Broadway Belts Out Aging Songs

With the Tony Awards now over (Congrats Hamilton for receiving so many nominations), it’s interesting to see which songs, over the years, have stayed around.

John Stark of PBS’ Next Avenue recently rounded up a baker’s dozen of songs that celebrate the agony and the ecstasy of aging.

Here are a few of the tunes on his list:

Hello Young Lovers, The King and I (Rodgers and Hammerstein)

The sight of young lovers can take us back in time when we, too, felt the joy of first love. This piece sung by Anna, the governess who was hired by the King of Siam, is not a lament about the lack of first love. It is a poignant remembrance of a bygone time when she had a lover of her own.

I’m Still Here, Follies (Stephen Sondheim)
The song highlights the ups and downs of an aging movie queen’s life. It is a testament to the character’s strength that she has survived both good and bad times, as have so many of us.

No One Is Alone, Into the Woods (Stephen Sondheim)
It takes age and maturity to have the kind of wisdom this ballad addresses. To accept that not all is at it seems and that sometimes even good goes bad – and vice versa - comes with age. The message acknowledges the dark night of the soul and the light of hope that arises when we keep on keeping on.

There are so many more songs out there to explore. And if you’ve got one or two (or three) favorites of your own, don’t hesitate to belt them out. You never know who among those listening will understand and appreciate the words.

To read the rest of Stark’s list, click here.