Have you ever listened to a song and realized you had never really paid attention to the lyrics? This goes beyond simply mishearing the lyrics. Who hasn’t sung the wrong lyrics from time to time, right? This involves not truly understanding what the song is about. That’s how you end up singing something inappropriate at a bar mitzvah.
Here are some songs from musicals that will make you say “”Wait, THAT’S what that is about?”
Related: Top 10 Broadway Musicals You’ve Never Heard Of
10 “Edelweiss”–The Sound of Music
When The Sound of Music premiered on Broadway in 1959, the world instantly fell in love with Maria and the singing von Trapp kids. Nearly every song has entered the American vernacular—the titular opening, “Do Re Mi,” “So Long, Farewell,” and one kid-free tune: “Edelweiss.”
“Edelweiss” comes at a turning point in the show. Captain von Trapp has previously disapproved of his childrens’ singing, but when he hears his daughter playing the song, he’s moved. “Edelweiss” is meant to represent the Captain’s home country of Austria, as the edelweiss is a small white flower found in the Alps.
Over the years, rumors have spread that “Edelweiss” is an old Austrian folk tune or even the country’s national anthem. But Oscar Hammerstein II biographer Hugh Fordin says that even though “Edelweiss” was widely believed to be an old Austrian song, Hammerstein composed it for The Sound of Music.[1]
9 “With You”–Pippin
From weddings to proposals, “With You” from Pippin has been used for years as a profession of love. On the surface, the lyrics do seem to point to a beautiful ballad meant for a loved one. Pippin claims his life would be “Twice as fair” if he could share his days with his girlfriend.
Except he’s not singing the song to his girlfriend. The scene is actually a huge orgy—Pippin weaves through women, comedically singing about “you” to dozens of women. The lyrics are meant to be humorously ironic, highlighting Pippin’s lack of commitment and genuine affection.
So unless you’re in an open marriage, probably leave this one out of the wedding reception.[2]
8 “All You Wanna Do”–Six
There are thousands of songs with dark messages that are overlooked as such due to their poppy tempos or catchy refrains. Think about “Pumped Up Kicks” by Foster the People, which is actually about a school shooter. Or “Hey Ya” by Outkast, which, despite its upbeat meter, is about how love never really lasts.
In 2020, “All You Wanna Do” from Six the musical went viral on TikTok. Six tells the story of the six wives of Henry XIII from their point of view. “All You Wanna Do” is sung by Katherine Howard, Henry’s fifth wife, and details the history of how they met. On TikTok, people danced to the groovy title lyrics as Katherine talks about how all men want to do is have sex with her. This is already kind of sad. But if you listen to the whole song and not just the danceable parts, it gets even darker.
Katherine relays her first romance with her tutor: “He was 23 / And I was 13 going on 30!” And it doesn’t get better from there. As Katherine sings about her past boyfriends, the song ends with, “All you wanna do, baby / Is touch me, when will enough be enough?”
I’m not sure the kids on TikTok can really relate to that on a personal level. At least, I hope not.[3]
7 “Not While I’m Around”–Sweeney Todd
“Nothing’s gonna hurt you / Not while I’m around” are the opening lyrics of this song from Sweeney Todd. Young Toby is held by his surrogate mother, Mrs. Lovett, as he protectively lets her know that he will do whatever it takes to shelter her from harm.
Sounds sweet, right? Not really. Lurking in the background of the show is Sweeney Todd, the murderous barber. Toby doesn’t know it, but at the moment, Sweeney is on a rampage, ready to kill anyone in his path (Spoiler alert: including Mrs. Lovett and Toby. And himself.) The song is meant to be ironic and sad, showing Toby’s innocence in contrast to literally every single other character’s murderous rages.[4]
6 “Hope”–Groundhog Day
While this song may not be as popular outside of the theater community as other songs on this list, it’s the perfect example of a song that is significant only within the show itself.
Based on the Bill Murray movie of the same name, Groundhog Day follows jaded reporter Phil as he is forced to relive February 2nd over and over and over again. Both the movie and musical are humorous but have darker themes lying beneath them. One of the most jarring parts of the plot is after Phil decides he is done sleeping around, eating whatever he wants, and generally being a menace with no repercussions. Instead, he opts to kill himself.
It doesn’t work. He wakes up the next day and tries to kill himself again. In the musical, this happens during the song “Hope.” With lyrics like “Never give up hope / Never let yourself be defeated,” it’s easy to read this as an optimistic anthem. In reality, each chorus of the song shows Phil finding a new way to commit suicide, from dropping a toaster in the bathtub to jumping off a building.
The song ends with “Hold on to your faith / You may wanna live / But baby don’t give up hope,” revealing Phil’s true meaning was to keep hoping one day the suicide will work.[5]
5 “You Will Be Found”–Dear Evan Hansen
“Have you ever felt like nobody was there?” is the opening line of this song from the musical Dear Evan Hansen.
Apparently, a lot of Christians feel that way because as soon as Dear Evan Hansen premiered on Broadway in 2016, “You Will Be Found” became an instant religious classic. The song skyrocketed from theater kids’ playlists right into public thanks to performances from Brigham Young University’s acapella group and other religious congregations.
The message of “You Will Be Found” is right there in the title. “Even when the dark comes crashing through, when you need someone to carry you,” main character Evan Hansen sings an uplifting tune. Or is he?
The person Evan is singing about isn’t himself, but a boy named Connor who recently killed himself. Evan wishes that everyone could be found, but Connor never had someone care about him the way Evan describes. It’s a heartbreaking lament about suicide, not a cheery little ditty to sing at church.[6]
4 “What I Did for Love”–A Chorus Line
One of the most influential Broadway musicals of all time (and the seventh-longest-running Broadway show ever), A Chorus Line is noted for its lack of plot. The show consists of a chorus line of dancers telling their stories to a casting director, each one hoping to be hired. Through song, monologue, and dance, each performer is given a moment to shine.
“What I Did For Love” has become a part of popular culture thanks to artists like Bing Crosby, Aretha Franklin, and Josh Groban recording the song for albums. Out of context, the song sounds sweet: “As we travel on / Love’s what we’ll remember.” But the refrain “I can’t regret / What I did for love” doesn’t refer to a person; rather, it’s meant to convey the performer’s passion for dance and her reaction if she could never dance again.
It’s a song of intense suffering as the dancer recalls how she has poured her entire life and career into something that could be taken from her at any time. Some have even interpreted the song’s lyrics to be referencing the casting couch, a euphemism for performing sexual acts in exchange for a job. This was especially rampant in the 1970s when the show premiered.
Either way—it’s not about romantic love.[7]
3 “My Favorite Things”–The Sound of Music
Okay, this song is pretty straightforward. So why is it on this list? Well, people not very familiar with musical theater have probably still heard this song on the radio in December. For some reason, “My Favorite Things” has become associated with the holiday season. Anyone listening to the lyrics “Warm woolen mittens / Brown paper packages tied up with strings” and mention of sleigh bells might assume that within the show, it’s Christmas morning or Eve.
In reality, this isn’t the case. “My Favorite Things” is sung by governess Maria to her children after they are frightened by a thunderstorm. It’s a sweet song that has gained international acclaim, but it has nothing to do with winter or Christmas.[8]
2 “Everything’s Coming Up Roses”–Gypsy
This song has been referenced in everything from The Simpsons to The Muppets” but rarely with the original intent of the song.
The main character of the musical Gypsy is a stage mother who, halfway through the show, learns her talented youngest daughter has eloped. In a fit of rage and mania, she sings “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” to express her desire to have her older daughter, Louise, become a star instead. The title and refrain are a pun on the stage mother’s name, Rose. Thus, “roses” represent rose flowers and happiness, but also herself. Everything will come up Rose’s way.
Despite the big, brass notes and fun lyrics, the song isn’t triumphant or as happy as it seems. Ethel Merman biographer Brian Kellow says that the song is often misunderstood, as it’s meant to be a “chilling illustration of blind ambition with megalomania.”[9]
1 “Cabaret”–Cabaret
The titular song of this tour-de-force of a show is quite famous thanks to stars like Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, and Judi Dench’s recorded renditions. Within the show, the song is sung by Sally Bowles, a pregnant former cabaret star. Out of context, the lyrics seem to be praising the joys of humanity: “Life is a cabaret old chum, come to the cabaret!”
The song has been used in movies and TV shows for years, usually as a delightful little ditty. But that’s not what the song is about. Sally isn’t happy at all—she’s coming to terms with the rise of Nazism in her home city of Berlin. Rather than addressing the emerging politics of the 1930s, she makes a vow to live her life in ignorance, having fun wherever she can. This includes making sure she’s unattached to her baby’s father, so the song ends with her deciding to get an abortion. In some stagings, such as the most recent Broadway revival, this is depicted through Sally punching herself in the stomach multiple times.
Unsurprisingly, the Louis Armstrong version of the song chose to leave those lyrics out.[10]