Inspired by the release of the Moulin Rouge musical cast recording, we noticed that quite a few of the songs have been used in more than one musical. Following some research, we've pulled together a list of 10 songs that are featured in more than one musical, from Jukebox to Rodgers and Hammerstein theres some surprises!
Whats Love Got to Do with It
The Song was originally sung by Tina Turner and released in 1984, the song went to number 1 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for three weeks. This song is, of course, featured in the musical TINA: The Tina Tuner Musical. This musical tells the story of Turners life and originally opened in London in 2018 with a Broadway production planed to open in November 2019. The song is also sung by Miss Understanding in the musical version of the Australian film, Priscilla Queen of the Desert. It is also featured briefly in the musical version of Moulin Rouge in the Elephant Medley.
Nice Work if you Can Get it
George Gershwin wrote this song for the film version of Damsel in Distress, a 1937 film based on the 1928 play with a musical adaptation making its premier at the Chichester Festival Theatre in 2015. Its is, of course, also featured in the 2012 musical Nice Work If You Can Get it which is made up of songs written by George and Ira Gershwin. Crazy For You (1992) also features the number in its second act.
I Say a Little Prayer
Recorded and sung by Dianne Warwick in 1966 and released the following year. The song originally peaked at number four on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Aretha Franklin recorded the song in 1968 and when she released it, it reached number ten on the Hot 100 and number three on the R&B singles chart. Numerous artist have also released the song since then but it was put into the 2010 revival of Promises, Promises and it is also featured in Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
Someone To Watch Over Me
Composed in 1926, the George Gershwin and Ira Gershwin was originally written for the musical Oh, Kay! but also features in a few other musicals too. In the 1992 musical, Crazy for You, the song was taken and given to the character of Polly. The song is also featured in the musical Nice Work If You Can Get it, a musical featuring songs by George and Ira Gershwin, and in the 2012 Biography musical about Susan Boyle, I Dreamed a Dream.
Jailhouse Rock
Elvis originally sung and recorded this song, released in 1957. The song reached number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 and stayed there for seven weeks, Rolling Stone magazine also included it at number 67 on its list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. The song is featured in a few musicals, some with Elvis themes. All Shock Up (also known as Love Me Tender) is a Jukebox musical that uses the back catalogue of Elvis to tell the story features it as its opening number. It is also featured in Elvis, Smokey Joes Cafe and Boogie Nights.
Good Vibrations
Composed by Brian Wilson with lyrics by Mike Love for The Beach Boys, this song reached number one in the UK and US music charts. Its since been released numerous times and received a Grammy nomination for Best Vocal Group performance in 1966 and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1994. The song is featured in the 1989 Olivier Award winner for Best New Musical, Return to the Forbidden Planet and is used as a number and the title in the Brain Wilson and The Beach Boys Jukebox musical, Good Vibrations.
So Far
Rodgers and Hammerstein wrote this song for the 1947 musical, Allegro. The song has been recorded numerous times since it originally appeared in Allegro, probably most famously by Frank Sinatra in 1947, reaching number 8 in the music charts. The song also appeared in the 1996 musical State Fair, which features a few songs from other Rodgers and Hammerstein classics.
Material Girl
This song was featured on Madonnas 1984 album 'Like a Virgin', being released as a single the following year. The song is featured in the musical adaptation of the 1994 movie, Priscilla Queen of the Desert but only in the Broadway production. The creatives of the show believed the American audience would react better if the character of Adam/Felicia would obsess over Madonna rather than Kylie, which it had been in the earlier Australian and London productions. The song is also featured in the new musical version of the 2001 film, Moulin Rouge.
Disco Inferno
American Disco band, The Trammps, released the song on their fourth studio album which also shares the same title. The song failed to reach the top 10 charts around the world but has become one of the most known songs in the world. The musical Boogie Nights made its West End premier in 1998 features the song in the second act, Saturday Night Fever featured it in the original film and in its 1998 musical and it is also featured in the musical that uses the song as its title, Disco Inferno which premiered in London in 2004.
The Man I Used to Be
The Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals Pipe Dream and State Fair share a few of the same songs, The Man I Used to Be being one of them. Pipe Dream came first, being produced on Broadway in 1955 and State Fair came a little later, making its premier in 1969 and later remounted for a new Broadway production in 1996. A London production opened in 2010 at the Trafalgar Studios.
