Put your hands in the air if you’re a musical theatre kid and you just don’t care! I love musicals more than I love life itself. I’m always singing and dancing around my room, pretending I’m a Jet or a Jellicle Cat. So naturally, I had to write about food in musicals. Specifically, songs about or including food.
If you love musicals, like me, you’ll probably appreciate this list. If not, your day is about to get a whole lot sweeter.
#SpoonTip: I know that some of the gifs don’t represent the actual songs from the musical. I tried to represent the songs as best I could through gif usage. Just enjoy the gifs.
So, in no particular order, here are the best songs about food from musicals.
1. “Be Our Guest” — Beauty and the Beast
This song is ICONIC. It’s about food, sung by food, what could be better? It makes me hungry just thinking about it. When Beauty and the Beast was adapted for the stage, this song was the twelve o’clock number. There were forks doing kick-lines, plates acting as showgirls–it was beautiful.
Best line from the song: “And we’ll sing you off to sleep as you digest!”
2. “A Little Priest” — Sweeney Todd
This song is the best. Well, actually, Sweeney Todd is the best musical ever written, but that’s my opinion. “A Little Priest” is the final number of act one, and it sets Sweeney’s plan to kill Judge Turpin in motion. And boy, is this song morbidly funny.
Todd and Lovett talk about the different people in the pies, from priests to musicians, joking about how they taste. There are puns galore, and the two play off each other so well in this scene. Do yourself a favor and watch the film of the original cast. It will change your life.
Best line from the song:
LOVETT: Now then, this might be a little bit stringy, but then of course it’s fiddle player!
TODD: No, this isn’t fiddle player—it’s piccolo player
LOVETT: How can you tell?
TODD: It’s piping hot!
3. “What Baking Can Do” — Waitress
Waitress is one of my favorite shows to come out of this year’s Broadway season. I want to see it so badly. My favorite song from the show is “What Baking Can Do,” which basically sums up how therapeutic baking is to Jenna. It’s her whole character in a nutshell, wrapped up in food metaphors.
Best line from the song: “Tell them all my secrets, but disguise them.”
4. “It Couldn’t Please Me More” — Cabaret
I LOVE Cabaret. It’s a fantastic show with an amazing message. The songs are so beautiful, especially “It Couldn’t Please Me More.” This is a sweet duet sung by Herr Schultz and Fraulien Schnider. Herr Schultz brings her a pineapple from his fruit market. Overwhelmed with emotion, she sings about how nothing could please her more than that pineapple he brought.
So, if you need to romance someone and don’t know what to do, get them a pineapple.
5. “Turkey Lurkey Time” — Promises, Promises
Before there was Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy, there was Miss Wong, Vivien Della Hoya, and Miss Polansky. They led the rousing group number, “Turkey Lurkey Time.” It’s about the most important thing of the holidays — the food. Everyone sings about eating turkey and goose and they have a blast.
The Tony Awards performance of this song is worth every minute of your time. Please go and watch these three goddesses of perfection lead the office holiday party.
6. “Coffee Break” — How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying
We can all agree that coffee is a lifesaver. But for the employees of the World Wide Wicket Company, they depend on this, as seen in their number “Coffee Break.” Without their coffee break, they die inside. There’s no hope left in the world. Their productivity goes downhill. Yet there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Their coffee finally comes, and we sigh with relief. This song is probably the most relatable out of the bunch.
Best line from the song: “But only one chemical substance gets out the lead.”
I know I’m missing a few songs, and this list isn’t perfect. I love finding out about new musicals, and hopefully you learned about some new musicals today too! Until then, do yourself a favor and listen to these songs… while eating or drinking the respective foods mentioned in them. It’ll complete the experience.