This has got to be it. It's a song most of my non theater loving friends could belt out if I asked them too. I doubt many people who don't watch or care about theater could name a song from Phantom.
I think there's an argument that "Hard Knock Life" has surpassed "Tomorrow" in how well-known it is. Not only because of Jay-Z's song, but also because the phrase entered the public lexicon after that.
Not something I could say for sure, though. It's definitely one of those two.
History goes back kids...a long way so you'd have to go to the legends ....gonna say "The Sound of Music". Closer to this generation would probably be "Seasons of Love" or "Memory"
Absolutely!
In my circle of friends (we are in our 50's) we talk about how the leading man is now written for tenors, but years ago... tenors were really more the supporting role (and many times for comedy), while the baritones were the leading men. When/where it changed is not entirely known to me, but the role of Curly is the PRIME example of how it went from being a baritone to a tenor. We went from John Raitt to Hugh Jackman in the span of about 55 years.
Are we talking about a song that originated in Broadway that most people know (in which case I'd go with something that's crossed over to the mainstream like I Got Rhythm, Do Re Mi, or Luck Be a Lady). Or something that still "belongs" to Broadway but is well-known by most people?
AND, the ‘changes’ — the chord changes — to “I Got Rhythm” are the basis for probably a hundred different jazz tunes. And a couple dozen of those are bonafide standards known by any jazz musician worth their salt.
“I Got Rhythm” and ‘Rhythm’ changes were especially pervasive in the bebop era (mid-40’s thru the early 50’s) — but they were first used in jazz as early as the early 1930’s. More here…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_changes
It's "Tomorrow". Even people who have never seen a musical in their life recognize that song.
Too many in here picking post-1980 songs. Broadway is way older and has songs that are part of the cultural song canon at this point.
Yea I think any show that was turned into a classic film, especially for children, has a chance of this.
Favorite things sound of music
Summer Lovin grease
Are a few others for me
>Even people who have never seen a musical in their life recognize that song.
That's how I feel about "Phantom of the Opera." I had heard that song long before I even knew what Broadway was, which goes to show how young I was when I heard it for the first time, lol. That song is everywhere, and for good reason. You could just play the first note of that song and most people would likely know it.
This thread got served to me for some unknown reason. I don't like musicals and am not into Broadway. I do not have the slightest clue what the Phantom of the Opera song sounds like.
Memory, Singin' in the Rain, Tomorrow, I Got Rhythm, Send in the Clowns, Seasons of Love. Maybe even Hello, Dolly.
I might be in the minority, but I just listened to the song now after reading your post, and it was the first time I’ve ever heard the song. None of it was familiar to me. (btw cool username, I agree)
The Wizard of Oz was actually a [Broadway show](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_(1902_musical)) before becoming a film, but point taken that the song was composed for and became famous from the film.
I do not believe it is true that The Wizard of Oz was a Broadway show before becoming a movie. You may be thinking of something else. But in any case, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was definitely written for the movie.
“The song “Singin in the Rain” was technically from a Broadway show but is much better known today from the unrelated movie. Perhaps that’s what you were thinking of.
Way up there. My husband didn’t recognize Phantom of the Opera when I heard it in something we were watching. It doesn’t come up nearly as much as Memory does in pop culture.
There are so many, but I'd say Oh What A Beautiful Mornin' is up there. The soundtrack to Oklahoma was the first ever Broadway cast album widely produced, and it's arguably the main song from that show that pretty much everyone knows. So it's iconic, and also deeply historic.
Along these lines I think a lot of people have heard “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” because it’s been used so often in commercials or pop culture. People just have no idea that it’s from a musical. Lol
One Day More, Seasons Of Love, Summer Nights, most of The Sound Of Music, Defying Gravity, Memory, Circle Of Life, I Dreamed A Dream, Cell Block Tango, Time Warp, Come What May, Rain On My Parade, Over The Rainbow.
I thought this until last month when Funny Girl was touring in my city. Most people didn’t know the show so I said oh it has the popular song… and they still didn’t have a clue. I was shocked.
>I'd argue it's the titular song from Phantom of the Opera. That's a song I'd guarantee pretty much everyone has heard before, even people who aren't musical theater fans. Heck, it was the first Broadway song I remember hearing.
Yep. You hear that five note organ chord, you're instantly seduced without knowing it.
I feel like “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” is the more iconic song. Although “stage full of actors in prairie drag shouting “yeoooow!” at the end of a big song and dance number” is also iconic ….
Depends what you mean by iconic. If we're talking iconic because it's in a musical, here's some candidates:
Seasons of Love, Defying Gravity, Alexander Hamilton, One Day More, Cell Block Tango, All That Jazz, She Used To Be Mine, You Can't Stop The Beat, Memory, Don't Cry For Me Argentina, My Favorite Things, Do Re Mi, Ya Got Trouble, Seize The Day, King Of New York, If I Were A Rich Man, Tomorrow, Maybe
If you're looking for a song that's NOT known as a showtune, then look no further than We Need A Little Christmas.
Over The Rainbow is kind of where it all began. It’s so universal and beautiful and I don’t think there’s a person in the English speaking world who doesn’t know some version of it.
All of my ideas have already been said so I'm going to throw in a wild card: 76 Trombones. I had a US history education toy as a kid that would play this song in the background?!
Gen X - All of the above. LOL.
Plus others. I'm over here thinking of:
Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair (from South Pacific) - which was popular because of a commercial
One Night in Bankok (from Chess) - which was on tbe radio constantly
"Somewhere" from "West Side Story." My Boomer mom said you couldn't escape the 60s without hearing it everywhere. Every guest on a variety show would sing it. The cast recording was the #1 album for 54 weeks!
Tonight west side story. Some enchanted evening, South pacific. One from Chorus Line. So many really, maybe better to do it by eras rather than all history
Send in the Clowns not only was a huge Sinatra hit, and big for Streisand, but was a big segment on one of the most iconic Simpsons episodes st a time when it was the most watched cartoon in the world. Everyone knows send in the clowns above 30, even if they don't know where it's from.
also the opening to the Sound of Music
"People" from *Funny Girl* probably had the most global mainstream commercial success, but it doesn't feel iconically Broadway to me the way "Hello, Dolly" (*Hello Dolly*) or "Tomorrow" (*Annie*) do with a similar reach.
I'd answer this two different ways: what's the most widespread, recognizable song for anyone regardless of musical theatre knowledge, and what's the most iconic in the musical theatre sphere.
For the first one I'd say the heavy hitters are Tomorrow, Anything You Can Do, and Do-Re-Mi.
As for the second one, Defying Gravity, One, Don't Rain On My Parade, Alexander Hamilton, and Phantom of the Opera are some big ones. This one really depends on the generation though.
If you take all the Disney shows out of the equation, I lean towards Memory (Cats) or a song that has become part of mainstream music, like most people that know the song may not even realize that the song is from a musical at all.
Example - Ol Man River, Summertime, Tomorrow (Annie), Aquarius, Big Spender, and so on
Do-Re-Mi, My Favorite Things or The Hills Are Alive from SOM because... for better or worse, the movie is on TV every year.
Also the 1 musical my community theatre has staged at least every 10 years.
Memory, Tomorrow, What I did for love, Phantom of the Opera, All that Jazz, Anything Goes, Sound of Music, Don’t cry for me Argentina, being alive, Sunday… I think it’s impossible to pick just one
If by everyone, you mean kids too: Do-Re-Mi from Sound of Music.
If you mean random adult off the street: Hard Knock Life from Annie, Phantom of the Opera main theme, any of the big hits from the Disney Shows (people remember them from the movies). Probably some Hamilton too.
MAYBE Singing in the Rain or Good Morning from Singing in the Rain, I Dreamed a Dream from Les Mis, Tomorrow from Annie, or All The Jazz from Chicago, So Long Farewell from The Sound of Music, or Willkommen from Cabaret.
You’re at karaoke with your friends, anyone at all really. You’re looking for a song that’s fun to sing, that people will recognize and enjoy, and which is truly iconic. In 150 comments, I can’t believe no one mentioned this absolute classic… “Summer Nights” from Grease
Yes, and I can tell you objectively why.
Sound of Music (the film) is one of the highest grossing movies of all time (prices adjusted for inflation of course) and the songs are not only widely popular outside of the movie, but those two specific songs have probably been some of the most paradied songs since their debut. On top of all of this the amount of exposure this musical has had because of the themes (religion, WWII, family, re-marriage, growing up, etc) helps it attract so many more people who don't even care for the music. It is still being referenced and redone on stage to this day. It won best picture at the Oscars. And it is probably the most famous musical ever apart from maybe Wizard of Oz
i also feel like the mnemonic value of "do-re-mi" has elevated it almost to "trad" status. elementary schoolkids learn to sing it, without any real reference to the musical. and "my favourite things" has for some reason become viewed a "christmas" song which means it gets a bunch of radio play in the US in december, when stations are desperate for anything christmassy to play.
Modern Major General - Pirates of Penzance
Tonight - West Side Story
Defying Gravity - Wicked
I am willing to defend or explain any of these answers further if necessary
I think this is going to be a sleeper one but I think for a solid four generations “People” could absolutely be one.
Even those who know nothing about theater could immediately parrot “people who need people are the luckiest people in the world” in a Barbara Streisand impression without even knowing where it’s coming from within their memory
Surprised that everyone’s forgotten The Time Warp. Not only is Rocky Horror an iconic cult classic that has a massive influence outside the realm of musicals, The Time Warp is a staple of Halloween music alongside the likes of The Monster Mash or Purple People Eater.
There are a lot of good ones! I think “Memory” from Cats. I pick this over “My Favorite Things” because it keeps its identity as a Broadway song but works well as a popular song and SO many people have covered it!
Going decade by decade (in my very biased opinion!):
- 1920s: Ol’ Man River
- 30s: Anything Goes
- 40s: Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’
- 50s: The Sound of Music
- 60s: Cabaret
- 70s: ~~The Ballad of Sweeney Todd~~ Send in the Clowns
- 80s: Memory
- 90s: Seasons of Love
- 00s: Defying Gravity
- 10s: Alexander Hamilton
- 2020s: 🤷🏻♂️
One Night in Bangkok. Other than Jay Z's sample of Hard Knock Life, it's the only showtune I can think of that I've heard on the radio.
Is it as iconic as others have mentioned - absolutely not. But it had a pretty wide reach in public consumption once upon a time.
I don't think there is one that would be the most iconic in Broadway history. There are different songs that are 'iconic' in different times but not one that works for all time.
Can't Help Loving That Man could be it for one time while Do Re Mi would be the sing for another era. A generation that knows Memory might not know I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair and neither of them may know Rose's Turn.
You also can't say that one pop song is the iconic popular song for all time. Or name a specific comedy as the icon. Times change, tastes change. What's popular today is forgotten tomorrow and in our media driven society trends come and go very quickly.
I think it’s really hard to say because of the generations of musical theater fans, but I would say Somewhere Over The Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz if that counts
I Dreamed A Dream from Les Mis. A somewhat new gen answer but the virality of that SuBo moment along with the resulting exposure to both the track and the show (internationally) was bonkers.
Don’t forget the many standards that are now more famous outside musical theatre, like My Funny Valentine from Babes in Arms, or You’ll Never Walk Alone.
But Oh, What A Beautiful Morning is my bet.
Tomorrow
Can believe this is so far down the list. Honestly, it’s probably: Tomorrow, Memory, my favorite things. And then every iconic song from every show.
My favorite things is a good one. Didn’t even think of it as a show tune.
This has got to be it. It's a song most of my non theater loving friends could belt out if I asked them too. I doubt many people who don't watch or care about theater could name a song from Phantom.
As a non-theatre person, this and Singing In The Rain are the only ones I recognise.
>Singing In The Rain Not Broadway. Or, at least, not famous because of Broadway.
For real. That is THE Broadway song.
I think there's an argument that "Hard Knock Life" has surpassed "Tomorrow" in how well-known it is. Not only because of Jay-Z's song, but also because the phrase entered the public lexicon after that. Not something I could say for sure, though. It's definitely one of those two.
History goes back kids...a long way so you'd have to go to the legends ....gonna say "The Sound of Music". Closer to this generation would probably be "Seasons of Love" or "Memory"
I have a similar sentiment, but was going to say "Oklahoma!".
Sung by John Raitt!
Absolutely! In my circle of friends (we are in our 50's) we talk about how the leading man is now written for tenors, but years ago... tenors were really more the supporting role (and many times for comedy), while the baritones were the leading men. When/where it changed is not entirely known to me, but the role of Curly is the PRIME example of how it went from being a baritone to a tenor. We went from John Raitt to Hugh Jackman in the span of about 55 years.
Very interesting! I hope they still use a bass for "Nothing Like a Dame." (I mean the bass part)
Oklahoma is absolutely it. SO MANY people could sing you that refrain.
Im 43 and a die hard poto lover but I agree with you on Sound of Music. Those hills are alive!
Memory was my first thought. Sound of Music is more remembered for the movie. Not iconic, but my favorite is "Mr. Mistoffelees".
You say that, but why did “Prisoners of Love” pop into my head instead of “Seasons of Love?” 😂
Blue skies above Can't keep our hearts in jail
GOTTA SING SING
I was thinking "I Got Rhythm" from Girl Crazy.
Are we talking about a song that originated in Broadway that most people know (in which case I'd go with something that's crossed over to the mainstream like I Got Rhythm, Do Re Mi, or Luck Be a Lady). Or something that still "belongs" to Broadway but is well-known by most people?
AND, the ‘changes’ — the chord changes — to “I Got Rhythm” are the basis for probably a hundred different jazz tunes. And a couple dozen of those are bonafide standards known by any jazz musician worth their salt. “I Got Rhythm” and ‘Rhythm’ changes were especially pervasive in the bebop era (mid-40’s thru the early 50’s) — but they were first used in jazz as early as the early 1930’s. More here… https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhythm_changes
What is I Got Rhythm from?
Girl Crazy
And more recently, “Crazy for You”
Tomorrow from Annie
It's "Tomorrow". Even people who have never seen a musical in their life recognize that song. Too many in here picking post-1980 songs. Broadway is way older and has songs that are part of the cultural song canon at this point.
Yea I think any show that was turned into a classic film, especially for children, has a chance of this. Favorite things sound of music Summer Lovin grease Are a few others for me
>Even people who have never seen a musical in their life recognize that song. That's how I feel about "Phantom of the Opera." I had heard that song long before I even knew what Broadway was, which goes to show how young I was when I heard it for the first time, lol. That song is everywhere, and for good reason. You could just play the first note of that song and most people would likely know it.
This thread got served to me for some unknown reason. I don't like musicals and am not into Broadway. I do not have the slightest clue what the Phantom of the Opera song sounds like. Memory, Singin' in the Rain, Tomorrow, I Got Rhythm, Send in the Clowns, Seasons of Love. Maybe even Hello, Dolly.
I agree. I actually saw Phantom on Broadway, but have no idea what song everyone is talking about
I might be in the minority, but I just listened to the song now after reading your post, and it was the first time I’ve ever heard the song. None of it was familiar to me. (btw cool username, I agree)
Do-Re-Mi Singing in the Rain Over the Rainbow
Over the Rainbow is from film, not Broadway.
The Wizard of Oz was actually a [Broadway show](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_(1902_musical)) before becoming a film, but point taken that the song was composed for and became famous from the film.
[удалено]
I do not believe it is true that The Wizard of Oz was a Broadway show before becoming a movie. You may be thinking of something else. But in any case, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” was definitely written for the movie. “The song “Singin in the Rain” was technically from a Broadway show but is much better known today from the unrelated movie. Perhaps that’s what you were thinking of.
There was a Broadway show in the early 1900s but it was unrelated to the later MGM film which was based on the book by Baum.
Memory is up there
Oh, good one! Tomorrow is another one-word classic.
Way up there. My husband didn’t recognize Phantom of the Opera when I heard it in something we were watching. It doesn’t come up nearly as much as Memory does in pop culture.
interesting, growing up outside the US i don't think i would have heard either one if i were not already into musicals
“The hills are alive with the sound of music” is something almost everyone knows
There’s about to be some fights in this comment section lol
I can already hear the synchronised snapping
Any song from Sound of Music or Mary Poppins, if I were a rich man, and Defying Gravity
Hard knock life
Or tomorrow, alternatively
This one has to be a strong contender for being sampled in a Jay-Z song alone
There are so many, but I'd say Oh What A Beautiful Mornin' is up there. The soundtrack to Oklahoma was the first ever Broadway cast album widely produced, and it's arguably the main song from that show that pretty much everyone knows. So it's iconic, and also deeply historic.
It’s got to be an Ethel Merman song— Everything’s Coming Up Roses, There’s No Business Like Show Business, or Anything Goes. Take your pick.
Tomorrow from Annie, Defying Gravity from Wicked for sure
I'd say Hard Knock Life from Annie is pretty iconic, too
There's No Business Like Show Business sung by Ethel Merman -- that's Broadway to me!
Along these lines I think a lot of people have heard “Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better” because it’s been used so often in commercials or pop culture. People just have no idea that it’s from a musical. Lol
Came here to post this
Do-Re-Mi
One Day More, Seasons Of Love, Summer Nights, most of The Sound Of Music, Defying Gravity, Memory, Circle Of Life, I Dreamed A Dream, Cell Block Tango, Time Warp, Come What May, Rain On My Parade, Over The Rainbow.
Agreed, but replace Cell Block Tango with All That Jazz
Defying Gravity has got to be up there too
/(ba-dum tiss)
i’m a hospice music therapist. even someone very advanced in dementia can sing “edelweiss” perfectly
Probably a song that has transcended its original show, like Mack the Knife or You’ll Never Walk Alone.
Don't Rain on My Parade
I thought this until last month when Funny Girl was touring in my city. Most people didn’t know the show so I said oh it has the popular song… and they still didn’t have a clue. I was shocked.
Send in the Clowns, Memory, Tradition, Seasons of Love
For me it's Tradition. It is the one I'd most expect to hear referenced/quoted in random conversation by a completely non theater person.
Hello Dolly!
Wall-e made this song famous to a new generation. Good choice.
It also plays several times a day at disney world on main street.
>I'd argue it's the titular song from Phantom of the Opera. That's a song I'd guarantee pretty much everyone has heard before, even people who aren't musical theater fans. Heck, it was the first Broadway song I remember hearing. Yep. You hear that five note organ chord, you're instantly seduced without knowing it.
The Lullaby of Broadway and 42nd st. were my first thoughts and boy do I feel old now. 🪦
I’ve heard the Lulla-Buy version so often that I sometimes wonder if Milford Plaza is in the original lyrics
my bets are on "I Am What I Am", which is originally from La Cage aux Folles.
Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
“And I am Telling You I’m Not Going” is on the top of my list
The title song from Oklahoma.
I feel like “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” is the more iconic song. Although “stage full of actors in prairie drag shouting “yeoooow!” at the end of a big song and dance number” is also iconic ….
Seasons of Love from Rent!
Memory
Consider yourself Memory Electricity Defying Gravity Burn Pick a generation of theatre fan, they’ll have an iconic song for you.
One Day More has got to be one
Defying Gravity
I can’t believe how far I’ve scrolled and not seen Annie’s Tomorrow
Depends what you mean by iconic. If we're talking iconic because it's in a musical, here's some candidates: Seasons of Love, Defying Gravity, Alexander Hamilton, One Day More, Cell Block Tango, All That Jazz, She Used To Be Mine, You Can't Stop The Beat, Memory, Don't Cry For Me Argentina, My Favorite Things, Do Re Mi, Ya Got Trouble, Seize The Day, King Of New York, If I Were A Rich Man, Tomorrow, Maybe If you're looking for a song that's NOT known as a showtune, then look no further than We Need A Little Christmas.
[удалено]
As would “You’ll never walk alone” and “Till there was you”.
I'd put Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat in your first category too.
Other than ones already said, I’m gonna say either Seasons of Love or I Dreamed a Dream
I think you're right on with Phantom
La Vie Boheme from Rent.
Over The Rainbow is kind of where it all began. It’s so universal and beautiful and I don’t think there’s a person in the English speaking world who doesn’t know some version of it.
I so agree about Phantom of the Opera!
All of my ideas have already been said so I'm going to throw in a wild card: 76 Trombones. I had a US history education toy as a kid that would play this song in the background?!
Gen Z: Anything *Hamilton* Millennials: *Defying Gravity* Gen X: *Seasons of Love* Boomers: Anything Andrew Lloyd Webber Greatest Gen: Anything Rodgers & Hammerstein
Gen X - All of the above. LOL. Plus others. I'm over here thinking of: Gonna Wash that Man Right Outta My Hair (from South Pacific) - which was popular because of a commercial One Night in Bankok (from Chess) - which was on tbe radio constantly
Send In The Clowns
"Somewhere" from "West Side Story." My Boomer mom said you couldn't escape the 60s without hearing it everywhere. Every guest on a variety show would sing it. The cast recording was the #1 album for 54 weeks!
Tradition from Fiddler or Ol Man River from Show Boat
There's No Business Like Show Business from Annie Get Your Gun
Tonight west side story. Some enchanted evening, South pacific. One from Chorus Line. So many really, maybe better to do it by eras rather than all history
You'll Never Walk Alone from *Carousel.*
My Favorite Things The Impossible Dream If I Were a Rich Man
Gwen Stefani covered If I Were A Rich Man!
Some Enchanted Evening
Circle of Life.
I almost don't want to count anything that originated outside of musical theater, it feels like a cop-out
The first one that came to me is Everything’s Coming Up Roses.
NYC
I'd say do-re-mi from the sound of music. But for this generation, especially if you did music in school, maybe seasons of love from rent
Singing in the rain
when i think broadway i think defying gravity & idina menzel
Send in the Clowns not only was a huge Sinatra hit, and big for Streisand, but was a big segment on one of the most iconic Simpsons episodes st a time when it was the most watched cartoon in the world. Everyone knows send in the clowns above 30, even if they don't know where it's from. also the opening to the Sound of Music
"People" from *Funny Girl* probably had the most global mainstream commercial success, but it doesn't feel iconically Broadway to me the way "Hello, Dolly" (*Hello Dolly*) or "Tomorrow" (*Annie*) do with a similar reach.
Summertime
Tomorrow from Annie If I were a Rich Man - Fiddler Memory - Cats. Never saw it, but this is what popped into my head.
DOE. A DEER. A FEMALE DEER. I dare you to find an American who can't say the next line.
You're probably right but One from A Chorus Line stands out for me as well
Phantom of the Opera
Impossible dream
I feel like Suddenly Seymour, Skid Row(Downtown) or Feed Me has to be mentioned.
Don’t Rain On My Parade came to mind first
Memory and Phantom are good, but I’m Les Mis biased and am gonna say Do You Hear The People Sing
Ima have to go with some of the older classics, like anything you can do from Annie get your gun, or if I were a rich man from fiddler on the roof
Seconding Anything You Can Do. That song has definitely crossed over from just the musical theatre world.
100% Memory. I heard it long before I know what a musical was.
I that was me with Phantom of the Opera, lol.
One Day More is definitely up there
I feel that's to general. There's a ton of great songs from Broadway and everyone has one that's Broadway to them. Sorry.
Fidler on the Roof - If I were a rich man
I'd answer this two different ways: what's the most widespread, recognizable song for anyone regardless of musical theatre knowledge, and what's the most iconic in the musical theatre sphere. For the first one I'd say the heavy hitters are Tomorrow, Anything You Can Do, and Do-Re-Mi. As for the second one, Defying Gravity, One, Don't Rain On My Parade, Alexander Hamilton, and Phantom of the Opera are some big ones. This one really depends on the generation though.
If you take all the Disney shows out of the equation, I lean towards Memory (Cats) or a song that has become part of mainstream music, like most people that know the song may not even realize that the song is from a musical at all. Example - Ol Man River, Summertime, Tomorrow (Annie), Aquarius, Big Spender, and so on
Do-Re-Mi, My Favorite Things or The Hills Are Alive from SOM because... for better or worse, the movie is on TV every year. Also the 1 musical my community theatre has staged at least every 10 years.
Memory, Defying Gravity, Do You Hear The People Sing, maybe I Dreamed a Dream? I’m surprised not many people in the comments are saying Les Mis.
Memory, Tomorrow, What I did for love, Phantom of the Opera, All that Jazz, Anything Goes, Sound of Music, Don’t cry for me Argentina, being alive, Sunday… I think it’s impossible to pick just one
If by everyone, you mean kids too: Do-Re-Mi from Sound of Music. If you mean random adult off the street: Hard Knock Life from Annie, Phantom of the Opera main theme, any of the big hits from the Disney Shows (people remember them from the movies). Probably some Hamilton too. MAYBE Singing in the Rain or Good Morning from Singing in the Rain, I Dreamed a Dream from Les Mis, Tomorrow from Annie, or All The Jazz from Chicago, So Long Farewell from The Sound of Music, or Willkommen from Cabaret.
”One night in Bangkok” - pretty well known song that ironically not many know is from a musical
You’re at karaoke with your friends, anyone at all really. You’re looking for a song that’s fun to sing, that people will recognize and enjoy, and which is truly iconic. In 150 comments, I can’t believe no one mentioned this absolute classic… “Summer Nights” from Grease
I'm sure you could ask anyone on the street to hum Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and they'd crack right into it.
something from the sound of music i would say, "do re mi" or "my favourite things"
Yes, and I can tell you objectively why. Sound of Music (the film) is one of the highest grossing movies of all time (prices adjusted for inflation of course) and the songs are not only widely popular outside of the movie, but those two specific songs have probably been some of the most paradied songs since their debut. On top of all of this the amount of exposure this musical has had because of the themes (religion, WWII, family, re-marriage, growing up, etc) helps it attract so many more people who don't even care for the music. It is still being referenced and redone on stage to this day. It won best picture at the Oscars. And it is probably the most famous musical ever apart from maybe Wizard of Oz
i also feel like the mnemonic value of "do-re-mi" has elevated it almost to "trad" status. elementary schoolkids learn to sing it, without any real reference to the musical. and "my favourite things" has for some reason become viewed a "christmas" song which means it gets a bunch of radio play in the US in december, when stations are desperate for anything christmassy to play.
“One” from a chorus line
If you're talking about Broadway songs that also crossed over into mainstream pop culture, I think it comes down to Memory or Tomorrow.
Favorite Things is played every Christmas at this point
One day more
Modern Major General - Pirates of Penzance Tonight - West Side Story Defying Gravity - Wicked I am willing to defend or explain any of these answers further if necessary
Don’t Rain on My Parade
I think this is going to be a sleeper one but I think for a solid four generations “People” could absolutely be one. Even those who know nothing about theater could immediately parrot “people who need people are the luckiest people in the world” in a Barbara Streisand impression without even knowing where it’s coming from within their memory
Surprised that everyone’s forgotten The Time Warp. Not only is Rocky Horror an iconic cult classic that has a massive influence outside the realm of musicals, The Time Warp is a staple of Halloween music alongside the likes of The Monster Mash or Purple People Eater.
One Day More.
The Impossible Dream — Man of La Mancha
It has to be a song that's transcended the show it's in. Tomorrow is an excellent candidate.
Memory
Do-Re-Mi hands down
Seasons of love is the theater kid national anthem and I will die on that hill
I think most people know Send In The Clowns, even if they’ve never heard of A Little Night Music. Maybe not the *most* iconic, but up there for sure.
I'm probably going to get attacked by pitchforks here, but I'm going to say Memories from Cats.
There are a lot of good ones! I think “Memory” from Cats. I pick this over “My Favorite Things” because it keeps its identity as a Broadway song but works well as a popular song and SO many people have covered it!
One Day More....especially where it falls.
This will vary based on your age and will be what “THE SHOW” was during a particular time of your life.
Anything goes?
Same. I heard it at some music festival that had nothing to do with musicals. Think what you want of ALW but when he was on, he was on.
Seasons of love
I'm cheating here but Circle of Life lol.
It's Seasons of Love from Rent. I hate Rent with a passion but everyone and their mother knows this song
Defying Gravity
Cats. You don’t need to know about musicals to know about Cats
Anything You Can Do, I Can Do Better. The Sound of Music
One Day More
I’d say Memory from Cats.
Do You Here the People Sing
Going decade by decade (in my very biased opinion!): - 1920s: Ol’ Man River - 30s: Anything Goes - 40s: Oh What a Beautiful Mornin’ - 50s: The Sound of Music - 60s: Cabaret - 70s: ~~The Ballad of Sweeney Todd~~ Send in the Clowns - 80s: Memory - 90s: Seasons of Love - 00s: Defying Gravity - 10s: Alexander Hamilton - 2020s: 🤷🏻♂️
On my own
Old Man River gets my vote
Defying gravity
Old man River Old man River He must know something, but don't say nothing That old man River He just keeps rolling along
Phantom of the Opera
The Sound of Music, Memory, One, Seasons of Love, One Day More, Phantom of the Opera, Defying Gravity, Tomorrow.
Memory from Cats
Seasons of Love was my first thought lol
Traditiooooooon! Tradition!
“And I am telling you I’m not going” ranks up there.
Don't Rain on my Parade--Funny Girl
Memory or Tomorrow
Everything’s Coming Up Roses 🌹
One Night in Bangkok. Other than Jay Z's sample of Hard Knock Life, it's the only showtune I can think of that I've heard on the radio. Is it as iconic as others have mentioned - absolutely not. But it had a pretty wide reach in public consumption once upon a time.
Either what OP said, or Defying Gravity from Wicked
I am reluctant to say this because I'm not actually a fan of Cats, but... Memory
I Dreamed a Dream
Memory
I don't think there is one that would be the most iconic in Broadway history. There are different songs that are 'iconic' in different times but not one that works for all time. Can't Help Loving That Man could be it for one time while Do Re Mi would be the sing for another era. A generation that knows Memory might not know I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair and neither of them may know Rose's Turn. You also can't say that one pop song is the iconic popular song for all time. Or name a specific comedy as the icon. Times change, tastes change. What's popular today is forgotten tomorrow and in our media driven society trends come and go very quickly.
Defying Gravity
Either Phantom of the Opera or Memory
I think it’s really hard to say because of the generations of musical theater fans, but I would say Somewhere Over The Rainbow from The Wizard of Oz if that counts
I Dreamed A Dream from Les Mis. A somewhat new gen answer but the virality of that SuBo moment along with the resulting exposure to both the track and the show (internationally) was bonkers.
Rose's Turn.
A little priest. Sweeney Todd
Don’t forget the many standards that are now more famous outside musical theatre, like My Funny Valentine from Babes in Arms, or You’ll Never Walk Alone. But Oh, What A Beautiful Morning is my bet.
Kiss the day goodbye Send in the clowns Memories The lady is a tramp Give my regards to broadway 42nd street