It’s no secret that I’ve been struggling to keep my head above water for the past few days. The results of the election have left me feeling desolate, enraged, and hopeless in a way that I’ve only experienced previously upon losing a loved one. During times of grief, it has always been music that gets me through the darkness. In case there are any other musical theater people hurting out there this week, or just people who appreciate the power of song and understand that “where words fail, music speaks,” here are lyrics from songs I’ve had on repeat this week. Because, as they say… the show must go on.
I’m through accepting limits
‘Cause someone says they’re so
Some things I cannot change
But till I try I’ll never know
(“Defying Gravity” – Wicked)
I used to think I knew them.
We were as close as people could be
Whatever happened to them?
Better yet, what’s happened to me?
Did I cross some line by speaking my mind?
In my heart, I know I’m not wrong
I just never knew
It hurts to be strong
(“It Hurts to be Strong” – Carrie The Musical)
What you’ve got to do is finish
What you have begun!
I don’t know just how
But it’s not over till you’ve won.
When you see the storm is coming
See the lightning part the skies
It’s too late to run
There’s terror in your eyes
What you do then is remember
This old thing you heard me say
“It’s the storm, not you
That’s bound to blow away”
(“Hold On” – The Secret Garden)
Like this brief day
My light is nearly gone
But through the night
My children you will go on
You will know heartache
Prayers that don’t work
And times of bitter circumstances
But I still believe in second chances
(“Children of Eden” – Children of Eden)
It’s about one moment
That moment you think you know where you stand
And in that one moment
The things that you’re sure of slip from your hand
And you’ve got one second
To try to be clear, to try to stand tall
But nothing’s the same
(“Opening: The New World” – Songs for a New World)
There are moments that the words don’t reach
There is suffering too terrible to name
You hold your child as tight as you can
And push away the unimaginable
The moments when you’re in so deep
It feels easier to just swim down
(“It’s Quiet Uptown” – Hamilton)
Like a fish plucked from the ocean
Tossed into a foreign stream
Always knew that I was different
Often fled into a dream
I ignored the raging current
Right against the tide I swam
But I floated with the question
Who will love me as I am?
(“Who Will Love Me As I Am” – Sideshow)
Believe in yourself, right from the start
You’ll have brains
You’ll have a heart
You’ll have courage
To last your whole life through
(“Believe in Yourself” – The Wiz)
You can’t stop today
As it comes speeding down the track
Child, yesterday is hist’ry
And it’s never coming back
‘Cause tomorrow is a brand new day
And it don’t know white from black
(“You Can’t Stop the Beat” – Hairspray)
Five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure, measure a year?
In daylights, in sunsets
In midnights, in cups of coffee
In inches, in miles
In laughter, in strife
In five hundred twenty-five thousand six hundred minutes
How do you measure a year in the life
How about love?
(“Seasons of Love” – Rent)
Purpose – it’s that little flame
That lights a fire under your ass
Purpose it keeps you going strong
Like a car with a full tank of gas
(“Purpose” – Avenue Q)