This post is about the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical South Pacific, which has been turned into two movies (a good 1958 version and a not so good 2001 television production) and has recently had an extremely successful revival on Broadway. And many of the songs from this musical have entered the realm of popular music, including "Cockeyed Optimist" "Some Enchanted Evening" "Honeybun" "Happy Talk" "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" and "A Wonderful Guy".
You know, it is wonderful how people used to really enjoy the songs that were hot on Broadway. And it's sad that Showtunes aren't enjoyed by most people. For a vert long time, the pop hits people loved were written for one show or another. I can't think of one song that I love that didn't originate from some theatre. Ahh, me. But, I digress.
"I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair" is probably the most popular song from the show. And why not? It's very entertaining. I love it. And it's extremely catchy.
I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair
I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair
I'm gonna wash that man right outta my hair
And send him on his way
Most of the song is the same one line, which makes it very easy to remember. For me it brings back memorisies of my youth. When I was younger and not learned in the art of avoiding confronation, my wife used to sing this song after we got into a fight! Oh, the good old days...
Another of the quite popular songs is "Some Enchanted Evening". When I was in high school, we had a teacher who used to be an opera singer and he would sing this song all the time:
Some enchanted evening
You may see a stranger
You may see a stranger
Across a crowded room
And somehow you know
You know even that
That somewhere you'll see him
Again and again
It was his favorite. Actually, he introduced me to this show with that song. I loved when he'd sing it and when a local theatre company did a production he suggested that I go. I did and it's been one of my favorite musicals ever since.
