Songs about goodbye/growing up?

College Majors Musical Theater Majors
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I have to sing a song at my schools Thespian induction and I want it to be meaningful, but not completely cheesy or overdone. I’m a senior, so I’m hoping to find a song either about saying goodbye to friends or growing up and moving on (sort of like a solo For Good or platonic Goodbye Until Tomorrow.) I’m drawing a blank and the only song that I can think of is Thank You For The Music from Mamma Mia. Any ideas welcome!! Thanks!

(Also, I apologize if this is against any rules, I didn’t know where else to post this so I’ll remove it if it is!)

1 Like
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So Long, Farewell by Rodgers and Hammerstein
Seasons in the Sun lyrics by Rod McKuen
Born to Run by Springsteen :smiley:

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I’ve always thought A Little More Homework from 13 the Musical would be/could be a good end of year song.

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Move On from Sunday in the Park with George. It’s a duet in the show, but there’s solo version sheet music available online.

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@KaMaMom – D is closing her senior recital with A Little More Homework/Brand New You – with help from some of her friends! I love that song. Gets me everytime.

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Bring on Tomorrow from Fame

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By the way, when I mentioned Bring On Tomorrow from Fame, I was thinking of the Reprise, which you could sing as a solo.

Also, Our Time, from Merrily We Roll Along…you do do that as a solo.

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Bob Dylan’s Forever Young?
Joni Mitchell’s Circle Game?
Turn Around by Malvina Reynolds?

(You can tell my era.)

These songs are more from the perspective of a parent, I guess, but are thoughtful songs about the passing of time, growing up.

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I love Move On.
Also, Every goodbye is Hello, Andrew Lippa - John and Jen.

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Seasons of Love?

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There is a song from later versions of Merrily We Roll Along (wasn’t in OBC) called “Growing Up” - really wonderful
Also “A Way Back to Then” From Title of Show

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At his high school graduation last year, my son sang “What I Did for Love” from A Chorus Line. Read the lyrics…they’re appropriate. Several teachers cried.

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“Father and Son” by Cat Stevens. The lyrics are gender-neutral, i.e., does not apply only to fathers and sons, but to anyone who is growing up and saying goodbye.

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Say Goodbye or maybe Watch Me Soar by Scott Alan. They’re both looking toward the future songs. You could also go for Goodbye from Catch Me If You Can if you’re a guy! Check out some contemporary MT composers on YouTube or newmusicaltheatre.com (Adam Gwon, Drew Gasparini, Salzman and Cunningham, etc).

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“Before It’s Over” from Dogfight

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Do they have to be from musicals? If not,

Good riddance by green day
I hope you dance by Leeann Womack

Also a great song for this is I Was Here by lady antebellum. Great lyrics

In my life by the Beatles.
You’ve got a friend by JT.

Geez this is harder than I thought.

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The Goodbye Song by Joe Iconis

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The One Who Knows by Dar Williams

lyrics to chorus–

You’ll fly away but take my hand until that day
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job’s done you’ll be the one who knows

…and if you sing it I guarantee there won’t be a parental dry eye in the house…

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If you want tears - go with “the hardest part of love is the letting go” from Children of Eden. Most I have ever cried during one of my kid’s shows -and she wasn’t even onstage!

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Our high school madrigals group ends every performance with the Irish Blessing and there is never a dry eye in the house:
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the sun shine warm upon your face
The rains fall soft upon your fields
And until we meet again, until we meet again
May God, hold you in the palm of his hand.