What do you think of when you think of Spring? Some ‘musical’ recommendations for the ultimate Spring playlist

What do you think of when you think of spring? Growth, rebirth, freshness, the long-awaited return of the sun? After a long winter of dreariness, getting yourself into the spring spirit can be difficult, so what better way to do so than to listen to some new upbeat musical soundtracks? 

Not only do these musicals offer something cheery for you to listen to, but they expose us to a life lesson or two along the way

To help you choose what best suits your taste, I have included a mix of both classic and modern musicals, from Sondheim to Sater, in the hope that one of them will spark your interest and have you skipping down the street in the sun. Unsurprisingly, these musicals are not completely upbeat in terms of plot, with some including important lessons on growing into adolescence, sexuality, and the complexity of life as demonstrated through the decisions we make. Not only do these musicals offer something cheery for you to listen to, but they expose us to a life lesson or two along the way. 

Into the Woods

Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s classic musical Into the Woods is a brilliant combination and adaptation of various fairytales, where the lives of the characters gradually intertwine to present a musical primarily about love, loss, growth, and parent-child relationships. The 1986 musical follows an array of characters – the Baker and his wife, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Jack, and an evil witch – all of whom, in the first half, try to reach their various wishes, and in the second, are forced to unite against a huge giant who has invaded the village. 

Into the Woods includes a huge amount of meaningful music that will get you thinking about its underlying themes, but these are paired with many catchy songs to get you feeling cheery and grateful for the spring sun. ‘Prologue’ introduces the audience to all the important characters while combining multiple fun musical styles and ending with the musical’s main theme that will get you skipping. ‘It Takes Two’, sung by the Baker and his wife, is a wonderful song about the growth that can come from companionship and the strength that two people can have in working together. ‘Giants in the Sky’, sung by Jack, is upbeat and exciting as Jack discovers a whole other world in the sky, detailing his adventures and interactions with a huge giant. Every song references hope, wishes, and companionship, all appropriate themes for the rebirth and growth associated with spring. 

Merrily We Roll Along (1981/2022)

Sondheim and Hal Prince’s final collaboration in 1981 brought Merrily We Roll Along to Broadway, albeit briefly. The story follows three old friends, who at the beginning are in their forties and estranged, and by the end, through a backwards-preceding storyline, are just meeting during their university years. The musical captures the importance of friendship, as well as the effect time has on our dreams. Above all, it represents and promotes letting yourself grow as a person as time progresses. 

With the musical’s theme of friendships growing apart, there are bound to be some less cheerful songs in the mix. Songs like ‘Now You Know’ and ‘Old Friends’ are upbeat, catchy, and have a great message behind them: being able to accept that life can be difficult, but ultimately you will, and must, move past it – “it’s called burn your bridges, start again / You should burn them every now and then / Or you’ll never grow!” If you’re looking for something more sombre but similarly about growth and change, ‘Growing Up’ is a beautiful song about having to reshape your dreams to become more realistic and to align with how you might have changed as a person. Both the 1981 and 2022 soundtracks are great, however, Maria Friedman’s 2022 rendition may be preferred as the defining version of the musical, which stars Jonathan Groff, Lindsay Mendez, and Daniel Radcliffe. 

Little Shop of Horrors

So Sondheim isn’t your thing? Let’s move on to another musical. On the subject of growth – literally – Little Shop of Horrors follows Seymour as he comes across a somewhat strange-acting plant that just won’t grow until he finds it has a thirst for human blood. With a pop and rock musical style, while this show has nothing to do with growth or spring, it has great songs as the plant continues to grow, and is sure to put a spring in your step on a sunny day. 

If you want to stick with the theme of growth, ‘Grow for Me’ is the obvious song to start with. It documents Seymour as he struggles to find what he can possibly do to make this plant grow (which eventually is, of course, his blood). Broadway-favourite ‘Suddenly, Seymour’ is a classic love song that also showcases the two main characters’ hopes and dreams, encouraging the audience to reflect on their growth throughout the musical and perhaps even their own. And, of course, the shows main opening number ‘Skid Row (Downtown)’ is sure to get you humming away while you listen and throughout the day. 

You can even compile these all together along with some old favourites to create the ultimate spring playlist

Hopefully, there’s something in here that catches your interest. Maybe you can even compile these all together along with some old favourites to create the ultimate spring playlist to get you skipping down the road in the sun on your way to university this March.