Top 10 Funniest Broadway Songs
#10: It Sucks to Be Me” “Avenue Q”
Top 10 Broadway Songs That Are Tragically Funny
Nothing says welcome to the neighborhood quite like your new neighbors competing over who has it worse. This original and amusing song introduces the characters and also helps set up the show’s adult comedy tone. Despite the “Sesame Street” style puppets and cheerful melody, this track establishes that “Avenue Q” is definitely not for children. Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx’s song is effortlessly humorous and funnier still if you find any of its content relatable. After this stellar melody, we were definitely ready to laugh at tunes about girlfriends that live in Canada.
#9: “I Don’t Understand the Poor” “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”
This track provides a little insight into the central D’Ysquith family and their immense wealth. During the show, we meet Earl Lord Adalbert D’Ysquith. After expelling our protagonist Monty from the ancestral library, he shares his frustrations about poor people with the audience. Earl sees poverty as nothing more than a silly life choice. He honestly believes solving the problem is as simple as people just striving to do better. Not only does his out-of-touch nature make it funny, but a chorus of portraits also add to the hilarity and absurdity of the performance. If he’d been a little kinder to the poor, his story would have had a happier ending. At least we’re content with this comedic song.
#8: “Brush up your Shakespeare” “Kiss Me, Kate”
In the musical’s second act, a pair of gangsters find themselves unexpectedly in the spotlight with no choice but to improvise. They somehow stay on theme with the show-within-a-show by singing about how a thorough knowledge of Shakespeare’s work can be majorly attractive to ladies. The song’s filled with witty double-entendres centering around the Bard’s best-known plays and characters. We really have to give credit to Cole Porter here. Not only is the song incredibly amusing, but it’s exceptionally clever too. It’s no surprise that the gangsters returned for two more verses. The audience and us simply couldn’t get enough of this comedic excellence.
#7: “Haben Sie Gehort Das Deutsche Band? (“Have you Heard the German Band?”)” “The Producers”
While the Third Reich might not seem obvious comedy material, “The Producers” proved they could find a funny side to anything. They team up with playwright and sympathizer Hans Liebken (leeb-kin) and harness his ode to a certain grim leader. Frustrated with an actor’s take on the character during auditions, the writer jumps in and performs this satirical number himself. The lyrics are pretty nonsensical. The words essentially serve to celebrate an exaggerated cliché of German music — or, at least what the writers deem to be traditional sounds from the country. Despite the controversial subject matter, it’s a pretty catchy and entertaining song. Hans’ performance is so compelling and offensive that he lands the leading role.
#6: “Master of the House” “Les Misérables”
The 10 Most Difficult Weapons to Master
Very few musicals need comic relief more than a certain famous show that literally has “miserable” in its title. Luckily for audiences, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg delivered in a big and memorable way. The show features the Thénardiers, a seemingly hospitable innkeeper couple who use inventive ways to swindle their patrons. This song details their creatively criminal ongoings and provides some insight into their relationship. It also brings some much-needed levity to the story in the wake of Fantine’s tragic storyline. In a show that’s long and gets pretty bleak, it’s nice to be able to laugh for a little while.
#5: “You'll Be Back” “Hamilton”
Top 20 Modern Broadway Songs You Can Belt To
Written as a break-up anthem between Britain and the American Colonies, this hilarious and iconic song carries a brilliant duality. On the one hand, King George III sounds like a loving and caring monarch. But there are lines that make it clear that he’s also a creepy ex. Still, we love this British Invasion number and its two subsequent follow-ups — and no, the British Invasion double-entendre isn’t lost on us either. The juxtaposition of dark subject matter with a cheery tone never fails to make audiences chuckle. Of course, King George’s outrageous stage presence only adds to the hilarity. Despite being the musical’s most clear-cut villain, this song made the character a fan favorite.
#4: “Turn It Off” “The Book of Mormon”
Did the US Navy Really Turn a Ship Invisible? | Unveiled
There are plenty of solid contenders for funniest songs from “The Book of Mormon.” We could sit and laugh at “You and Me (But Mostly Me)”. And honestly, “Man Up” is another gut-busting choice. However, we repressed our feelings about those and went in a different direction instead. “Turn It Off” mocks the tendency for people from strict religious backgrounds to bury their true emotions. Feeling guilty? Just “Turn It Off.” If you’re overcome with sadness,“Turn It Off.” Feeling amorous? Well…you get the idea. It’s supposedly as easy as switching off a light. However, we know the one thing we definitely can’t turn off is our laughter from the opening line to the final note.
#3: “Diva's Lament (Whatever Happened to My Part?)” “Spamalot”
Musical theater fans love a good send-up of the genre. Fortunately, “Spamalot” treated us to two whimsically meta-musical numbers. We adored that Sir Galahad and The Lady of the Lake shared a romantic duet about love song clichés. But about halfway through act two, The Lady’s back and she ain’t happy. The character breaks the fourth wall to complain about her lack of stage time…or is it actually the actor speaking out here? It certainly works on both levels. These lyrics were also notable for undergoing several rewrites. In one amusing instance, adjustments were made following Sara Ramirez’s Tony-win. While the Lady might not get enough stage time, she makes every moment count.
#2: “Gee, Officer Krupke” “West Side Story”
Top 10 Broadway Songs You Definitely Can't Solo
After yet another altercation with the authorities, the Jets sing this witty commentary on social and class issues. The opening “Dear” mocks the self-important Krupke right from the start and creates a great framing device for them to work in. Throughout the upbeat tune, the gang proceeds to show more awareness than any adult character by highlighting societal problems. Despite its dark undertones, the cheeky performances from The Jets ensured that the song became one of musical theater’s most amusing tracks. The late great Stephen Sondheim initially planned to end with a couple of words that, let’s just say, imperfectly rhyme with “Krup You.” But he was reportedly glad to have stuck to the final version. We’re fans of this humorous song’s classic ending too. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Sexy”, “Mean Girls the Musical” Karen Smith Plans to Change the World One Sexy Costume at a Time “Dentist”, “Little Shop of Horrors” Just Try Getting This Song Out of Your Head before Your Next Dentist Appointment “Love Is My Legs”, “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” The Only Thing This Song Motivates Us to Do Is Laugh Out Loud “Getting Married Today”, “Company” Apparently Wedding Jitters Allow Amy To Sing 68 Words in Just 11 Seconds, “Shy”, “Once Upon a Mattress” These Suitors Were Not Prepared for Princess Winifred
#1: “Everybody Ought to Have a Maid” “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”
Perhaps the best farce to ever grace musical theater, “A Funny Thing” is one long, non-stop laugh-fest. Among its funniest songs is this ode to the maid. On the surface, you might believe that it’s just about the joys of having someone to keep house. But oh, how wrong you’d be. Sondheim’s brilliant double-entendre-filled lyrics are hysterical on their own. They’re made even better by the actors’ comical performances. This brash, saucy and incredibly tongue-in-cheek song never fails to make us smile. Just don’t be surprised if you struggle to hear the actors over the deafening sound of audience laughter.
