A Closer Look at the 3 Broadway Songs That Won Grammys for Song of the Year

Songwriters: Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse

From: Stop the World – I Want to Get Off

Show Opened on Broadway: Oct. 3, 1962

Sung in the Broadway Show by: Anthony Newley

Highest-Charting Hot 100 Rendition: Sammy Davis Jr. (No. 17 in 1962)

Other Hot 100 Renditions: Anthony Newley (No. 85 in 1962), Robert Goulet (No. 89 in 1962)

Notes: Newley received a Tony nomination for best actor in a musical for his performance as Littlechap. The show also yielded two other songs that were staples on variety TV shows of the era – “Gonna Build a Mountain” and “Once in a Lifetime.” The show ran for 555 performances, through Feb. 1, 1964. Bricusse went on to win an Oscar for best original song for “Talk to the Animals,” which was sung by Rex Harrison in Doctor Dolittle (1967).

Rick Springfield released a new, unrelated song with the same exact same title in 1982. It reached No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Songwriter: Jerry Herman

From: Hello, Dolly!

Show Opened on Broadway: Jan. 16, 1964

Sung in the Broadway Show By: Carol Channing, David Hartman, waiters and cooks; reprised by Channing and David Burns

Highest-Charting Hot 100 Rendition: Louis Armstrong (No. 1 in May 1964)

Other Hot 100 Rendition: Bobby Darin (No. 79 in 1965)

Notes: Armstrong’s version ended The Beatles’ 14-week hold on the No. 1 spot, achieved through the back-to-back-to-back success of “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” “She Loves You” and “Can’t Buy Me Love.”

Channing won a Tony for best actress in a musical for her performance as Dolly Gallagher Levi. Bette Midler won in the same category 53 years for a revival of the show. Hello, Dolly! ran for 2,844 performances, through Dec. 27, 1970. The tune-rich show also included “Put on Your Sunday Clothes” and “Before the Parade Passes By.”

Songwriter: Stephen Sondheim

From: A Little Night Music

Show Opened on Broadway: Feb. 25, 1973

Sung in the Broadway Show By: Glynis Johns              

Highest-Charting Hot 100 Rendition: Judy Collins (No. 19 in November 1977)

Notes: Collins’ recording, produced by Arif Mardin, originally reached No. 36 in August 1975. It climbed even higher when it was re-released two years later. Frank Sinatra included the song on his 1973 album Ol’ Blue Eyes Is Back. Barbra Streisand included it on her 1985 album The Broadway Album, which topped the Billboard 200 in early 1986 and brought the legend her eighth (and most recent) competitive Grammy in early 1987.

Follies ran for 601 performances, though Aug. 3, 1974. Johns won a Tony for best actress in a musical for her performance as Desiree Armfeldt. Catherine Zeta-Jones won in the same category 38 years later for a revival of the show. Sondheim went on to win an Oscar for best original song for “Sooner or Later (I Always Get My Man),” which was sung by Madonna in Dick Tracy (1990).