Best Patter Songs
Best Patter Songs
#1Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 2:38am
I was just looking through audition material and realized that I needed a patter song, and I just got really involved in my search and fell in love all over again with some great patter songs. what are all of yours? (maybe some of your suggestions can help me on my search for the perfect one...)
Mine are:
Getting Married Today, of course, from Company
If (You Hadn't But You Did), from Two on the Aisle
Nina, from Sigh No More
Babette, from On the Twentieth Century
LadyRosecoe
Broadway Star Joined: 8/4/07
#2re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 2:45am
The Speed Test from Millie
A Paradox from Pirates of Penzance
SahDu
Leading Actor Joined: 3/22/05
#3re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 3:13am
What is the official definition of a patter song? I know what one is when I hear it, but what qualifies a song as patter?
Jeff
BwayBaby18
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/19/05
#6re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:12amDoes he/she mean Veronique?
Art has a double face, of expression and illusion.
Flaunt It
Broadway Star Joined: 10/26/05
#7re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:47am
The Museum Song - BARNUM
The Frying Pan Song - UNFINISHED SONG
Yankeefan007
Broadway Legend Joined: 3/20/04
#8re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 8:51am
A patter song is characterized by a very fast tempo and rhyming rhythmic lyrics.
"I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse."
misschung
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/18/07
#9re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 9:18amWhat about "The Revolutionary Costume" from Grey Gardens?
The morning star always gets wonderful bright the minute before it has to go --doesn't it?
#10re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 9:51am
I'm not sure of the title, but the song sung by COL Claverly early in the first act of Patience springs to mind:
If you want a receipt for that popular mystery,
(C.)
Known to the world as a Heavy Dragoon,
DRAGOONS
(saluting)
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
COLONEL
Take all the remarkable people in history,
Rattle them off to a popular tune.
DRAGOONS
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
COLONEL
The pluck of Lord Nelson on board of the Victory-
Genius of Bismarck devising a plan-
The humour of Fielding (which sounds contradictory)-
Coolness of Paget about to trepan-
The science of Jullien, the eminent musico-
Wit of Macaulay, who wrote of Queen Anne-
The pathos of Paddy, as rendered by Boucicault-
Style of the Bishop of Sodor and Man-
The dash of a D'Orsay, divested of quackery-
Narrative powers of Dickens and Thackeray-
Victor Emmanuel - peak-haunting Peveril-
Thomas Aquinas, and Doctor Sacheverell-
Tupper and Tennyson - Daniel Defoe-
Anthony Trollope and Mister Guizot! Ah!
DRAGOONS
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
COLONEL AND DRAGOONS
Take of these elements all
that is fusible
Melt them all down in a
pipkin or crucible-
Set them to simmer,
and take off the scum,
And a Heavy Dragoon
is the residuum!
COLONEL
If you want a receipt for this soldier-like paragon,
Get at the wealth of the Czar (if you can)-
The family pride of a Spaniard from Aragon-
Force of Mephisto pronouncing a ban-
A smack of Lord Waterford, reckless and rollicky-
Swagger of Roderick, heading his clan-
The keen penetration of Paddington Pollaky-
Grace of an Odalisque on a divan-
The genius strategic of Caesar or Hannibal-
Skill of Sir Garnet in thrashing a cannibal-
Flavour of Hamlet - the Stranger, a touch of him-
Little of Manfred (but not very much of him)-
Beadle of Burlington - Richardson's show-
Mister Micawber and Madame Tussaud! Ah!
DRAGOONS
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!
COLONEL and DRAGOONS
Take of these elements all
that is fusible
Melt them all down in a
pipkin or crucible-
Set them to simmer,
and take off the scum,
And a Heavy Dragoon
is the residuum!
#11re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:50am
-If (You Hadn't But You Did) "Two on the Isle"
-Getting Married Today "Company"
-Logic "Dance of the Vampires"
-The Tea Party "Dear World"
-The Story of Lucy and Jessie "Follies"
-Bargaining "Do I Hear A Waltz?"
-Why Can't We All Be Nice? "Goodtime Charley"
-How Marvin Eats His Breakfast "In Trousers"
-Carousel "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris"
-Franklin Shepard Inc. "Merrily We Roll Along"
-She's A Nut "On the Twentieth Century"
-Don't Ah Ma Me "The Rink"
-Words, Words, Words "The Witches of Eastwick"
ggersten
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/11/06
#12re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 10:59am
I don't know the names/shows, but Danny Kaye had several:
I think the Russian Composer number was from Lady in the Dark, originally.
EganFan2
Broadway Star Joined: 9/8/04
#14re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 11:20am
"Tchiakovsky (and Other Russians)" from Lady In The Dark is a classic example of a patter song. Danny Kaye would rattle off the names of 50 Russian composers in about 35-40 seconds.
In Let's Face It Kaye had another great patter song by Cole Porter called "Let's Not Talk About Love" where he raced through lyrics like...
Let's check on the veracity
Of Barrymore's babacity
And why why his drink capacity
Should get so much publacity
Let's even have a huddle
Over Harvard Univasity
But let's not talk about love.
#15re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 11:21am
"Tchiakovsky (and Other Russians)" from Lady In The Dark is a classic example of a patter song. Danny Kaye would rattle off the names of 50 Russian composers in about 35-40 seconds.
In Let's Face It Kaye had another great patter song by Cole Porter called "Let's Not Talk About Love" where he raced through lyrics like...
Let's check on the veracity
Of Barrymore's babacity
And why why his drink capacity
Should get so much publacity
Let's even have a huddle
Over Harvard Univasity
But let's not talk about love.
#16re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 12:26pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patter_song
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_patter_songs
sabrelady
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
#17re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 12:51pmOne of the best is The Nightmare Song from Iolanthe by G&S- I belleve every prodution had @ least 1 patter song( Not sure re Yeoman)
jonartdesigns
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/15/04
#18re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 1:05pmtwo more modern ones i enjoy- therapy from tick tick boom, and blood in the water from legally blonde (doesn't speed up but i've seen it called a patter song)
"Grease," the fourth revival of the season, is the worst show in the history of theater and represents an unparalleled assault on Western civilization and its values. - Michael Reidel
#19re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 1:11pm
some are repeats, but my favorites include:
The museum song- Barnum
The British admiral's section from "please Hello" from "Pacific Overtures" - possibly the best patter song in recent history
Tonight at Eight - She Loves me
"I'm an American, Damnit!!! And if it's three things I don't believe in, it's quitting and math."
Boq101
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/20/06
#20re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 1:16pm
Every Gilbert and Sullivan musical (that I know anyway) has a patter song in the first 30 minutes of the show for the bass/baritone.
the Judge in Trial By Jury, the Captain in Pinafore, ect.
Juliash
Broadway Star Joined: 3/6/07
#21re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 1:19pmI Know Things Now, when done at the intended speed is a patter song.
Color and Light
Broadway Star Joined: 10/23/05
#22re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 2:14pm
"Putting It Together"
I've got an elephant's memory--however, for the life of me, I cannot memorize this song in its entirety. And this is from the girl who will make a happy hour out of memorizing Gilbert and Sullivan songs.
Stop looking at my charisma.
#23re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 2:16pm"They Couldn't Compare to You" from Cole Porter's "Out of This World"
fiyero8132
Broadway Star Joined: 4/27/05
Jon
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/20/04
#25re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 5:46pm
"Both Sides fo the Coin" from The Mystery of Edwin Drood
"Trouble" from The Music Man
"The Caper" from 70 Girls 70
The Witch's Rap section of the opening of Into The Woods
"The Royal Nonesuch" and "A Hand for the Hog" from Big River
regnad kcin
Leading Actor Joined: 8/26/05
#27re: Best Patter Songs
Posted: 12/30/07 at 9:35pmI think nothing beats Modern Major General in Pirates of Penzance. And is the Captain's (from Pinafore) song patter - does the speed really progress?
