Can You Identify at Least 20 Top Musicals of All Time by Just One Lyric?


By: Beth Hendricks

7 Min Quiz

Image: Producer Circle Co. / Zadan/Meron Production

About This Quiz

Did you know that Broadway shows didn't even start out on Broadway? It's true! The first theater performances (think, lots of Shakespeare) took place on Nassau Street and musicals, as we know them today, didn't start finding their way to Broadway until theaters were erected there in the mid- to late-1800s. Why? Because real estate was cheaper, if you can imagine that ... in the heart of New York City! The very first Broadway musical, titled "The Elves," culminated in more than four dozen performances in the year 1850. 

Near the start of the 20th century, musicals began competing with films, prompting many to wonder if theater would be able to keep up. Then, along came "Oklahoma!" in the 1940s and the start of what many still consider the golden age of musicals. "Guys and Dolls," "Singin' in the Rain" and "The King and I" were born a short time later. Thirty years on, we got "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Les Misérables." Today, we have "Hamilton" and "Wicked" and – of all things – "Beetlejuice."

We've come a long way since those fledgling days of theater, and now have a rich history of musicals to look back on and admire. And, that includes a slew of popular songs from "The Surrey With the Fringe on Top" to "Aaron Burr, Sir." How well do you know your musical ... music? Can you identify "Castle on a Cloud" from "Defying Gravity?" Give it your best shot in this tune-focused trivia from some of the world's top musicals!

This musical's Sally Bowles belts out, "What good is sitting alone in your room?/Come hear the music play." What is it from?

The song, "Cabaret," from the musical of the same name, comes during the musical's climax and is sung by lead character Sally Bowles (portrayed in the film version by Liza Minnelli). The song itself is an ode to carefree living.


At the start of this musical, you'll hear a song with these words, "Come on, babe/Why don't we paint the town?/And all that jazz." Which one is it?

The opening song for "Chicago," "All That Jazz" is an ironic tune with a party-like atmosphere that leads off a musical about a woman killing her boyfriend and sister who were having an affair. But, hey "Slick your hair/And wear your buckle shoes ... and all that jazz."


Gene Kelly made these lyrics famous in the movie version of which of these musicals: "What a glorious feeling/I'm happy again?"

"I'm singin' in the rain/Just singin' in the rain" is the start of the song, "Singin' in the Rain," from the movie and musical of the same name. Gene Kelly made the song famous in the film, which was later adapted for the stage.


"This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius" is a line from a famous tune in which of these shows?

Can you guess the title from these lyrics, "This is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius/The Age of Aquarius/Aquarius! Aquarius!?" (Hint: It's "Aquarius.") The song is featured in the 1960s production of the rock musical, "Hair."


"Raindrops on roses/And whiskers on kittens/Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens" appear as lyrics in a song featured in which of these hits?

"My Favorite Things" is a song featured in "The Sound of Music." You've probably heard the Julie Andrews version from the movie, released in 1965, but it was also featured onstage in 1959 Broadway production.


The songbird who sings, "I dreamed a dream in times gone by/When hope was high and life worth living," is pouring out her heart in which of these musicals?

Fantine sings the mournful song, "I Dreamed a Dream," in the musical production of "Les Misérables." When the song occurs, Fantine has just lost her job and is remembering days when things were better.


"Nothing's gonna harm you/Not while I'm around," comes from which of these Broadway musicals?

"Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," frequently referred to as just "Sweeney Todd," got its start as a book by Hugh Wheeler. Featuring the song, "Not While I'm Around," it was turned into a musical for the first time in 1979.


"Matchmaker, Matchmaker/Make me a match/Find me a find/catch me a catch" are lyrics from a song from which of these musicals?

The song, "Matchmaker," is from the 1964 production, "Fiddler on the Roof." The story, set in Russia, follows a dad and his strong-willed daughters who are on the hunt for loving relationships.


Grizabella sings, "Memory, all alone in the moonlight./I can dream of the old days, life was beautiful then," in this blockbuster production. What is it?

Perhaps the most popular song from the musical, "Cats," "Memory" is sung by Grizabella to her fellow cats. The song is about remembering what was and how things could be in the future.


Frank Sinatra popularized this song which starts, "They call you lady luck/But there is room for doubt." What musical is it from?

"Luck Be A Lady" is from the musical "Guys and Dolls," but as a standalone song, it was popularized by Frank Sinatra. It debuted on the Broadway stage in 1950 and ran for more than 1,200 performances, earning a Tony Award.


The opening of this musical begins, "Oh what a beautiful morning/Oh what a beautiful day." What is it from?

The opening song from "Oklahoma!," "Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin,'" is sung by the musical's leading man, Curly. It was written by musical heavy-hitters Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II.


A famous figure gets introduced into this musical with the lyrics, "If they tell my story/I am either gonna die on the battlefield in glory or/Rise up." Which production is it?

George Washington enters the musical, "Hamilton," with those lyrics from the song, "Right Hand Man." It goes on to say, "Here comes the general/The moment you've been waiting for/Here comes the general/The pride of Mount Vernon."


"I feel pretty/Oh, so pretty/I feel pretty and witty and bright!" is a line from which of these musicals?

"West Side Story's" Maria sang the tune, "I Feel Pretty," a tribute to beauty and happiness in the 1957 Broadway musical. The original role of Maria was played by Carol Lawrence, who received a Tony Award nomination for the part.


"Ol' Man River,/Dat Ol' Man River/He mus' know sumpin'/But don't say nuthin,'" are lyrics from the song,"Ol' Man River," which was part of which musical?

Makes sense that "Ol' Man River" and a musical with a name like "Show Boat" would go together, doesn't it? "Show Boat" is about workers on a Mississippi show boat and is adapted from a book of the same name written by Edna Ferber.


This musical includes a number with these lyrics, "Oh, what a night/Late December back in '63." What production is it from?

"December, 1963 (Oh What A Night!)" was originally written by the Four Seasons, but was included in the musical, "Jersey Boys." That musical, in fact, is a retelling of the story behind that group from the 1960s.


"I Believe" features this lyric, "You cannot just believe part-way, you have to believe in it all," from one of the musicals below. Which is it?

"I Believe" is a song from the production of "The Book of Mormon," which first ran on Broadway in 2011. The musical is a comedic glance at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, produced by the men behind "South Park."


This song, with lyrics that include "No more talk of darkness/Forget these wide-eyed fears," is sung from the top of a Paris opera house in which of these musical hits?

"All I Ask of You" is a haunting duet from "Phantom of the Opera," which was adapted from a book of the same name written by Gaston Leroux. The song continues, "Say you love me every waking moment/Turn my head with talk of summertime/Say you need me with you now and always/Promise me that all you say is true/That's all I ask of you."


"Good morning, Baltimore/Every day's like an open door" is the peppy opening tune from one of these musicals. Which is it?

Tracy Turnblad and the cast of "Hairspray" open the musical with this number. "Good Morning Baltimore" is a musical journey through the early part of Tracy's day before she gets to school.


"I don't know how to love him/What to do, how to move him," is part of a song from this rock opera. What is its title?

Mary Magdalene's character in "Jesus Christ Superstar," sings, "I Don’t Know How To Love Him," a reference to her relationship with Jesus himself. "Jesus Christ Superstar" has been a musical on Broadway, an international tour, a film and a live TV concert, among other adaptations.


Unusually titled, a song from this musical features these lyrics, "Germany was having trouble/What a sad, sad story." What show is it from?

"The Producers" is the musical where you'll find an unusually named tune by the moniker, "Springtime for Hitler." "The Producers" went to Broadway in 2001 and famously featured actors Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick.


"Take me for what I am/Who I was meant to be," begins the chorus of a song from which of these productions?

The musical, "Rent," features the song, "Take Me or Leave Me," which was sung by Idina Menzel (of "Wicked" fame) in the 1996 Broadway production. The musical won a Tony Award for "Best Musical" the same year.


"Something familiar,/Something peculiar,/Something for everyone:/A comedy tonight!" perfectly sums up the plot of which of these Broadway shows?

"A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" is a farcical romp through the work of an ancient Roman playwright, which doesn't immediately seem like it would be humorous, but it is. It first appeared on Broadway in the early 1960s.


"To see thee more clearly/Love thee more dearly/Follow thee more nearly" are words from a song in which of these productions?

"Godspell" is a trip through many of the parables of the Bible and includes the song, "Day by Day," with the lyrics mentioned above. The song itself is closely modeled after a song in a hymnal from the 1940s.


Billy and Julie team up for a duet from which of these musicals that features these lyrics, "If I loved you/Time and again I would try to say/All I'd want you to know?"

"If I Loved You" is a sweet duet featuring characters Billy Bigelow and Julie from the musical "Carousel." "Carousel" was first produced on Broadway way back in 1945 and has gone through numerous revivals including the latest in 2018.


"Far far away, someone was weeping/But the world was sleeping/Any dream will do," are lines from a song featured in which of these musicals?

"Any Dream Will Do" is a song from "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," which first appeared on Broadway in 1982. This story was the first co-created by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber to be performed publicly.


The 1960 production of this show featured a signature song with these lyrics, "Oh, no! not in springtime!/Summer, winter or fall!/No, never could I leave you at all!" What is it from?

The song, "If Ever I Would Leave You," is a ballad featured in the romantic musical, "Camelot." This musical won four Tony Awards and was performing on Broadway nearly 900 times before its first run ended.


"It's time to try defying gravity/I think I'll try defying gravity" is a line of a song from this hit Broadway musical. What is it called?

In 2016, "Wicked" joined elite company when it surpassed $1 billion in revenue. The only other musicals to do so are "The Phantom of the Opera" and "The Lion King." The song, "Defying Gravity," is from that show.


This show features a song with the following lyrics, "Step, kick, kick, leap, kick, touch ... Again!" What musical is it?

"A Chorus Line" first appeared on Broadway in 1975 and tells the story of dancers seeking out a spot in a Broadway production. Before "Cats" came along, it was Broadway's longest-running show and features the song, "I Hope I Get It."


You can hear these lyrics, "Don't cry for me Argentina/The truth is I never left you," in which of these productions?

"Don't Cry for Me, Argentina" is a song from the musical, "Evita," which is sung by Eva Perón, a real-life person who was in Argentinian politics for a while. It appeared on Broadway for the first time in the late 1970s.


The start of this song begins with, "Why, this car is automatic!/It's systematic!/It's hydromatic!" What musical is it from?

Did you guess "Grease?" This song, titled "Greased Lightnin,'" is one of the most popular songs from this musical that first appeared on Broadway in 1972. It has been performed all over the world and even made into a movie.


These odd lyrics appear in a Broadway show that first appeared in 2012: "That's my cigar/You'll steal another/Hey, look, it's bath time at the zoo/I thought that I'd surprise my mother." What is the name of the show?

"Newsies," which hit stages in 2012, was adapted from a movie of the same name. The song, "Carrying the Banner," is sung as the newsies (or newsboys) are getting ready for another day of work.


"Getting to know you/Getting to know all about you" is a song sung to children in a musical by which of these names?

In "The King and I," the song, "Getting to Know You," is sung to the king's children. This 1951 musical is based on a book of real experiences called, "Anna and the King of Siam," written by Margaret London.


Cue the Jennifers! Both Jennifer Holliday and Jennifer Hudson sang these lyrics: "There's no way I can ever go/No, no, no, no way." What musical is it from?

"And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)" is a staple of the "Dreamgirls" world, both on stage and in theaters. Jennifer Holliday was its original singer, with Jennifer Hudson doing a mean job of singing it for the movie, released in 2006.


"Betcha they're young/Betcha they're smart/Bet they collect things/Like ashtrays, and art!" are lines from a song featured in which of these popular shows?

The musical and movie, "Annie," features the song, "Maybe," where the orphan Annie is fantasizing about the family she came from. The song continues, "Betcha they're good/(Why shouldn't they be?)/Their one mistake/Was giving up me!"


A song from this 1956 production states, "I could have danced all night/And still have begged for more." What is the show's name?

"I Could Have Danced All Night" is a song from "My Fair Lady," sung by Eliza Doolittle and Mrs. Pearce. When it was first produced, it was the longest-running Broadway musical of its time period.


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