A Bouquet of Broadway Love Songs
Need a little romantic nudge this Valentine’s Day? You’ve come to the right place. The Great White Way has always been the ultimate go-to spot for epic romantic moments, especially those sung from one enamored character to another. To help set the amorous tone for you and the one you’re with or want to be with, we’ve collected a bouquet of beauteous love ballads currently taking center stage on Broadway. Whether you’re seeking the perfect date night scene to take in from the audience, or just need help compiling a downloadable list of moody melodies for a private evening, look no further than this list of guaranteed Valentine’s showstoppers.
1. “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” – The Lion King
The long-awaited coming together of two childhood friends under a starlit night on the African plains is already romantic enough. Never mind that they’re lions—true love knows no bounds. Then cue the charming duet “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” by Sir Elton John, the same hand that penned pop classics like “Your Song” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down On Me,” dim those lights and toss in a harmonizing Broadway chorus as backup, and suddenly everyone in the room really is feeling the love, or at least like snuggling up next to their nearest and dearest.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “Can you feel the love tonight/You needn’t look too far/Stealing through the night’s uncertainties/Love is where they are”
2. “I Could Write a Book” – Pal Joey
Famed songwriting team Rodgers and Hart never had an issue composing odes to, about and lamenting love. So when Pal Joey’s tall, dark and handsome title star locks eyes over a cup of coffee with a sweet, innocent Midwestern girl in a late-night Chicago diner, he knows exactly what to say to win her over. Steal his cute, simple lines which have been covered by everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to Harry Connick Jr., for good reason for your next pick-up attempt, and you’ll likely have the same success minus the break-up drama, hopefully as Joey.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “And the simple secret of the plot/Is just to tell them that I love you a lot/Then the world discovers as my book ends/How to make two lovers of friends”
3. “Kiss The Girl” – The Little Mermaid
We don’t want to spell it out for you, but if there’s one mood-setting song that drives its point home, it’s this one. You may not have the radiant blue lagoon or bevy of magical sea creatures helping you pull off an immaculate first date, but at least there’ll be no awkward misinterpreting of what’s on your mind when this sweet Disney ditty queues up. Added bonus: Constant encouragement from musical cheerleader Sebastian the Crab, in case you start to lose your nerve when you go in for that anticipated smooch.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “Yes, you want her/Look at her, you know you do/It’s possible she wants you too/There is one way to ask her/It don’t take a word/Not a single word/Go on and kiss the girl”
4. “All I Ask of You” – The Phantom of the Opera
Raul and Christine, two of Broadway’s most beloved lovers, have been wooing each other with this Andrew Lloyd Webber ballad for over 20 years—and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The operatic request SPOILER ALERT: one that contains a romantic proposal from one smitten kitten to another is so moving, it was released as a mainstream single as sung by Sarah Brightman and Cliff Richard in 1986 with the great Barbra Streisand eventually taking it on as well. Count on this old reliable to articulate all the things you can’t.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “Say you’ll share with me one love, one lifetime/let me lead you from your solitude/Say you need me with you here, beside you/Anywhere you go, let me go too/That’s all I ask of you”
5. “I Think I Got You Beat” – Shrek
All right, a miserable ogre and a misplaced princess bickering in front of a talking donkey about whose life has been the most unbearable might not seem like a natural choice for a sugary Valentine’s Day playlist. But we have to support any romantic catharsis that takes place in a “who-is-the-gassiest” showdown at this tune’s climax—not only does it epitomize the old adage that “every pot has its lid,” but it also celebrates the sort of healthy competition that can be good for any relationship. Besides, if you can’t laugh with the one you love, then who can you laugh with?
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “I think I got you beat, yeah yeah yeah/I think I got you beat, yeah yeah yeah/I think I got you beat/yeah yeah yeah…”
6. “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” – Jersey Boys
Gentlemen, take note: this song has literally been melting the hearts of ladies since 1967, when Frankie Valli, the original Jersey boy, set off a frenzy of hand-holding and longing glances with the Billboard Hot 100-topping, gold record-earning single. Currently being crooned eight shows a week as part of the recording idol’s biographical Broadway phenomenon, this evergreen showstopper never fails to set the right tone. Whether it’s your first date or you stopped counting, this song will bring back fond memories or inspire new ones.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “You’re just too good to be true/Can’t take my eyes off of you/You’d be like Heaven to touch/I wanna hold you so much/At long last love has arrived/And I thank God I’m alive/You’re just too good to be true/Can’t take my eyes off you”
7. “As Long As You’re Mine” – Wicked
Talk about secret lovers: the most ostracized woman in all of Oz, already on the lam from the authorities, finds herself in the arms of her longtime crush, the most eligible bachelor in town—who just so happens to be her former best friend’s fiancé. Drama! But as the star-crossed couple starts singing Stephen Schwartz’s pop-infused melody about their romantic missteps and the fact that they’ll have to make the most of what little time they have together, we can’t help but get all warm and gushy inside. It’s all in wickedly good fun.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “Just for this moment/As long as you’re mine/I’ve lost all resistance/and crossed some borderline/and if it turn out/it’s over too fast/I’ll make every last moment last/As long as you’re mine”
8. “I’ll Know” – Guys and Dolls
When soul-saving mission doll Sarah Brown shows off her golden pipes in an earnest declaration of how she’ll discover Mr. Right, it’s nothing short of endearing. But when her utterly mismatched gangster love-interest, Sky Masterson, replies, the sparks really start flying. This oft-sung duet has become one of musical theater’s favorite standards, but it is composer/lyricist Frank Loesser’s honest, straightforward words that give the song staying power. Love may leave you tongue-tied, so make sure this one is on hand should words fail you.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “I’ll know long before we can speak/I’ll know in my heart/I’ll know and I won’t ever ask/Am I right, am I wise, am I smart/And I’ll stop/And I’ll stare/At that face in the throng/Yes, I’ll know when my love comes along”
9. “Sunrise” – In the Heights
Childhood pals Nina and Benny have the sort of history romantic comedies are built upon—they’ve known each other forever, watched each other grow into logical, compatible mates… and still haven’t gotten together. When the pair finally solidify their mutual flirtation, the result is a post-coital Spanish lesson between the couple at the break of dawn in on a hot summer morning in Washington Heights—and one of the sexiest, sweetest balcony well, fire escape scenes since West Side Story. That rising sun? That humming, Latin-infused score? Those bilingual lovers whispering sweet nothings in two different languages? Suddenly we’re the ones getting weak-kneed!
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “And how do you say promise me?/Prometeme/Promise me you’ll stay beyond the sunrise/I don’t care at all what people say beyond the sunrise/Promise me you’ll stay/I’ll stay…”
10. “You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want” – Avenue Q
Let’s just come out and say it: Love isn’t all about sonnets, flowers, chocolates and innocent eyelash-batting. But how to address the more, er, active side of amore? Fortunately, the cheeky creators of Avenue Q dedicated an entire song to the enthusiastic encouragement of a little naughty behavior—and they hold nothing back. We can’t print most of the lyrics here, but be assured the title means exactly what you think it does and that this is the one is a perfect fit for when you’re feeling frisky.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “Don’t let the neighbors stop you from havin’ fun/They’ll have peace and quiet when you’re good and done/Be as loud as the you want/When you’re making love”
11. “A Wonderful Guy” – South Pacific
Ladies, now it’s your turn to take note—while South Pacific’s “Some Enchanted Evening” is pure romance, we could all learn a lesson from cock-eyed optimist Nellie Forbush’s wholehearted and downright blunt admission of love. Rarely before or since has a besotted beach babe dropped the beguiling wordiness of womanhood much to the relief of confused men everywhere and gotten straight to the point. Unfortunately, her man isn’t around to hear any of it, but that doesn’t have to be the case for you if you let this song speak for you.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: “I’m as corny as Kansas in August/High as a flag on the Fourth of July/If you’ll excuse and expression I use/I’m in love, I’m in love, I’m in love, I’m in love/I’m in love with a wonderful guy”
12. “I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do” – Mamma Mia!
What would a Valentine’s Day list be without a big, bold, somewhat outrageous marriage proposal? We end with a bang at Broadway’s mother of all weddings, with one of Mamma Mia’s three former lovers on bended knee popping the ultimate question. For brides or grooms-to-be who aren’t quite sure how to express their enthusiasm, look no further than ABBA’s lyrics. And for those of you getting cold feet, let the disco-laced hit move you right down towards the altar.
Swoon-inducing lyrics: "So come on, now lets try it/I love you, can’t deny it/cuz it’s true/I do, I do, I do, I do, I do/So love me or leave me/Make your choice but believe me/I love you"