15 Unforgettable Stephen Sondheim Songs

    In honor of Stephen Sondheim's birthday, here are some of his greatest songs. But really, the list goes on forever.

    1. "The Glamorous Life"

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    From: A Little Night Music (film version)

    Performed by: Audra McDonald

    Memorable lyrics: "Ordinary mother's needn't meet committees,

    But ordinary mothers don't get keys to cities.

    No, ordinary mothers merely see their children all year,

    Which is lovely, I hear."

    2. "Marry Me a Little"

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    From: Company

    Performed by: Raúl Esparza

    Memorable lyrics: "Marry me a little,

    Do it with a will.

    Make a few demands

    I'm able to fulfill.

    Want me more than others,

    Not exclusively.

    That's the way it ought to be."

    3. "Not a Day Goes By"

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    From: Merrily We Roll Along

    Performed by: Bernadette Peters

    Memorable lyrics: "As the days go by,

    I keep thinking, 'When does it end?

    Where's the day I'll have started forgetting?'

    But I just go on

    Thinking and sweating

    And cursing and crying

    And turning and reaching

    And waking and dying"

    4. "More"

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    From: Dick Tracy

    Performed by: Madonna

    Memorable lyrics: "Count your blessings, one, two, three

    I just hate keeping score

    Any number is fine with me as long as it's more

    As long as it's more"

    5. "Moments in the Woods"

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    From: Into the Woods

    Performed by: Joanna Gleason

    Memorable lyrics: "Let the moment go...

    Don't forget it for a moment, though.

    Just remembering you've had an 'and,'

    When you're back to 'or,'

    Makes the 'or' mean more

    Than it did before."

    6. "The Miller's Son"

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    From: A Little Night Music

    Performed by: Sara Ramirez

    Memorable lyrics: "It's a very short road

    From the pinch and the punch

    To the paunch and the pouch

    And the pension.

    It's a very short road

    To the ten thousandth lunch

    And the belch and the grouch

    And the sigh."

    7. "Move On"

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    From: Sunday in the Park With George

    Performed by: Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters

    Memorable lyrics: "Look at what you want,

    Not at where you are,

    Not at what you'll be—

    Look at all the things you've done for me"

    8. "Not While I'm Around"

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    From: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

    Performed by: Neil Patrick Harris

    Memorable lyrics: "Being close and being clever

    Ain't like being true

    I don't need to,

    I would never hide a thing from you,

    Like some..."

    9. "Losing My Mind"

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    From: Follies

    Performed by: Donna Murphy

    Memorable lyrics: "The morning ends,

    I think about you.

    I talk to friends,

    I think about you.

    And do they know?

    It's like I'm losing my mind."

    10. "A Little Priest"

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    From: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

    Performed by: Angela Lansbury and Len Cariou

    Memorable lyrics: "It's fop.

    Finest in the shop.

    And we have some shepherd's pie peppered

    With actual shepherd on top!

    And I've just begun—

    Here's the politician, so oily

    It's served with a doily,

    Have one!"

    11. "On the Steps of the Palace"

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    From: Into the Woods

    Performed by: Kim Crosby

    Memorable lyrics: "But then what if he knew

    Who you were when you know

    That you're not what he thinks

    That he wants?"

    12. "Unworthy of Your Love"

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    From: Originally Assassins, here in the Sondheim revue Putting it Together

    Performed by: John Barrowman and Ruthie Henshall

    Memorable lyrics: "Let me feel fire,

    Let me drink poison,

    Tell me to tear my heart in two,

    If that's what you want me to do..."

    13. "Rose's Turn"

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    From: Gypsy

    Performed by: Bette Midler

    Memorable lyrics: "Well, someone tell me, when is it my turn?

    Don't I get a dream for myself?

    Starting now it's gonna be my turn.

    Gangway, world, get off of my runway!

    Starting now I bat a thousand!

    This time, boys, I'm taking the bows and

    Everything's coming up Rose!"

    14. "Getting Married Today"

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    From: Company

    Performed by: Madeline Kahn

    Memorable lyrics: "Listen everybody, I'm afraid you didn't hear, or do you want to

    see a crazy lady fall apart in front of you, it isn't only Paul

    who may be ruining his life, you know we'll both of us be losing

    our identities, I telephoned my analyst about it and he said to

    see him Monday, but by Monday I'll be floating in the Hudson with

    the other garbage—"

    15. "The Ladies Who Lunch"

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    From: Company

    Performed by: Elaine Stritch

    Memorable lyrics: "And here's to the girls who play wife—

    Aren't they too much?

    Keeping house but clutching

    A copy of LIFE,

    Just to keep in touch."