Celebration of Musicals Week: {Song Highlights}

Well here's is a post with highlights of the top twelve songs in AToTC. I considered doing the entire musical, but then I realized that it would be quite a long post. Also today is a pretty busy day for me, and I didn't get in on the blog part early enough to have posts written and scheduled. Anyhow here we are with my 'favorite' songs. Apologizes for all the Les Miserables references. They make their way into everything.   Prologue: The Shadows of the Night – Dr. Alexandre Manette and Lucie Manette      Okay although there might not be too much singing in this song the instrumentals are phenomenal! We're talking about an amazing orcastra. It definitly helps build the tension that runs through the entire show.  The Way It Ought to Be – Madame Therese Defarge, Ernest Defarge and Ensemble/Sydney Carton (Reprise)  This reminds me a lot about 'Look Down' the beggars version of Les Miserables. This is probably one of the most epic songs of AToTC. It starts off with Madame Defarge talking about the pictures she knits, which of course is a huge plot twist in the book. Ernest Defarge's "You've always known this world is black and cold and human life is cheap. You've always known most men are out for blood...." Are just about the most epic lryics of the song. The reprise to this song is also your epic introduction to Sydney Carton. He's just amazing. If this were Les Miserables then this would be Grantaire's theme song.    Reflection — Sydney Carton Mr Carton's reflection of his actions. *cries* You can see into his soul and how torn of a man he is. A part of him is attracted to Lucie Mannette, but he tries pushing her aside. At first you almost want to dislike him, just because he's a bit rude. Then he starts talking about his dreams and *cries*. He wants so much, he wants to be a better person, and those very dreams are what torment him.  I Can't Recall — Sydney Carton Lucie has just gave Sydney a goodbye kiss on the cheek, only as a friend of course. However, this kiss turns Sydney's world upside down. The words to the song talk about how he can't recall the days of his past. Lucie's kiss has made them all disapear. It gives him a hope that the dreams tormenting him might actually come true. This song has some of my favorite lyrics..."I can't recall a night so clear, the heavens seem an inch away, not cold and empty like before, a night as sweets as this tonight I can't recall." Its so pure and one of my absolute favorite songs.  Now at Last — Charles Darnay and Lucie Manette A Heart Full of Love used to be my favorite love song. This song however has completely taken its place. I'm working on learning it on the piano. This is just one of those songs you pour your entire heart and soul into. To top it all off the kiss that happens in this song....*swoon*...I know most people prefer Sydney over Charles, but Charles is so in love with Lucie and yet still to kind to Sydney that it actually makes me prefer him more.   If Dreams Came True — Charles Darnay and Sydney Carton Ack, my heart. The emotions are too much in this song. Charles is so in love with Lucie. In a few lines you can tell he loves her with all his heart and soul. Sydney's "But God is kind for you he had a better plan and saved you from the pain of loving me." brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. It just show's just how much he loves Lucie. He was willing to give up the fight so Lucie could be with the better man.   Out of Sight, Out of Mind — Madame Therese Defarge Another Ack moment. The instrumentals to this song is spectacular. I could just listen to the orcastra for hours. It's such a pain and anger driven song, but the undertones of the lyrics are so full of this bitter love. If a you could write a history book using songs then this song would fully portray the suffering of the people prior to the French Revolution. When the tempo of the song speads up you feel this surging hatred for the Marquis.  Little One — Gaspard, Little Lucie, Sydney Carton, Ernest Defarge and Men Little Lucie is just about the dearest little girl in all of the musical productions. Her concern for Sydney's soul is so touching. Her innocents protects her from the worries of the current Revolution. When Ernest Defarge and the Men join in on "little one" I typically burst into tears. The "little one" killed in the street by the Marquis carriage lays limp in the arms of his father, the worries and pains of the world killed him, finally to give him release. *sobs*  Until Tomorrow — Ernest Defarge, Madame Therese Defarge, Sydney Carton and Ensemble THIS SONG. It screams Enjolras and the barricade boys. It's such an epic song that I'm just going to post a link so you can just listen to the epicness. This is the BEST song from AToTC. This is another one of those 'needs to be in a history book' song. The message of the song is a mirror to One Day More. Litterally. It's almost the same exact song. Which is probably why I love this song so much.   If Dreams Came True (Reprise) — Sydney Carton and Charles Darnay Sydney has just taken Lucie away and has tried to comfort her. Charles is lamenting his coming to France because of the price Lucie and his daughter will have to pay...his death. He sings of how Lucie haunts his dreams while in prison.  Never Say Goodbye Lucie Manette  The movement from If Dreams Came True to this song is absolutely flawless. I wish I could write music like this. What makes this song so emotional is that it mirrors Charles thought's of Lucie. Her lines start with "How you haunt my dreams..." as the musical swells to accompany "Never say goodbye!" is completly sung from the heart. It's very much like Eponine's "I love him, but only on my own." Only Lucie's speaking    Finale: I Can't Recall — Seamstress, Sydney Carton and EnsembleThe finale is so bittersweet. Sydney meets a seamstress that is being executed for working with a Marquis. The young woman is terrified and draws on Sydney's fearlessness. Something between the two of them clicks and you almost get this faint impression that his previous dreams have come true through this woman. Then it is this sudden slap in the face when Sydney speaks "It is a far,far better thing I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." The Guillotine falls with the curtain.