This is discussion archived from a time before the current discussion method was installed.
Working Title: That Reminds Me Of A Song: From YKTTW
I inadvertantly created a YKTTW that was almost exactly this trope (with the catchy title Engaging Chansons). I just added the new examples in.
Dotdotdot:
- I think a distinction needs to be made in this trope between songs sung organically (as in, songs sung by characters as characters in dialogue or soliloquy but don't explicitly move the plot along) and songs sung artificially (as in, the characters are merely singing songs as singers, instead of as characters, also without plot movement).
- Also, a few of these examples don't seem to fit the mold of the trope to me. The A Chorus Line example in particular. in the context of the show, I happen to think that "What I did for Love" is sung from an organic place for a reason, even if the song itself was a cash-in.
Scifantasy: Agreed with the above. Take the Kiss Me, Kate example: "Wunderbar" was two people singing because they were reminiscing about the Good Old Days, and the song they had in "that flop revival of The Prince of Pottsdam." Now, "Too Darn Hot" or "Brush Up Your Shakespeare," on the other hand...
Madrugada I also completely agree, especially about Wunderbar, and would add both of the Guys and Dolls songs mentioned. Adelaide is a performer in a a nightclub — of course she's going to sing and Sit Down You're Rocking the Boat is a really valiant attempt by Nicely-Nicely to make Sarah look good. If there's a "just sing for the sake of singing" song in the show, it's Fugue For Tinhorns or Permanent Floating Crap Game.
