Top Five Stephen Sondheim Patter Songs

Jess is here to countdown his top five favorite Stephen Sondheim Patter songs! Lets see if his list matches yours!
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[@josesolismusic]

You didn't even mantion YOUR FAULT from Into the Woods, which is a 4 part patter song. I mean, seriously, not even in the honorable mention?

[@jotaeme7436]

Would "Your Fault" count as a patter song? If so, I'd say it should've been at least mentioned...

[@aarongilmore1254]

I was waiting for your fault as well

[@22Circes]

I was waiting for Greens! as well.

[@golvic1436]

Yes it would.

[@robbey10]

@@22Circes Greens is rap.

[@22Circes]

@@robbey10 One of the best pieces I ever got to perform. 💚

[@Apostrofe]

I would have thought "Witch's Rap" from Into the Woods might have gotten an honorable mention, but these are priceless

[@lolabond6821]

I thought the same - on both accounts

[@Robdavemaya]

“It’s Your Fault” tops my list!

[@dogvom]

There are several that could be considered patter songs in _Into the Woods,_ including "Giants in the Sky", "On the Steps of the Palace", and especially "Your Fault". In _A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum_ there's "Pretty LIttle Picture". In _Pacific Overtures_ there's a whole big section in "Please Hello" that is like the Major-General's song in _The Pirates of Penzance._

[@billsnyder6391]

Exactly.

[@user-rd2su4hs3d]

Good list. But the Sondheim patter song that I think should have been at the very top, didn't even make your list: "Pirelli's Miracle Elixir" from "Sweeney Todd.

[@chantdonchant]

Too lyrical to be a patter song- it’s bel canto gone mad.

[@joselgarlitos6368]

enjoyed the video! I thought Not Getting Married Today is number 1. i thought the Greens, Greens Witch's Intro in Into The Woods would be there in the Top 5!

[@donaldgrove2249]

Wow, never heard the Julie Andrews "Not getting married". She really bangs the words out! Love the whole video!

[@terryhastings2465]

She's done, by far, the best annunciated version of that song.

[@BadWebDiver]

Madeline Kahn's version is great too.

[@pauladoogan4784]

Watched your video because I wanted to know what a patter song was after hearing about them in "only murders in the building". I just love the triplet patter song sung by Steve Martin, I think he does an amazing job! 👏👏

[@RickvanVeldhuizen]

The British and French sections of 'Please, Hello' from Pacific Overtures should have been on here, maybe 'The God-Why-Don't-You-Love-Me-Blues' from Follies and definitely 'Kiss Me' from Sweeney Todd.

[@22Circes]

I suddenly regret that I haven't listened to that show in so many years. Going to add it to my library now.💜

[@davidpratt466]

Even the American section has a patter-y feel, as does "The Advantages of Floating in the Middle of the Sea." ("Beyond the screens that glide aside..." etc.)

[@oldvlognewtricks]

Please, Hello is an utter masterpiece - not least because the British verse is Gilbert and Sullivan taken to the point of absurdity.

[@terryhastings2465]

"Pretty Little Picture" from FORUM. The growing alliteration is brilliant.

[@AMoniqueOcampo]

I was waiting for a mention of the Witch’s rap from Into the Woods!

[@richardputorti4458]

Julie Andrews' performance of Getting Married Today is actually from the 1993 Off-Broadway performance of Putting It Together! Before it transferred to mainstage Broadway in 1999 with Carol Burnett, Julie was also a part of the performance that you show in the Putting It Together segment with Michael Rupert, Rachel York, Christopher Durang, and Stephen Collins.

[@lieselottebreure5435]

The miller’s son? I think that’s a great one too

[@allyson--]

Another lovely video! Some patter songs I've recently seen live are "Both Sides of the Coin" from Mystery of Edwin Drood & "Not Getting Married" from Company. Truly breathtaking to watch a real person in front of you perform such challenging works. If I had to shout out another song off the top of my head, "Everybody Loves Louis" has stretches of pitter patter (I love the character Dot). Also, "Cabaret" from Cabaret.

[@stephaniekeyes2928]

Yes Drood! Also Mandy does a great patter song on one of his albums by Gilbert and Sullivan. I have no idea how he possibly got through it!!!!

[@julianasilveira4806]

Such a great video! Sondheim really was one of the greatest minds to ever have lived. Also, I didn't even know that Julie Andrews did a version of (Not) Getting Married Today. Gotta go check that out!

[@MusicalswithCheese]

Glad you enjoyed it! :)

[@stephaniekeyes2928]

Original Broadway cast of Putting it Together- filmed version was with Carol Burnett

[@battlegirldeb]

Love Mr Sondheim.

[@Toggitryggva]

Would replace Now with The Miller's Song. And honorably mention How I Saved Roosevelt. What a man!

[@Toggitryggva]

"Miller's SON"

[@jamesrankin7598]

@@Toggitryggva too slow

[@oldvlognewtricks]

How I Saved Roosevelt is magnificent, and worryingly accurate

[@allisonbergh4429]

The name of the song is “Getting Married Today”. Adding in the “Not” spoils the twist!!

[@MusicalswithCheese]

Yesss! A very “What is this Feeling” title

[@oldvlognewtricks]

Dance: Ten; Looks: Three.

[@allisonbergh4429]

@@oldvlognewtricks That one also has the benefit of being much more printable 😆

[@classicalduck]

"Please Hello" from "Pacific Overtures" contains what is easily the best Gilbert & Sullivan parody I've ever heard. I was astonished to learn that Sondheim didn't think very highly of G&S; he certainly mastered their idiom.

[@ThePonderer]

Ahhhh so putting it together was what Art of the Dress was playing on.

[@amikireicraftstore]

Not getting married today should be one. I don't know, I have sang each song mentioned but I feel the anxiety attack is just... The best, number one for me.

[@laurenharris9197]

What a great video! I had never heard of a Patter Song before and am glad I learned since I apparently love them 😀 Gonna have to listen to Not Getting Married Today on repeat until I have memorized every line lol

[@allisonbergh4429]

They’re not Sondheim, but you should also give a listen to “Model Behavior” from Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown and “I Know What’s Going to Happen” from Tootsie 😁

[@kittikat2318]

The funniest version of Getting Married Today is definitely Madeline Kahn. Patti Lupone & Mandy Patinkin are 2 of the other greats that could demolish any of the patter songs!! Their annunciation & breath work is spectacular.

[@stephaniekeyes2928]

On many tributes and Madeline Kahn is great; Company original is the best tho

[@OriginalCaliKitty]

@@kittikat2318 Yes, for me Madeline's version of the song is the gold standard.

[@lillianward2810]

Omg how did I not know Julie Andrews covered Getting Married Today?? I do agree with your top choice btw. I would love to perform that sometime.

[@johnjenkins5279]

Your Fault from ITW should be no. 1!

[@leewitten4758]

I think the song Please, Hello from Pacific Overtures is my favorite "villain" song of all time, and everyone should listen to it, I would have loved to see it on the list, but I don't have the strength to chose where it should have been placed.

[@palmereldritch7777]

this should have been a top ten at least......And Please Hello should be on the list absolutely. There also the story of Jessy and Lucy and The God Why don't you love me blues from Follies

[@rabbitfishtv]

yes, correct! And the British general’s section is a perfect Gilbert and Sullivan patter song pastiche.

[@njatty]

Yeah, "Please Hello" immediately comes to the mind. It even includes a G&S patter song parody. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kGm6mqiaedGHeNk

[@oldvlognewtricks]

@@rabbitfishtvBetter lyrics than Gilbert could have ever come up with.

[@stvp68]

Esparza’s version of Franklin Shepherd Inc is fantastic

[@victordunson719]

You can definitely see his impact on Lin Manuel-Miranda

[@cerchiamusic]

Bobbie and Jackie and Jack from Merrily We Roll Along

[@jamescampbell2190]

I’d switch places for #1 and #2. “Not Getting Married” is not only notoriously difficult to sing, it’s also freaking hilarious.

[@fairamir1]

I would not classify " Woest pies in London" as a patter song.

[@jansage3463]

Only parts of it are…but those parts are brilliant!!

[@turcj]

I vote for "Your Fault" from Into the Woods.

[@ellenmraz4635]

I was disappointed not to see more of Raúl Esparza doing Franklin Sherheed. His motions and facial expressions while performing were fantastic.

[@knitdesignbycaroline]

I love a good patter song! They're tons of fun to sing. Missing here: On the Steps of the Palace, from Into the Woods.

[@davidp.andersonpianorecordings]

For syllables per second it's hard to top Tom Lehrer singing 'The Elements'

[@jordanbell6181]

And Daniel Radcliffe does The Elements on the Grahman Norton show (look it up) as well as nailing Franklin Shepard Inc...new king of the patter?

[@erikafusco9063]

@@jordanbell6181 I'd say so!!

[@LUTube81]

Which used the melody of Modern Major General.

[@stephaniekeyes2928]

Wonderful !!!!

[@libbyhinson2628]

PLEASE HELLO! One of the best patter songs since Gilbert & Sullivan! Controversial... well, yes. Brilliant, undoubtedly!

[@laytonjones2093]

Gilbert and Sulllivan masters of the patter song

[@22Circes]

I got to play Ruth in Pirates of Penzance. The show was modeled after the then current Broadway production with Linda Ronstat and Kevin Kline so the director added the pattern song "My Eyes Are Fully Open" from Ruddigore, with the lyrics changed to match Pirates' plot. Thar sucker was freaking fast. I loved performing G&S.

[@easterslice]

@@22Circes That song has a fun history. Martyn Greene, who sang the "George Grossmith parts" (i.e., Major General Stanley and Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd) started the practice of singing his verse of the song in a single breath, because it amused him to watch the audience subconsciously hold their breaths as he did it. That's why Kevin Kline does the bit of singing his verse on a single breath.

[@phoebob5136]

I heard an interview with Maria Friedman who describe Franklin Sheppard Inc. as a love song. Such a powerful interpretation.

[@neilchace1858]

"Buddy's Blues" really needs to be on this list- a borderline criminal exclusion. Actually, I really only agree with "Getting Married Today" from your list, and would also have included "Giants in the Sky", "Everybody Says Don't", and "Opening Doors". I'm confused as to how anyone would put "Worst Pies in London" on a list like this, tbh.

[@michaelodonnell824]

There's a video of various artists doing "(Not) Getting Married". Well worth checking out...

[@alanbarnett6993]

Ballad of Czolgosz from Assassins

[@timothysmith7888]

Came to the Comments looking for THIS, or to add it, if missing.

[@rabbitfishtv]

“Crysanthemum Tea” from “Pacific Overtures” comes to mind. It’s very patter song in structure and rhymes, though a little slow to fit the bill?

[@stvp68]

Now is one of my favorites

[@trigun630]

gilber and sullivan will always be the patter kings yet you opened the door to me checking out more of Stephen Sondheims work.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

Please, Hello is Sondheim telling W.S. Gilbert he can suck it

[@robstockton2463]

“A Weekend in the Country” from A Little Night Music

[@seantodd8875]

Not a patter song

[@oldvlognewtricks]

@@seantodd8875You haven’t been getting out nearly enough.

[@kevinkiniry3941]

great list. I would also put Chrysanthemum Tea from Pacific Overtures on there.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

It’s an herb that’s superb for disturbances at sea…

[@billswan4419]

The witches greens greens song from into the woods

[@aIewishus]

Franklin Shepard Inc. has recently become my favorite Sondheim number of all time. Nice to see it get some recognition! (I'm ashamed to admit but I was planning on leaving an angry comment if it wasn't here lol)

[@KatMusic2009]

I would have put "Not getting married" at Number 1...... performed brilliantly by Cassidy Janson in the 2011 Southwark Playhouse, (London, UK), production of Company!

[@andrewthornhill7042]

'A Weekend in the Country' from 'A Little Night Music' perhaps?

[@isabellaearnhardt6380]

❤️

[@bellarviera13]

Franklin Shepard Inc is one of my favorite Sondheim patter songs

[@carlray713]

While A Little Night Music is written all in waltz meter, not everthing is in 3:4, for example I believe "Send in the clowns" is in 12:8

[@stevenfehr4787]

I would have included "The Miller's Son" from A Little Night Music. Although there are slow sections within it, there are some nice patter song moments as well.

[@Gnostic72]

1. Not Getting Married Today 2. Putting It Together 3. Giants In The Sky 4. Another 100 People 5. Worst Pies In London

[@vilkomen]

Totally agree qith your #1!

[@socialistwhore2132]

It's so strange seeing your face like Ive been listening to the podcast forever and like knowing what you look like beyond a disembodied voice is making me trip I can even begin to rank patter song smoke ahhh I'm crying just thinking about his musicals

[@socialistwhore2132]

Like your fault (idk if it counts tbh) is my favourite but that's probably cause I heard into the woods and a toddler and like I'm obsessed with fairytales and myths

[@AM-jx3zf]

Here after Only Murders in the Building

[@laytonjones2093]

Love a patter song

[@JG-uu1oj]

you know my favorite thought it's really not a patter song I suppose because it goes back and forth from song to patter is The MIller's Son

[@HighKingTurgon]

Surprised to see "getting married today" at TWO-but you're right. FSI is incomparable.

[@mhollick63]

I would add Chrysanthemum tea from Pacific Overtures.

[@jeffreysampson133]

Kiss Me from Sweeney Todd

[@stvp68]

Who else expected #2 to be #1?

[@ozzietadziu]

You could drive a person crazy!

[@oldvlognewtricks]

Not patter, but sure…

[@ozzietadziu]

@@oldvlognewtricks Patter enough.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

@@ozzietadziu Not all uptempo songs are patter.

[@TheJohn1567]

These were great! what about it takes two from into the woods?

[@davidirvine1012]

Your Fault Into the Woods

[@monicam.8006]

The MIller's Son? Please! It's his best!

[@wehkfam5680]

I really liked the use of "Co-op" to introduce the concept. I don't think Miranda has ever written a patter song. He writes hip hop songs for musicals. That being said, I was telling a friend today I think patter songs are proto hip hop.

[@tomorr7548]

"You're Welcome." Maui's big song from MOANA, is absolutely a patter song (for just one example).

[@wehkfam5680]

@@tomorr7548 I respectfully disagree. YW has a rap for the bridge, but everything else is standard. I think this goes back to the taxonomy of rap vs patter, but I can still cleaning draw a line between the two.

[@tomorr7548]

Point taken. I withdraw my submission

[@easterslice]

I would say that "Farmer Refuted" is a classic patter song.

[@bryangallet9056]

Pirates of Penzance

[@christinedunning8463]

Too bad he did this before Daniel Radcliffe NAILED Franklin Shephard Inc.

[@kimberlybrady6976]

Oh HELL no!! Under no sane universe is "Your Fault" from "Into the Woods" NOT number ONE!! It's a patter song using 5 characters singing it!! How could you...

[@seantodd8875]

I disagree with Another Hundred People. If a song has some patter elements, but also plenty of melisma and sustained notes, I don't know that I'd call it a patter song.

[@ShowWagon]

I don't think some of these meet the definition of a patter song. "Getting Married Today," of course, and the British Ambassador section of "Please Hello," without a doubt. But not all lyric-dense songs are patter songs, and when they have slower, broader sections ("Mind you I can't hardly blame them. These are probably the worst pies in London..." for example), I believe that puts them in other categories.

[@easterslice]

I agree. Maybe it's fair to say that "Worst Pies in London" is a song that contains patter sections.

[@cindiverbelun1802]

I’m sorry, I have to disagree. While I do love Franklin Sheppard Inc, I PLAYED AMY, and Getting Married Today is a FAR MORE DIFFICULT song to sing. I did it going up and down platforms in a gymnasium without a mic. Franklin Sheppard does give you room to breathe, Getting Married Today does not. Sing both and THEN tell me which you think Is the harder/better song.

[@dougbarker3019]

I'm really fascinated by how some people try to indulge in quasi-analytical videos on Sondheim when there's so little substance to deal with. His so-called patter songs are really babble over music and way beneath Arthur Sullivan's brilliant examples of the art form.

[@MusicalswithCheese]

Ok

[@paulschacht9777]

Ummm … no

[@paules3437]

11:10 Soooo.... ya slipped in a rolled Spanish "R" in Lin Manuel Miranda but not in any of the other Spanish words. Why not? Is it pretentious to roll an R if it's not part of your native tongue? You'll notice French speakers, for example, make no attempt at all to recreate more or less authentic sounds from other languages. I even heard a few comments about this on NPR: How Spanish is the ONLY non-English language on NPR where they try to imitate the accent, but you'll never hear them using a "Russian" R, for example. What gives?

[@tomfontana7670]

Wrong! A patter song is not a fast song with a lot of words. A patter song is a "list" or a catalog of things. Like "raindrops on roses..." (My Favorite Things from "The Sound of Music"). William S. Gilbert was the best. Sondheim didn't like Gilbert and Sullivan comic operas.

[@chrisf5828]

There is no definitive content of a patter song. None. Some patter songs list things and some do not.

[@robstockton911]

The closest thing we have to a consensus definition of “patter song” would be Wikipedia’s, which describes it thus: “A patter song is characterized by a moderately fast to very fast tempo with a rapid succession of rhythmic patterns in which each syllable of text corresponds to one note.” I could find no definition anywhere that limited the phrase to lists.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

A list song is a subset of patter songs, not the whole category.

[@sagahammer]

Not in the same league as G & S, sorry.

[@MusicalswithCheese]

That’s fine too!

[@rabbitfishtv]

UTTERLY disagree. Gilbert had to include a libretto in the program because you couldn’t always catch the lyrics as they would be a bit obscure and tortured. Sondheim, OTOH, always catches the ear clearly.

[@oldvlognewtricks]

Look at the internal rhymes in Please, Hello and try that again

[@chrisk5651]

Hate hate hate Mandy’s singing voice!!!

[@Marcel_Audubon]

Q: what's worse than a patter song? A: a Sondheim patter song