Sometimes it's good to be bad, and nowhere is that maxim more true than in the realms of musical theater. To say that the villain song isn't often a favorite amongst theater enthusiasts is an understatement. In fact, quite a handful of Broadway's best numbers have all been sung by antagonists.
Whether it's used as a period of internal reflection or just an excuse to celebrate their acts of evil, the villain song is quite often one of the highlights in a successful musical. They can be jazzy, powerful, intimidating, or soft and slow. No matter the methods, everyone loves a little musical madness.
Dentist! (Little Shop of Horrors)
Made famous by Steve Martin's legendary performance, "Dentist!" puts a sadistic spin on an otherwise normal career. That being said, does anyone really enjoy having their teeth worked on—apart from a masochistic Bill Murray?
Inspired by the doo-wop sounds of the early 60s, the stage version is a positively gleeful rendition of how Dr. Orin Scrivello absolutely adores torturing his paying patients, but that's nothing compared to the next entry.
Sweet Transvestite (The Rocky Horror Show)
Though Dr. Frank-N-Furter is more of a hedonistic persona than an actual force of evil, the fact that he is absolutely over the moon in his acts of degradation is undeniable, especially when one considers his introductory number.
Made famous by the immortal Tim Curry in both the stage show and the movie, it's a definite crowd-pleaser that celebrates the character's over-the-top personality.
Whatever Lola Wants (Damn Yankees)
A strange amalgamation of baseball and the legend of Faust, Damn Yankees is an interesting musical, to say the least. But, surprisingly, the most recognizable song from the entire musical is "Whatever Lola Wants" sung by the titular Lola, a seductive assistant to the devil himself.
Whether one is familiar with the musical or not, they've without a doubt heard contemporary jazz covers of the song by a number of artists. It's still quite a saucy number.
Master of the House (Les Miserables)
"Stars" sung by Javert might be the most emotional villain song in all of Broadway, but it's not exactly the most entertaining. That distinction goes to "Master of the House."
So catchy that evenDisney villain territory with how fun and memorable it is.
Don’t Nobody Bring Me No Bad News (The Wiz)
Wicked witches and gospel tunes don't exactly sound like the best combo in the world, but, in this version of The Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West gets this jumping, deceptively joyful number. The Wiz is already stuffed full of toe-tapping favorites, but this song puts Elphaba's "Defying Gravity" to shame.
My Friends (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street)
It was hard not to put "Pretty Women" in this spot, but, when considering the personal element of the villain song, it has to go to "My Friends." This soft, almost soothing song serves as a sort of internal monologue for Sweeney Todd and later Miss Lovett.
The silver razors are all that the barber has left of his former life as Benjamin Barker, and their reunion is a very emotional moment, not something most villain numbers have these days.
King Herod’s Song (Jesus Christ Superstar)
Some of the best villain songs are rife with comedic elements, and there is no better example of the idea than "King Herod's Song" from Jesus Christ Superstar. In a very emotional rock opera, nearly all of it is a heavy experience both plotwise and music-wise, but Herod's number is an unabashed comical romp with a vaudeville flavor. It's one of those numbers that come out of nowhere and offers a sigh of brief relief.
You’ll Be Back (Hamilton)
Similar to his biblical peer, King George's number from the prolific musical, Hamilton, works a comedic angle, but, at the same time, he comes off as mildly threatening.
"I will kill your friends and family to remind you of my love" isn't exactly a quote one would want to hear in a dark alley, but, when paired with a fun musical interlude, everyone's alright with it.
Music of the Night (Phantom of the Opera)
One of the most beautiful songs in one of the longest-running shows in all of broadway history is technically a villain song. Although "Music of the Night" is the Phantom's declaration of love for both music and Christine Daae, it's still a musical expression from the play's main antagonist. Good luck listening to Michael Crawford's melodious musings after that bit of information.
Hellfire (Disney’s Hunchback of Notre Dame)
"Hellfire" does what every great musical number needs to do; it conveys the internal emotions and conflict a character is feeling through song. There's no villain number that does it better. Infamous for its themes of lust and religion, this concept is fully realized in the stage version inspired by the Disney film by changing Frollo from a judge to a priest as he was in the original novel. Pair that with Patrick Page's haunting and powerful portrayal and it's a hit.