Without Love (Hairspray song)

Last updated
"Without Love"
Song
from the album Hairspray
Released2002 (2002)
Genre Traditional pop
Length4:27
Label Sony Classical
Songwriter(s) Marc Shaiman
Scott Wittman
Producer(s) Marc Shaiman
Thomas Meehan
Hairspray track listing
  1. "Good Morning Baltimore"
  2. "The Nicest Kids in Town"
  3. "Mama, I'm a Big Girl Now"
  4. "I Can Hear the Bells"
  5. "(The Legend of) Miss Baltimore Crabs"
  6. "It Takes Two"
  7. "Welcome to the 60's"
  8. "Run and Tell That!"
  9. "Big, Blonde and Beautiful"
  10. "The Big Dollhouse"
  11. "Good Morning Baltimore (Reprise)"
  12. "(You're) Timeless to Me"
  13. "Without Love"
  14. "I Know Where I've Been"
  15. "(It's) Hairspray"
  16. "Cooties"
  17. "You Can't Stop the Beat"
  18. "Blood on the Pavement"

"Without Love" is a song from the 2002 musical Hairspray . It is a quartet song performed by Tracy, Link, Penny, and Seaweed, and is inspired by the duets of Motown artists Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell. [1]

Contents

Synopsis

Taking place during the second act of the musical and the 2007 musical film, "Without Love" finds the four teenagers singing about how they have all broken down societal barriers in order to love one another, and the two boys free the girls from their entrapment, heading off to the Corny Collins Show TV studio.

Answers.com explains: "In this song, the male lead, Link, reveals his love to Tracy, and Tracy's white friend, Penny, expresses her love for a black teen named Seaweed. The couples must literally fight through physical barriers in order to get to each other and rejoin the protest." [2]

Analysis

Answers.com explains the lyrical prowess of the song:

The lyrics of this song proclaim through many creative analogies that without love, life is seriously lacking. Tracy says "Without love, life is like my mother on a diet" and Link says that it is "like rock and roll without a drummer." The couples swear their lifelong allegiance to each other because none of them ever want to be "without love." [2]

Critical reception

CinemaBlend writes in a movie review that "we’ve lost some of the original picture's romance to the PG rating, so songs like “Without Love” don’t work as well". [3] The New York Times named the song has "one of the film’s musical high points", explaining that "the two young couples express their yearning with the help of some ingenious and amusing special effects". [4] The Washington Post said "Marc Shaiman's music is virtually wall-to-wall bliss, and some of the lyrics, written with Scott Wittman, particularly in the romantic quartet "Without Love", remain surprising and clever no matter how many times you've listened to them." [5] RecordOnline deemed it an "affirmative anthem", [6] while The Column named it an "energetic and comic number". [7] The Daily Texan described it as "perhaps one of the musical’s most iconic songs". [8]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Music Man</i> 1957 stage musical by Meredith Willson

The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naïve Midwestern townsfolk, promising to train the members of the new band. Harold is no musician, however, and plans to skip town without giving any music lessons. Prim librarian and piano teacher Marian sees through him, but when Harold helps her younger brother overcome his lisp and social awkwardness, Marian begins to fall in love with him. He risks being caught to win her heart.

<i>Hairspray</i> (musical) American musical

Hairspray is an American musical with music by Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, with a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on John Waters's 1988 film of the same name. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the production follows teenage Tracy Turnblad's dream to dance on The Corny Collins Show, a local TV dance program based on the real-life Buddy Deane Show. When Tracy wins a role on the show, she becomes a celebrity overnight, leading to social change as Tracy campaigns for the show's integration.

Vanessa Denae Olivarez is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She is the vocalist, songwriter, and autoharpist for the country bands Granville Automatic and Mama's Blue Dress, has written songs for the country duo Sugarland, and was in the Top 12 of the second season of the television series American Idol in 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Robert Brown</span> American songwriter

Jason Robert Brown is an American musical theatre composer, lyricist, and playwright. Brown's music sensibility fuses pop-rock stylings with theatrical lyrics. He is the recipient of three Tony Awards for his work on Parade and The Bridges of Madison County.

Frank Wildhorn is an American composer of both musicals and popular songs. His musical Jekyll & Hyde ran for four years on Broadway. He also wrote the hit song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" for Whitney Houston.

<i>Hairspray</i> (1988 film) 1988 film by John Waters

Hairspray is a 1988 American comedy film written and directed by John Waters, starring Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Divine, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake in her film debut, and Jerry Stiller, with special appearances by Ric Ocasek in his final film and Pia Zadora. Hairspray was a dramatic departure from Waters's earlier works, with a much broader intended audience. Hairspray's PG is the least restrictive rating a Waters film has received; most of his previous films were rated X by the MPAA. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film revolves around self-proclaimed "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kerry Butler</span> American actress and singer

Kerry Butler is an American actress and singer known primarily for her work in theater. She is best known for originating the roles of Barbara Maitland in Beetlejuice, Penny Pingleton in Hairspray, and Clio/Kira in Xanadu, the latter of which earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.

<i>Hairspray</i> (2007 film) 2007 film directed by Adam Shankman

Hairspray is a 2007 musical romantic comedy film based on the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, which in turn was based on John Waters's 1988 comedy film of the same name. Produced by Ingenious Media and Zadan/Meron Productions, and adapted from both Waters's 1988 script and Thomas Meehan and Mark O'Donnell's book for the stage musical by screenwriter Leslie Dixon, the film was directed and choreographed by Adam Shankman and has an ensemble cast including John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney, and Nikki Blonsky in her feature film debut. Set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows the "pleasantly plump" teenager Tracy Turnblad (Blonsky) as she pursues stardom as a dancer on a local television dance show and rallies against racial segregation.

"You Can't Stop The Beat" is the finale number in the 2002 musical Hairspray. It is sung by Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Motor Mouth, Velma, and Amber with Corny and Wilbur as backing singers. Although the lyrics touch on sizeism and racism, the song also references broader themes of change and progression. The song pays tribute to the Phil Spector-produced 1966 Ike & Tina Turner hit "River Deep – Mountain High". Members of the Hairspray Live! cast have lovingly mocked the song as "You Can't Stop to Breathe".

<i>Gigi</i> (musical) Musical

Gigi is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. It is based on the 1944 novella Gigi by Colette and 1958 hit musical film of the same name. The story concerns Gigi, a free-spirited teenaged girl living in Paris at the turn of the 20th century. She is being groomed as a courtesan in her family's tradition. Before she is deemed ready for her social debut, she encounters the bon vivant bachelor Gaston Lachaille, whom she captivates as she is transformed into a charmingly poised young lady.

<i>Hairspray</i> (2007 soundtrack) 2007 soundtrack album by Various artists/John Travolta

Hairspray: Soundtrack to the Motion Picture is the soundtrack album for the 2007 New Line Cinema musical film Hairspray. The film is an adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical of the same name, itself adapted from John Waters's original 1988 film. It features performances from the film's cast, which includes John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Amanda Bynes, James Marsden, Queen Latifah, Brittany Snow, Zac Efron, Elijah Kelley, and Nikki Blonsky as the lead character of Tracy Turnblad.

<i>Hairspray</i> (2002 album) 2002 cast recording by Cast of Hairspray

Hairspray: Original Broadway Cast Recording is the cast album for the 2002 musical Hairspray. The show is an adaptation of the 1988 film of the same name. It features performances from the show's cast, which includes Harvey Fierstein, Linda Hart, Dick Latessa, Kerry Butler, Clarke Thorell, Mary Bond Davis, Laura Bell Bundy, Matthew Morrison, Corey Reynolds, and Marissa Jaret Winokur as the lead character of Tracy Turnblad. The cast recording earned the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

"Welcome to the 60's" is a song from the 2002 musical Hairspray. it is performed by Tracy Turnblad, Edna Turnblad, Mr. Pinky, and a Greek chorus consisting of three African-American stylists entitled the Dynamites.

Chester Gregory, also known as C.H.E.S.S., is an American actor, singer and songwriter from Gary, Indiana. His breakthrough came with his portrayal of Jackie Wilson in The Jackie Wilson Story, which led to his Broadway debut as Seaweed in Hairspray. Gregory's other credits include principal roles in Tarzan, Cry-Baby, Dreamgirls and Sister Act. Gregory produced and starred in a look into the life of Jackie Wilson in The Eve of Jackie. Gregory has received numerous awards including the Joseph Jefferson and NAACP Theatre Award.

"I Can Hear the Bells" is a rock-pop song from the 2002 musical Hairspray. It is sung by the protagonist Tracy Turnblad.

"Run and Tell That" is an R&B song in the 2002 musical Hairspray, performed by the African-American character Seaweed.

"Good Morning Baltimore" is the opening number of the 2002 musical Hairspray. Written by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, it is performed by the protagonist, Tracy Turnblad, and alludes to the distinctive beat and vocal effects ("oh-oh-oh") of The Ronettes' 1963 hit "Be My Baby".

"I Know Where I've Been" is a gospel-style, soul song from the 2002 musical Hairspray, performed by "Motormouth" Maybelle as she leads a protest for racial equality through the streets of Baltimore.

"Ladies' Choice" is a song written for the 2007 film version of the Broadway musical Hairspray. It is performed by Link Larkin, with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. In Hairspray Live!, the song is performed by Corny Collins.

<i>Hairspray Live!</i> American TV series or program

Hairspray Live! is an American television special that aired live on the American television network NBC on December 7, 2016. Produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, and hosted by Darren Criss, it is a performance of a new adaptation of the 2002 Broadway musical Hairspray.

References

  1. ↑ Heller, Dana (2011). Hairspray. John Wiley & Sons.
  2. 1 2 "Meaning Behind the Fun: Hairspray Soundtrack List". Movies.Answers.com. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  3. ↑ "Hairspray Review". Cinemablend. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  4. ↑ "Teenagers in Love and a Mom in Drag in the '60s". The New York Times . Retrieved 20 February 2015.
  5. ↑ "The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts". Kennedy-center.org. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  6. ↑ "Review: 'Hairspray' at Forestburgh Playhouse - Entertainment* - recordonline.com - Middletown, NY". recordonline.com. 2009-08-21. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  7. ↑ "Theatre Review: HAIRSPRAY - 2nd Review at Denton Community Theatre". Thecolumnawards.org. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
  8. ↑ "'Hairspray' showcases big voices, small set charm | The Daily Texan". Dailytexanonline.com. 2011-06-27. Retrieved 2015-02-20.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.