Top 11 Songs From Smash

Now that NBC has canceled “Smash,” what will happen to the original songs created for this TV series about Broadway? Here are 11 that should last. (Lyrics are below the videos)

1. Let Me Be Your Star, with Megan Hilty (written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman)

2.The National Pastime, with Megan Hilty (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman)

3. 20th Century Fox Mambo, with Katharine McPhee (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman)

4. Hang The Moon – duet between Bernadette Peters and Megan Hilty (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman)

5. Second Hand Baby Grand, with Megan Hilty (Shaiman and Wittman)

6. Don’t Say Yes Until I Finish Talking, with Christian Borle (Shaiman and Wittman)

7. Broadway, Here I Come, with Jeremy Jordan (written by Joe Iconis)

8. Caught in the Storm, with Katharine McPhee (written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul)

9. A Love Letter From The Times, with Christian Borle and Liza Minnelli (Shaiman and Wittman)

10. The Goodbye Song, with Jeremy Jordan and Katharine McPhee (Joe Iconis)

11. Don’t Forget Me, with Megan Hilty (Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman)

Let Me Be Your Star:

Fade in on a girl
With a hunger for fame
And a face and a name to remember
The past fades away
Because as of this day
Norma Jean’s gone
She’s moving on
Her smile and your fantasies
Play a duet
That will make you forget
Where you are
The music starts playing,
It’s the beat of her heart saying
Let me be your star
Flashback to a girl
With a song in her heart
As she’s waiting to start the adventure
The fire and drive
That make dreams come alive
They fill her soul
She’s in control
The drama, the laughter

The tears just like pearls
Well they’re all in this girl’s repertoire
It’s all for the taking
And it’s magic we’ll be making
Let me be your star
I just have to forget the hurt that came before
Forget what used to be
The past is on the cutting room floor
The future is here with me, choose me
Fade up on a star
With it all in her sights
All the love and the lights
That surround her
Someday she’ll think twice
Of the dues and the price
She’ll have to pay (She’ll Have to pay)
But not today (But not today)
She’ll do all she can
For the love of one man
And for millions who love from afar
I’m what you’ve been needing
It’s all here and my heart’s pleading
Let me be your star

The National Pastime

Fellas! (Yeah?)
Fellas! (Is it?)
Hey, team! (Off the benches, it’s Marilyn!)

I just got a date (She just got a date!)
With baseball’s Joltin’ Joe! (That lucky so-and-so!)
So run me ‘round the bases,
Put me through my paces,
And teach me all the things a slugger’s lover
Should know!

What’s that there? (That’s the pitcher’s mound!)
Have you ever seen a shape that is so perfectly round?
(Batter up!) Play ball!
(You better give it your all!)
‘Cause all men like to play at
The national pastime.

Who’s that man? (That’s the first base coach!)
Have you noticed that he signals every time I approach?
(Kill the ump!) Throw him out!
(Because there isn’t a doubt..)
That all men like to play at
The national pastime!

When I was just a little girl,
I liked being dainty and purty.
But now that I’m giving sports a whirl,
I find I kinda like to get dirty!
(Yeah!)

(Baby, what’s that there?) That’s the team bullpen,
And I like the odds I’m seeing: no girls, all men!
(Hit the deck, look alive!
Beware the lady’s line drive!)
Because my skill and my passion’ll
Elevate the national…

Peanuts!
Hot Dogs! Crackerjack!
I don’t care, I don’t care if I ever get back!
(When the season’s over, the play won’t end…)
‘Cause a baseball diamond is a girl’s best friend!

Yes, my style and my fashion’ll
Elevate the national
Pastime!

The 20th Century Fox Mambo

At Paramount it’s “Oh la la”
The Warner Brothers “Cha Cha Cha”
And L.B. Mayer loves his schmaltz
so MGM made the great waltz.
But the 20th Century Foxtrot…
It’s precious but precious
It’s not hot!
To make the big boys hire me, please make that rhythm fiery
(Come on boys and girls, make me over)
In this factory where dreams can come true,
Are you ready to make someone new?
You’re the team that must teach me to do,
The 20th Century Fox Mambo!
Done the homework and I’ll pass the test,
I’ll do whatever my teacher suggests.
I can do it clothed or undressed,
The 20th Century Fox Mambo!
Make it up! Shake it up!
Let the fantasies begin!
Here’s the dope:
To get cast, change the past
Make the light just right for Cinemascope
Take a gamble cause it’s safe to bet
Mister Zanick ain’t seen nothin’ yet!
When we’re finished he’ll never forget
This 20th Century Fox!
Ah! Ah-ah! For fame… Play the game… Change your name… To the 20th Century Fox!
Make it up! Shake it up!
Make me feel like the main attraction
Change the clothes, fix the nose
And then 5,6,7,8, Action! (ACTION!)
Now I’m blonde but I ain’t so dumb (No!)
Hollywood will be under my thumb (Yes!)
I’ll change partners until I become…
The 20th Century Fox Mambo!

Hang The Moon
If our lives were a movie
I’d know what to do
I’d write every scene with my heart
An RKO picture that stars me and you
And this time I’d learn my part

I’d paint you some scenery
We’d sing, and we’d dance
From morning ’til late afternoon
And when that scene is done
Then I’d take down the sun
And for you darling, I’ll hang the moon

We’d wake up to sunshine
Like lights on a set
You’d reach out and there’d be my hand
All day there’d be music, a perfect duet
That flows from the white baby grand

At night when you’re frightened
I’d play you to sleep
That melody from Clair de Lune
And to fill up the sky
Past the clouds, I would fly
And for you darling, I’ll hang the moon

Hang the moon forever
So you’d never fear the darkness
The darkness I’ve known
Moon protect Norma Jean
So that she’ll never be alone
Never alone

If our lives were a movie
Then you’d be the star
‘Cause now I know the role I should play
To applaud all you do
All the things that you are
And just be there on opening day

I know in the past
That the lines were all wrong
And the music was never in tune
But the wish that I make
Is for just one more take
Because then darling
I’ll hang the moon

I’ll hang the moon above you
So you’ll never fear the darkness
The darkness of night
Then you’ll know I love you
Each time that you feel the light
Feel the light

If our lives were a movie
Then I’d cut away
All the moments when I wasn’t there
The scenes that are happy
Are all that will stay
The rest will dissolve into air

As the final reel ends
We might both shed a tear
For the ending is coming up soon
But when the screen fades to black
We can smile and look back
And for you darling I’ll hang the moon

Second Hand Baby Grand

My mother bought it secondhand from a silent movie star
It was out of tune but still I learned to play
And with each note we both would smile forgetting who we are
And all the pain would simply fly away
Chorus:
Something secondhand and broken still can make a pretty sound
Even if it doesn’t have a place to live
Oh, the words were left unspoken when my momma came around
But that Secondhand White Baby Grand still had something beautiful to give
Through missing keys and broken strings the music was our own
Until the day we said our last goodbyes
The baby grand was sent away, a child all alone, to pray somebody else would realize
Chorus:
That something secondhand and broken still can make a pretty sound
Even if it doesn’t have a place to live

Oh. the words are still unspoken now that momma’s not around
But that Secondhand White Baby Grand still has something beautiful to give
For many years the music had to roam
Until we found a way to find a home.
So now I wake up every day and see her standing there.
Just waiting for a partner to compose
And I wish my mother still could hear
That sound beyond compare
I’ll play her song till everybody knows.

That something secondhand and broken still can make a pretty sound
Don’t we all deserve a family room to live
Oh. the words can’t stay unspoken until everyone has found
That Secondhand White Baby Grand that still has something beautiful to give.
I still have something beautiful to give

Don’t Say Yes Until I Finish Talking

A studio executive has no beliefs
That’s the way of the studio system
We bow to every rear of all the studio chiefs
And you can bet your ass we’ve kissed ’em
Even the birds in the Hollywood Hills
Know the secret to our success
It’s those magical words that pay the bills:
Yes, yes, yes, and yes

Gentlemen! Take a memo.
Today the Trades are all aglow
With grosses for our Miss Monroe
The things those vermin mustn’t know
Is what she puts us through
She makes directors wait all day
One line per hour is all she’ll say
And still, she thinks we’re gonna pay
She needs a talking to
Tomatoes like her must be put in their place
If she don’t shape up soon, she’ll soon be walking
‘Cause the buck stops with me

Yes you’re right, we agree!

Uh, don’t say yes until I finish talking
She’s got them all tied up in knots
Makes each producer faint in plotz
She thinks she’s queen and calls the shots
As she sits on a thrown
She needs to learn she’s only skin
The next girl’s waiting for a spin
I made a star of Rin Tin Tin and paid him with a bone
Tomatoes like her
Well, they’re easy to find
We throw them out as soon as they start squacking
So, get me some younger dish

We concur, as you wish!

Hey! Don’t say yes until I finish talking
And while you’ve got me on a roll
Let’s find a role for Nat King Cole
Tell Mankiewicz his script is trite
A little lower, to the right
I think that Brando is miscast
That television just won’t last
That I’m the king of Hollywood

All hail the king!

Oh, that feels good
Which brings me back to that dumb blonde
To her demands, I now respond
Some buy your act, but I’m not conned
You’d better fall in line
Your two bazooms are nuts to boot
I’ll keep you in a bathing suit
When you stop bringing in the loot
Well, go back to the vine
Tomatoes like you
They all wither and die
My powers, though, will never be diminished
So don’t bring me to my boiling point
You’re just a broad, I own the joint
I’m in control, you’re just a face
So allow me to cut to the chase
I’ll make another movie star
Could someone light my damn cigar?
And then say “yes”
Cause yes, men
I’m finished

YES!

Broadway Here I Come

I’m high above the city
I’m standing on the ledge
The view from here is pretty
And I step off the edge

And now I’m falling, baby, through the sky, through the sky
I’m falling, baby, through the sky
It’s my calling, baby, don’t you cry, don’t you cry
I’m falling down through the sky

Toward the street that I’m from

Oh Broadway here I come
Broadway here I come

The pressure it increases
The closer that I get
I could almost go to pieces
But I’m not quite there yet

See I’ve been braving crazy weather
Drownin’ out my cries
I’ll pull myself together
I’m focused on the prize

I’m falling, baby, through the sky, through the sky
I’m falling, baby, through the sky
It’s my calling, baby, don’t you cry, don’t you cry
I’m falling down through the sky

Its a tune you can hum
Oh Broadway here I come

hmmmmmmmmm

Will I remain the same, or will it change a little bit
Will I feel broken or totally complete

Will I retain my name when I’m the biggest hugest hit

Or will I blend in with the rest of the street

The people all are pointing
I bet they’d never guess
That the saint that they’re anointing
Is frightened of the mess

But even though I fear it
I’m playing all my cards
Baby, you are gonna hear it
When I give them my regards

I’m falling, baby, through the sky, through the sky
I’m falling, baby, through the sky
It’s my calling, baby, don’t you cry, don’t you cry
I’m falling down through the sky

And I refuse to go numb

Oh, Broadway here I come
Broadway, here I come
Broadway, here I come
Broadway, Broadway, here I come
Here I come!

And the last thing I hear
As the impact grows near
Is it a scream or a cheer?
Well, never mind, I’ll never find out
‘Cause Broadway, I am here!


Caught In The Storm

You can push me away
I can take it
I can make you a promise
and break it
We know the way it goes by now

Running off just to see
if I chase you
I pretend I know how
to replace you
still we get tangled up
somehow

Hear it thunder
and I wonder
How long can I hang on

I’m caught in the storm
I’m caught in the rain
I’m caught in the rush
that hides this pain

I’m ready to drown
but it’s coming down
but I feel so alive

Just let me go
Just walk away
If you love someone
you never let them stay

caught in the storm

as the bars on the Bowery
are closing
you arrive at the door
standing frozen
you say you thought you’d find me here

tell me how I begin
to forget you
when you keep coming back
and I let you
Love me until you disappear

I’m caught in the storm
I’m caught in the rain
I’m caught in the rush
that hides this pain

I’m ready to drown
but it’s coming down
but I feel so alive

Just let me go
Just walk away
If you love someone
you never let them stay

caught in the storm

Let me wash away
you can find me after the flood
let me wash away

caught in the storm
caught in the rain
caught in the rush
that hides this pain

If you love someone
you find a way to stay
caught in the storm

hmmm

A Love Letter From The Times

Tom:
Today at tech where life’s a zoo
What irony, I missed my cue
Your birthday almost came and went
No wonder you were malcontent
And so tonight to right the wrong
I’ve written you a birthday song
But I ain’t gonna wing it
Look who I got to sing it

Liza:
May each evening be a triumph
Where are the planets are aligned
With you, the star that hits the sky and climbs
And when you’re waking in the morning
Well, dear friend, I hope you find
A love letter from The Times

Then, an afternoon of roses
Like the At Home section brings
Just past the metro section and its crimes
They’re yellin’ on the sports page
But the Arts and Leisure sings to you
A love letter from The Times

A full page ad that’s full of quotes
About your face, your style, those notes
superlatives about your gifts prolific
The raves from me would never end
About the girl who’s my best friend
She’s wonderful, she’s special, she’s terrific

So that’s the gift I wish for you
And hope I can achieve
And someday when we both run out of rhymes
I don’t care about my notice
But I know that you’ll receive
A love letter from The Times

Tom:
You’re older and I’m wiser
Ivy, look, I brought you Liza!

Liza:
With a love letter from The Times

The Goodbye Song
The time has come
I’m flying away
Mouth is numb
Heart don’t know what to say

And although I’ll be out of sight, dear
Know I’ll be right here
Right here forever, ever, ever, ever

When you look to the night skies
Don’t think of goodbyes
Think how I’m right here ever, ever, ever

Come

No, you can’t come with me

Stay

I wish I could

Goodbye aye-aye-aye

I know it’s hard to say

Come

No, you can’t come with me

Stay

I wish I could

Goodbye aye-aye-aye

I know it’s hard to say

Ow

I know it hurts to say

I’d stay if I could
But the universe won’t let me
So please be good
And don’t you forget me

And although I’ll be out of sight, dear
Know I’ll be right here
Right here forever, ever, ever, ever

When you look to the night skies
Don’t think of goodbyes

Think how I’m right here ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever

Don’t Forget Me
They thought they could dispose of me
They tried to make me small
I suffered each indignity
But now rise above it all

Yes, the price I paid was all I had
But at last, I found release
And if something good can come from bad
The past can rest in peace

Oh if you see someone’s hurt
And in need of a hand
Don’t forget me
Or hear a melody crying from some baby grand
You don’t forget me

When you sing happy birthday to someone you love
Or see diamonds you wish were all free
Please say that you won’t;
I pray that you don’t forget me

But forget every man who I ever met
‘Cause they only lived to control
For a kiss they paid a thousand
Yet they paid fifty cents for my soul
They took their piece
The price of fame that no one can repay
Ah, but they didn’t buy me when they bought my name
And that is why I pray

That when you see someone’s hurt
And in need of a hand
You don’t forget me
Or hear a melody crying from some baby grand
You don’t forget me

When you sing happy birthday to someone you love
Or see diamonds you wish were all free
Please say that you won’t;
I pray that you don’t forget me

There are some in this world who have strength on their own
Never broken or in need of repair
But there are some born to shine who can’t do it alone
So protect them and take special care
Take care

And don’t forget me
Please take care
And don’t forget me
When you look to the heavens with someone you love
And a light shining bright from afar
Hope you see my face there
And then offer a prayer
And please let me be
Let me be that star

Author: New York Theater

Jonathan Mandell is a 3rd generation NYC journalist, who sees shows, reads plays, writes reviews and sometimes talks with people.

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