On the Radio: Isn't That Song in a Broadway Show? #2

A couple weeks ago, I talked about that song by The Madden Brothers, "We Are Done," and how it sounded like it could have been in Hair or Promises, Promises.  The past few weeks, I haven't been able to get a pair of songs out of my head.  Unless you have no access to radio or earbuds, you must have heard these two songs, Meghan Trainor's "All About That Bass," and Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off."

Well, I've been thinking... 21st century lyrical anachronisms aside, wouldn't they both fit nicely into Hairspray??!!  I'm sure Tony-winners Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman could fix those 21st century anachronisms - Tracy Turnblad wouldn't know what "photoshopping" is, would she?

Here's how "All About That Bass" might work in Hairspray:  In a final televised plea for integration and for Miss Hairspray votes, Tracy sings the song to Corny Collins and "the Nicest Kids in Town."  Eventually, Tracy, Penny and Link (plus a few of the Council Members who secretly agree) go into a full blown dance with it, and the phones ring off the hook.  At the same time, we can see The Dyn-o-Mites, Motormouth Maybelle and all the kids at her record shop watching this on TV, and Edna and Wilbur are home watching it, too.  They all join in until it becomes a huge production number.

Seaweed and the detention kids don't have enough to do, right?  So, earlier in the show (than the above), when Tracy thinks Link only has eyes for Amber after they leave for the show without her, Seaweed and the kids tell her to "Shake It Off."  The song gets a reprise after Little Inez becomes Miss Hairspray and Amber goes ballistic.  Eventually, everyone but Amber and her mother shake it off, though they join in - plotting - with the "Haters gonna hate, hate, hate..."

The commute has been hell lately, so I've had way too much time to think about this!  I can think of at least two more scenarios for these songs in that show.  Ah, well... gotta get to work!

Jeff
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