Each month, Jason Fortner spotlights one or more musical theatre composers and/or lyricists, offering his own unique perspective on the songwriting legends of musical theatre. Send your comments/questions on this column to happgood@aol.com.

This timeless classic, written back in 1939 by Johnny Burke and Bob Haggart, is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and I thought it would make a nice opening. As we enter 2009, I decided a look at songs about new things might be apropos, especially in light of all the politicking this past year about "change".

Liza Minnelli in the original production of FLORA THE RED MENACE Photo by Friedman-Abeles Source: Playbill.com

As everyone knows, transitions are inevitable in the world, and in song lyrics they are a staple. Whether it's a would be Communist singing "the winds of change are blowing" in John Kander & Fred Ebb's FLORA, THE RED MENACE, a dead pilot looking for a "Second Chance" in STEEL PIER, revolutionaries singing of their fight in shows like LES MISERABLES or OH, BROTHER!, the factory girls protesting "Unfair" labor standards in Jerry Bock & Sheldon Harnick's FIORELLO! or the "other" kind of working girls lamenting "Reform" in Bock & Harnick's TENDERLOIN, the idea of newness and change has often inspired songwriters.

Composer/Lyricist William Finn took all angles of the word "change" and created a driving plea for the "Homeless Woman" character in A NEW BRAIN. Her number, performed in the aisles of the audience at Lincoln Center, was both pleasing and unsettling. Here are the lyrics:

[With a lot of cleaned up lyrics, Barack Obama's people could have used this as a campaign song, and knowing William Finn's disdain for Republicans, I'm sure he would have happily lent a hand. ]

Of course, not every song about new things is a political statement, sometimes it's a lot lighter. Betty Comden & Adolph Green, partnered with Jule Styne, created a silly parody of a juke box hit in DO RE MI with the goofy "What's New At The Zoo?". Here are those immortal lyrics:

It goes on but I shall spare you the rest of the menagerie. When people aren't asking about zoological conditions, their queries about new things can be more personal.

The original Broadway cast of EVITA in "A New Argentina" Source: mandypatinkin.net

In Maury Yeston's IN THE BEGINNING, a parent sings of the "New Words" their child is learning while in Larry Grossman & Ellen Fitzhugh's score to GRIND, Ben Vereen sang of becoming "A New Man" with flair and panache. (And if you want something South of the Border, you can ask for "A New Argentina" in Lloyd Webber & Rice's score to EVITA.)

In A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN, Dorothy Fields penned the lyric "I'm Like A New Broom", promoting a clean sweep personality makeover.

Kurt Weill & Ira Gershwin penned a tune entitled "This Is New" for their epic score to LADY IN THE DARK while in SUNSET BOULEVARD the characters seek out "New Ways To Dream", with music by Lord Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Don Black & Christopher Hampton. Here's part of that lyric:

Glenn Close & Alan Campbell in the original Broadway production of SUNSET BOULEVARD. Source: Andrew Lloyd Webber.com

This was dawn
There were no rules
We were so young
Movies were born
So many songs
Yet to be sung
So many roads
Still unexplored
We gave the world
New ways to dream
Somehow we found
New ways to dream

In Flaherty & Ahrens score to RAGTIME, characters were introduced to "New Music" while in the Ashman & Menken score to the Disney film ALADDIN, the characters experience "A Whole New World" while riding on a magic carpet. (The ill-fated vampire musical LESTAT had a tune called "Welcome To The New World" but it was heard by very few.)

While on our "new" kick, Laurey sang of "Many A New Day" in OKLAHOMA! while Mame Dennis told Patrick to "Open A New Window" in MAME, both to great effect thanks to Rodgers, Hammerstein & Herman.

Even Steve Lawrence got into the act in WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN?, where he sang "I Got A New Pair Of Shoes" while Fred Astaire sang "Got A Bran' New Suit" in THE BANDWAGON, although it was cut from the final film due to time constraints.

Kristin Chenoweth in her Tony Award-winning role of Sally in the Broadway production of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN Source: TalkinBroadway.com

Jason Robert Brown wrote of "A Brand New You" in the recent show 13 and wrote a whole bunch of SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD a few years back. In THE WIZ we learned of "A BRAND NEW DAY", thanks to composer/lyricist Charlie Smalls while Andrew Lippa shared "My New Philosophy" in the Broadway production of YOU'RE A GOOD MAN CHARLIE BROWN.

The ubiquitous HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL (part one) has a tune called "Start of Something New" while songs about New Year's Day are found in such varied shows as SIDE SHOW, RENT, DANCE A LITTLE CLOSER, and of course, HAPPY NEW YEAR.

But of all the songs I researched for this column, the one that stood out was from a show that is far from my favorite, but this Leslie Bricusse lyric is perfect for this new time of change and transition. . So we'll close this month with a lyric from Frank Wildhorn's score to JEKYLL & HYDE, as sung by prostitute Lucy just before she's done in by the nasty half of the title duo… Our closing song… "A New Life"…

Linda Eder as Lucy in JEKYLL & HYDE Source: sacnews.net

A New Life -
What I wouldn't give
To have a new life!
One thing I have learned
As I go through life:
Nothing is for free
Along the way!

A new start -
That's the thing I need,
To give me new heart -
Half a chance in life
To find a new part,
Just a simple role
That I can play.

A new hope -
Something to convince me
To renew hope!
A new day,
Bright enough
To help me find my way!

A new chance -
One that maybe has
A touch of romance.
Where can it be,
The chance for me?

A new dream -
I have one I know
That very few dream!
I would like to see
That overdue dream -
Even though
It never may come true!
A new love -
Though I know there's no
Such thing as true love -
Even so,
Although I never knew love,
Still I feel that
One dream is my due!

A new world -
This one thing I want
To ask of you, world -
Once! - Before it's time
To say adieu, world!
One sweet chance to
Prove the cynics wrong!

A new life -
More and more, I'm sure,
As I go through life,
Just to play the game -,
And to pursue life -
Just to share its pleasures,
And belong! -
That's what I've been here for,
All along!
Each day's
A brand new life!