List of the day - Musical theatre songs I should love but don't

Musical Theatre is full of wonderful music.  There are so many scores and songs that I love and listen to over and over.  However, there are always going to be songs that I just do not care for.  Many people love them, but that does not mean they are for everyone.  We all like what we like, right?  That's what makes life interesting. 

These are 10 songs that I simply do not care for 9 times out of 10.  No offense to those who like the songs, it's just my personal preference.

1.  Music of the Night - This song from Phantom of the Opera is used in the show to put Christine in a trance, under the spell of the phantom.  It sure puts me in a trance and sometimes I wake myself up from snoring.

2.  Meadowlark - Narratives are hard to do.  I remember from my theatre days that narrative monologues were difficult to pull off convincingly.  The same goes for a narrative song.  It's a nice story this song tells, but I have never enjoyed hearing anyone except Susan Egan sing it.  It's one of Betty Buckley's signature tunes and when I finally heard her perform it, it fell quite flat.  Here's Patti Lupone's version:

3.  All I Need is the Girl - I have never understood why this song is in the show to begin with.  It is sung by Tulsa in Act II, which is pretty much his only scene besides being a chorus boy.  So, why waste 5 minutes of time on someone no one cares about til this point?  I often wondered who the original actor was sleeping with to get this number put in the show.  I always skip right over this one on every single recording of Gypsy I have.

4.  The American Dream - Yippee.  Just don't care for it.

5.  Seasons of Love - This song from Rent became everyone's emotional ballad in the 90's.  I actually enjoyed it the first 525,600 times I heard it.  It was that 525,601st time that pushed me over the edge.  Now, when I hear the opening chords, I either wretch or leave the room or both.  Enjoy!

6.  Pretty Women - This duet from Sweeney Todd has become a staple for guys with wide vibratos who believe diction is not important.  The original was fine, but I have heard it massacred many times to the point I'd rather not anymore.

7.  Too Darn Hot - The Act II opener from Kiss Me, Kate.  I can see how the lyrics in 1948 were risque' and the song was banned from radio airplay for awhile.  Still, I find it on the monotonous side.  And the staging's I've seen of it have been, across the board, rather boring.

8.  Vanilla Ice Cream - She Loves Me is the almost forgotten musical.  Now, I wish auditioning sopranos would forget this one.

9.  More I Cannot Wish You - Yet again, we find another song given to a very minor character who, up to this point in the 2nd act, has said only a few words and why should we care?  I find the song bland and do not think this moment needed to be musicalized.

10.  Someone To Watch Over Me - This song, from 1926's Oh, Kay! is ok, but it is hard to sing and few can do it.  While it leaves plenty of good room for interpretation vocally, it is very easy to take it one step too far switching between head voice and chest voice.  It's just not at the top of my Gershwin playlist.