Valentine's Day

12 of the best love songs from musicals for Valentine's Day

Will Longman
Will Longman

When it comes to love songs, musicals provide some of the very best around. To celebrate Valentine's Day, we've put together a list of some of our favourites for you to enjoy, and we've mixed it up with live performances, original soundtrack recordings, songs from films and the odd remix. 


"The Power of Love"
Back to the Future

While it may not be a traditional romantic love song per se, you can't escape "The Power of Love." Huey Lewis and the News' 1985 track was written specifically for the Back to the Future movie, and it takes pride of place in the musical adaptation. Back to the Future will make its West End premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in 2021, starring Roger Bart as Dr. Emmett Brown and Olly Dobson as Marty McFly.

Back to the Future tickets are on sale now.

"I Know I Have A Heart" 
Cinderella

Not all love songs are sickeningly sweet. In fact, the message seems to counteract the existence of true love at all, and this new Cinderella track does just that. Sung by Carrie Hope Fletcher, the musical love songs tells of Cinderella falling out of love, getting through life independently. Although the world premiere of Cinderella hasn't opened yet at the Gillian Lynne Theatre, we're sure that this'll be a stand out hit.

Cinderella tickets are on sale now.

"Rue Plumet - In My Life"
Les Miserables

There are a few songs from Les Miserables that could make this list ("A Heart Full of Love", "On My Own" and so on...), but we've gone for "In My Life". Cosette sings the song in the garden at Rue Plumet, where Cosette and Jean Valjean live and where she secretly meets her love, Marius. 

Les Miserables is at the Sondheim Theatre.

"As Long As You're Mine"
Wicked

Elphaba and Fiyero express their new found love for each other in this song after spending most the musical on tenterhooks with each other. The couple know it could be their last chance to express their love, as Elphie is on the run. Naturally, with the plethora of talent we've seen in Wicked there are countless versions of this duet, but we've gone for the Broadway original with Idina Menzel and Norbert Leo Butz.

Wicked tickets are on sale now.

"Helpless" 
Hamilton

Yes, somehow in a hip-hop musical about the Founding Father Alexander Hamilton and the American civil war, Lin-Manuel Miranda managed to squeeze a love song in. This song is the story of how Hamilton met his wife-to-be Eliza Schuyler at a winter ball. In the musical, these events take on a slightly different meaning in the following song "Satisfied", as Schuyler sister Angelica, who introduced the pair, retells the story of the night from her perspective.

Hamilton is at the Victoria Palace Theatre.

"All I Ask of You"
The Phantom of the Opera

Andrew Lloyd Webber knows how to write a love song. He wrote the part of Christine in The Phantom of the Opera for his muse Sarah Brightman, who starred in the show in London and on Broadway. It happens as Raoul promises his love to Christine, and she reciprocates, but they are overheard by the jealous phantom.

The Phantom of the Opera is at Her Majesty's Theatre.

"Love Changes Everything"
Aspects of Love

Of course, the list kicks off with an Andrew Lloyd Webber number. "Love Changes Everything" is the opening song from Aspects of Love, and is sung by Alex Dillingham, who is sat at a train station reflecting on the last 17 years of his love life. This epic classic was first performed by Michael Ball in the West End, as seen in the video above. 

"The Next Ten Minutes"
The Last Five Years

This song escalates quickly. Jamie asks Cathy to spend the next ten minutes with him, and then another ten, and another and so on and so on until eventually the world explodes. Cute. Of course, Jason Robert Brown handles it far more tenderly than we've explained it there, and we've picked the version as performed by Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan in the 2014 film.

"Falling Slowly"
Once

A stand-out song from Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, it got a new breath of life in John Tiffany's 2011 Broadway production of the stage adaptation. Cristin Milioti and Steve Kazee, who played Irish busker Guy and his Czech love interest, recorded this sweet acoustic version of the song.

"Suddenly Seymour" 
Little Shop of Horrors

There's a reason this is the first song that pops in your head when you think of this musical. Seymour and Audrey finally confess their love for each other after their flower shop takes off to new heights of successes.  Its bold chorus makes this a classic show tune from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman.

"Marry Me a Little"
Company

Sondheim's musical is set at the birthday party of Bobby (or Bobbi, as it was when Rosalie Craig took on the part), a single man (...or woman) who can't hold down a relationship, and whose best friends are all coupled off. This song closes the first act, with Bobby blowing out his/her candles wishing for someone for himself.

"Shall We Dance?"
The King and I

"Shall We Dance?" is the first moment in Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I when the King makes his feelings known for Anna, the British teacher brought to Siam to help modernise the country. The musical was originally written for actress Gertrude Lawrence to play the lead part, however she passed away during the original Broadway run. In the 1956 film, Deborah Kerr played Anna opposite Yul Brynner King. The above version is performed by Ken Watanabe and Kelli O'Hara, who appeared in the musical at the London Palladium.   

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