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5 Songs

1) "Look for the Silver Lining" music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by B.G. DeSylva (as performed by Leslie Odom Jr.)- Leslie Odom Jr.'s Look for the Silver Lining encourages listeners to find the silver lining despite their situation. While reexamining the lyrics a few lines stood out to me: "Remember somewhere the sun is shining And so the right thing to do Is make it shine for you" Those lyrics reminded me that optimism, joy, or simply positive actions are a choice, moreover an active behavior as opposed to an involuntary reaction. No one can literally force the sun to shine down on them, but anyone can make their day brighter by finding joy in all situations. Furthermore, the song elaborates that seeking the good in life can fill people with joy. DeSylva writes, "A heart, full of joy and gladness Will always banish sadness and strife So always look for the silver lining And try to find the sunny side of life." I think this message is encouraging and significant given our circumstance. Personally, I need to work on being joyful in all scenarios instead of feeling sorry for myself, or becoming negative in the face of adversity.

2) Skid Row (Downtown) composer: Alan Menken lyricist: Howard Ashman- I love Little Shop of Horrors, anyway the lyrics to Skid Row accurately depict the struggles of working class urban life if not unemployed. The song holds so much truth and passion as the residents, in particularly Seymour and Audrey, express their desire to get out of Skid Row and pursue a better life. A line that stood out to me this listen was the opening of the song "Alarm goes off at seven And you start uptown You put in your eight hours For the powers that have always been Till it's 5pm." Lyrically, I was impressed by how much that line expresses working life and ultimately summarizes the strife that everyone on Skid Row is facing. Ultimately, I really love this song especially when Seymour comes in as well as Audrey and Seymour's duet towards the end of the song, and the company sounds so good. I could go on about this show for days at a time, but I really love the hope and ambition expressed from the ensemble as a whole.

3) The Light in the Piazza composer & lyricist: Adam Guettel- Clara's joy never ceases to amaze me, everytime I listen to this song it just resonates with me because Clara is so joyful in the face of adversity and that's something so admirable, that's fine character which deserves appreciation and respect. I just typed and deleted a plot summary of the show so now I'm going to focus on the lyrics! In this song, Clara's mother Margaret is trying to take Clara away from Italy following her panic attack the night prior. Margaret loves Clara, but she doubts whether Clara can get married and live on her own in Italy, she doubts the depth of Clara's feelings and treats her like a child despite her being engaged to Fabrizzio. Despite this doubt, Clara faces her mother with joy, Clara describes the overwhelming joy she has for living in Italy, her love for Fabrizio, and her yearning for life. And reading this song, it really is a poem. It's so beautiful. Some lines I admire are "I don't see a miracle. Shining from the sky. I'm no good at statues and stories. I try... That's not what I think about. That's not what I see. I know what the sunlight can be..." It's always resonates when you feel like you can't do anything right, this songs encourages me to turn to joy and the things or the people you love even in the worst of times. Turn to joy and love.

4) Stay With Me composer & lyricist: Stephen Sondheim- (I love Into The Woods, the music is so good even though the plot is so sad, but it's realistic and uses characters we're familiar with to depict the consequences of our actions and selfish ambition, beyond this message it seamlessly portrays the relationship between parent and child, very fine show) This song has so much emotion, so much love and fear. I really admire the witch's efforts to protect Rapunzel from the darkness she's faced in the world. Unfortunately Rapunzel doesn't listen and the the Giant squishes her, but anyway a line that caught my attention was "Princes wait there in the world, it's true Princes, yes, but wolves and humans, too Stay at home I am home." This line acknowledges the woods as a metaphor for the world, acknowledging that people are dangerous and capable of harm.

5) Since I Don't Have You written and composed by Jackie Taylor, James Beaumont, Janet Vogel, Joseph Rock, Joe Verscharen, Lennie Martin, and Wally Lester as performed Susan Wood (Grease 1994). Susan Wood sings this song so beautifully, it's just relaxing and wonderful. But this listen I've been focusing more on the lyrics than the music! "I don't have fond desires And I don't have happy hours I don't have anything Since I don't have you" The song really expresses Sandy's love for Danny, I enjoy the songs meaning in a less specific way, more of the idea that without passion life can feel empty.

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