5 Underrated Sondheim Songs You Need to Hear
When people say “Sondheim,” most folks immediately think Into the Woods, Sweeney Todd, or Company. But some of his most poignant, daring, and beautiful work is tucked into the lesser-known corners of his career — TV specials, cut songs, short-run experiments, and one-off revivals.
Here are five of my favorite underrated Sondheim songs, with context, history, and performance tips if you’re itching to try them out.
1. “I Remember” (Evening Primrose)
Evening Primrose was a made-for-TV musical that aired once in 1966 as part of ABC’s Stage 67. Charles, a poet, hides in a department store after hours and finds a secret society of people who live there. Ella, a woman who’s been trapped since childhood, sings “I Remember” as she recalls the outside world — skies, trees, rain, sensations she can barely bring into focus.
The song is fragile and haunting, built on delicate imagery. Its quiet nature requires immense vocal control; too much vibrato or melodrama and it collapses. Because it’s so intimate, audiences are caught off guard when it’s performed live.
Performance Tip: Perfect for sopranos or mezzos looking for something lyrical but understated. Works well for recitals, cabaret sets, or college auditions where you want to stand out with something unexpected. Be ready to lean into subtlety — this is all about restraint.
2. “Multitudes of Amys” (cut from Company)
Company (1970) changed the musical theatre landscape, but not every song made the cut. Originally intended as Bobby’s closing number, “Multitudes of Amys” was swapped out for the more existential “Being Alive.” Here, Bobby dreams of a future surrounded by endless versions of Amy, the fiancée of his best friend. It’s whimsical, romantic, and surprisingly optimistic.
The cut gives us a softer Bobby, one who imagines a future filled with love rather than one who’s terrified of commitment. Sondheim later admitted the song wrapped things up too neatly, but its playful charm still makes it a standout in his catalogue.
Performance Tip: Great for tenors or baritones who want a character-driven audition song that isn’t overdone. It lets you show charm, humor, and a bit of romantic longing — qualities casting directors love to see.
3. “Someone in a Tree” (Pacific Overtures)
In Pacific Overtures (1976), Sondheim tells the story of Japan’s forced opening to the West. Instead of showing the treaty signing directly, “Someone in a Tree” presents fragments of the event: a boy in a tree, an old man remembering from long ago, and a warrior who listened from below the floorboards. None of them know the full story, but together they create a mosaic of history.
Sondheim himself called it his favorite song, and it’s easy to see why. It’s about memory, truth, and how history is pieced together. Musically, it layers voices in counterpoint, creating both humor and poignancy.
Performance Tip: Works beautifully as a small ensemble piece (two men and one youth, or adapted with women’s voices). It’s less about vocal fireworks and more about storytelling, so clarity and character choices matter most. Fantastic for class projects, showcases, or concerts where you want to introduce audiences to a song they’ll never forget.
4. “I Read” (Passion)
Passion (1994) explores Giorgio’s romance with Clara and his complicated, consuming entanglement with Fosca. Early audiences resisted Fosca, seeing her as sickly and obsessive, but Sondheim paints her with devastating humanity.
“I Read” is her confession: through books, she escapes her physical frailty and loneliness. The song is stripped back, almost aria-like, requiring the performer to fully embody Fosca’s fragility without sentimentality. Every phrase feels like a direct, personal revelation.
Performance Tip: Ideal for mezzos or sopranos who want to show acting range over vocal fireworks. It’s an acting challenge: keep it grounded, let the emotion emerge from stillness. Excellent for graduate-level auditions, recital programs, or dramatic competitions where interpretation matters more than volume.
5. “Fear No More” (The Frogs)
The Frogs (1974/2004) is a quirky comedy first staged in a Yale swimming pool (yes, really). Dionysus travels to Hades to bring back a great writer to save civilization. Amid satire and silliness, Sondheim included “Fear No More,” a setting of Shakespeare’s funeral poem from Cymbeline.
The result is unexpectedly serene. It pauses the comedy and gives space for reflection on mortality. The quiet simplicity and Shakespearean text make it one of the most moving moments in the score — and one of Sondheim’s most hauntingly beautiful creations.
Performance Tip: Perfect for baritones or basses looking for something understated but deeply affecting. Because it’s not showy, it’s best suited for concerts, memorials, or situations where emotional honesty counts more than range. Audiences lean in when this is performed well.
