Nothing Like Broadway: The Podcast

What's more important than a perfect rhyme? A perfect scan. Every stress in the lyrics must fit with the stresses in the music. This is why (good) musical theater writers stress about stresses. Host writer/composer David Rackoff looks at what that means, how it works, and what it sounds like when it doesn't work. Examples (some good, some not-so-good) from "Into the Woods", "Defying Gravity", "Sunset Blvd.", and "Sweeney Todd". If you've never thought about this before, you will after listening to this episode!

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

Does it mean, "No worries for the rest of your days"? Kind of... This is one of the most shocking, funniest, and perhaps deepest songs in all of musical theater. The makers of "South Park" have created this delightful bit of blasphemy. Host writer/composer David Rackoff takes a close look at the music, lyrics, and context of this song. And we discuss who exactly should be offended by it. The answers may surprise you!

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

You think you know what a rhyme is... But do you really? in this first mini-pod, we look at what is (and, more interestingly) what isn't a rhyme. Then host writer/composer David Rackoff plays a game where you have a moment to decide if a particular rhyme is really a rhyme! 

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

Is this the best “I Want” song of all time? Host writer/composer David Rackoff dives deep (sorry) into this fantastic Alan Menkin & Howard Ashman creation. The craftsmanship of this emotional, funny, charming song is quite a remarkable… what’s the word? Oh yeah. Feat.

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

In our season 1 finale, writer/composer David Rackoff tackles what may be the grandest achievement in musical theater songwriting. "Rose's Turn" is a mad scene, an aria, a showcase for the best musical theater actresses of all time. Stephen Sondheim, Jule Styne, and Jerome Robbins created this monster of a song, and we get to dig into it to figure out how it works. This is an exciting episode (with some controversial opinions from host David Rackoff!) How do you like them egg rolls, Mr. Goldstone?

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

How does a song get written? This is a fascinating episode where writer/composer David Rackoff breaks down his process in writing the song “Sing Along” from the musical “Nothing Like Broadway”. This is a fun, surprising episode where you get to really see how the sausage gets made.

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

One of the great Act I enders of all time, no question. But… are the things sung about all really happening “One Day More”? The answer may surprise you! Host writer/composer David Rackoff picks apart the music, lyrics, and storytelling that make “One Day More” so freakin' awesome.

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

We've all got Oz fever, so this week, writer/composer David Rackoff analyzes "Popular" from the musical "Wicked" by Stephen Schwartz. Why is the hook so catchy? Why are the lyrics so mind-blowing? How does this song help to tell the story of "Wicked"? What is enjambment? Were sopranos funny prior to 2003? How about the Kristin Chenoweth of it all? We dig deep to discover how "Popular" works.

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

Is this the ultimate cabaret song? Host writer/composer David Rackoff dives deep into one of his (and every songwriter's) favorite cabaret songs. Jason Robert Brown's gorgeous, diabolically manipulative "Stars and the Moon" is so much fun to watch, perform, and analyze. 

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

Today, we get to peek inside the process of writing a patter/comedy song! Host David Rackoff looks at his own song, "The World's Most Famous Spy", to see how he came up with the concept, and how he wrote the music and lyrics to this song from the upcoming off-Broadway musical "Nothing Like Broadway!". It's James Bond meets Gilbert & Sullivan meets David!

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Writer/composer David Rackoff delves into "Seventy-Six Trombones" and "Goodnight My Someone" from "The Music Man". Two great, unrelated songs. Or are they? These songs have more in common than you might think! It's a fast, fun episode this week, full of romance, bombast, and mystery!

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One of my favorite numbers, one of your favorite numbers, one of everyone's favorite numbers: "You Gotta Get a Gimmick"! We'll talk about how writers "song-spot" to figure out where and what a song will be. And once you figure out that it's going to be an 11 O'Clock number with bargain-basement strippers, you have already won. Host writer/composer David Rackoff has a blast with this song written by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim.

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

Sondheim's biggest pop hit! But how does it work? And how does it work in the context of the show? Why is this an exercise in negative space? Is it about sex or love? Send in the clowns? Don't bother, writer/composer David Rackoff is here.

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

It’s the best song you’ve (maybe) never heard of! This week, writer/composer David Rackoff dives deep into “Meadowlark” by writer/composer Stephen Schwartz (Wicked). You’ll see why this song is the song that musical theater songwriters (including David) lose their freakin’ minds over.

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A song that pretty much everyone falls in love with. Writer/composer David Rackoff looks at why that is, and how this song unlocks the secret to why this tiny off-off-Broadway show is remembered and revived forty years later. All hail Howard Ashman!

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Who knew that this hilarious, silly song would yield our longest, most in-depth analysis so far! "Keep It Gay" has to be one of the funniest songs from one of the funniest shows ("The Producers") of all time. Yay Mel Brooks! This episode of the podcast is very pretty. This episode is very witty. This episode is… what’s the word? (Gay?) Exactly.

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

Today, host writer/composer David Rackoff has producer Zane Michael on the podcast to discuss "Finishing the Hat" from "Sunday in the Park with George" by Stephen Sondheim. They disagree, David shocks Zane with a riseque metaphor for the score of the show.

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Today, we really get to peer inside the creative process! It's an exciting episode when host writer/composer David Rackoff looks at the title song from a musical he wrote! Nothing Like Broadway the podcast looks at Nothing Like Broadway the song from Nothing Like Broadway the musical. 

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Host writer/composer David Rackoff takes a deep dive into "Tradition". Why is this the opening number? How do you get four groups to sing things at the same time and have it sound good? And what is the big mystery that the (only) rhyme in this song unlocks?

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.

Writer/composer David Rackoff (of "Nothing Like Broadway!: the musical") takes a close look at a song he used to hate, "Everything's Coming Up Roses" by Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim. He looks at how its music, lyrics, and context make it one of the most devastating songs in musical theater. "It's like watching a horror movie!".

Suggest a song to break down, or just let us know what's on your mind.