigan's delicious villain song. This time, however, we're taking a look at the show's signature tune --and one of the most recognizable musical theater songs of all time -- "Tomorrow." Is it inspirational or an example of what's wrong with America? Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Feb 2022 | Episode 48 - I Know Things Now | 00:32:32 | |
In honor of the upcoming anniversary of his birthday, we are beginning our third annual Stephen Sondheim miniseries. This time, we are focusing on four of the songs from Into the Woods, perhaps his most accessible and most popular show. In our first episode, we discuss Little Red's song "I Know Things Now" and talk about how it connects with the many themes running through the show. All clips are from the 1987 original cast recording of Into the Woods featuring Danielle Ferland and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Sep 2024 | Episode 103 - Masquerade | 00:29:02 | |
We're back with another second act opener! This one combines impressive spectacle, plot recap, and a flexible yet catchy tune to ease the audience back into a world of high romance and melodrama. Join us as we discuss "Masquerade" from The Phantom of the Opera and how it does what it does very, very well. Buy/listen to the performance on Amazon! Watch the performance on YouTube! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify! Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com
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| 15 Oct 2021 | Episode 41 - One from A Chorus Line | 00:33:50 | |
We're dancing for our jobs and our lives as we enter The Chorus Line and it's powerful finale "One." Another Pulitzer Prize winner, A Chorus Line is one of Broadway's most famous and greatest success stories, and "One" is arguably its most iconic song. All clips are from the 1975 Original Broadway Cast album and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Listen to and buy the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Jul 2023 | Episode 77 - In the Heights | 00:38:33 | |
Another title song, and this time it's a title song that opens the show and sets up the rest of the show. We're talking about In the Heights again, exploring how Lin-Manuel Miranda uses its opening number to set up both the main characters and most of the plotlines that we need to know. All clips are from 2021's In the Heights: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack featuring Anthony Ramos as Usnavi and are used in accordance with the Fair Use Exemption for criticism and commentary. Buy/stream the album on Amazon! Listen to the SMSTS playlist on Spotify. Follow the show on Twitter: @somuchstuffpod Follow SMSTS on Instagram: @somuchstufftosing Email the show: somuchstufftosing@gmail.com | |||