The Flyin’ Fightin’ Forties: 16 Male Solo Ideas From The WWII Era

Written by Jackson Upperco

September 18, 2017

So, you’re auditioning for the role of Lt. Cable in South Pacific (1949)? Curly in the turn-of- the-century set, but very ‘40s, Oklahoma! (1943)? Pat Gilbert in a production of the 1996 stage adaptation of the 1945 film State Fair? Then you need some authentic and not overdone material from the early ‘40s in your repertoire – starting with this collection of Musical Theatre solo suggestions for audition and study from the first six years of the flyin’, fightin’ decade (before and during America’s participation in the Second World War). (For material from the late ‘40s, check out our Golden Age posts for men, women, and duets for two men or two women, and male/female couples!)


All the selections below, chosen by a self-proclaimed expert on the scores of this era, are guaranteed to put you in the mind and flavor – the real mind and flavor – of this iconic time in history. With classic entries from the Great American Songbook to rousing (seldom sung) gems waiting to be rediscovered, this EXCLUSIVE list is one to be bookmarked and studied!

1. “What Chance Have I With Love?” from Louisiana Purchase (1940) (baritone)



From Irving Berlin’s satirical look at the farcical nature of then-contemporary Louisiana politics, this number was introduced by Victor Moore as a bumbling New Hampshire senator who bemoans his bachelor status. Character-y, smart.

Get the Sheet Music Here

2. “Do What You Wanna Do” from Cabin In The Sky (1940) (baritone)



Sung by Lucifer’s son in this musical fable about a dead man who gets a six- month reprieve as good and evil both vie for his soul, this sassy tune is swingin’ fun. From a historic show with an all-black cast, it’s great for men of color.

3. “I’m Talking To My Pal” from Pal Joey (1940) (baritone)



Cut before the Broadway opening of Rodgers and Hart’s classic tale of an overly ambitious anti-heroic heel, this song has been restored for several subsequent revivals. It’s the most clear-eyed introspective look at the title character.

Get the Sheet Music Here

4. “Buckle Down Winsocki” from Best Foot Forward (1941) (baritone)



Evocative of the big band fun that typified the transitional period between the ‘30s and ‘40s, here is the fictional “fight song” for the prep school at which this peppy youthful musical is set. It’s an ideal signifier of its era. Simple, joyous.

Get the Sheet Music Here

5. “Let’s Not Talk About Love” from Let’s Face It (1941) (baritone)



Introduced by comic Danny Kaye, this pattery Cole Porter list song came from a show about lonely housewives who make their husbands jealous with Army inductees. Here, soldier Kaye tried to ward off the horny Eve Arden. Funny!

Get the Sheet Music Here

6. “Not A Care In The World” from Banjo Eyes (1941) (baritone)



A surprisingly beautiful ballad by Vernon Duke and John LaTouche, this romantic tune comes from a forgotten adaptation of Three Men On A Horse, which starred comic Eddie Cantor. A sincere jewel (later used in revivals of Cabin In The Sky).

7. “Wait Till You See Her” from By Jupiter (1942) (tenor)



There’s debate about whether or not this genuine gem by Rodgers and Hart was cut just before the Broadway run of this musical telling of the Greek myth surrounding the Amazon Queen’s girdle. But it became a standard – no surprise.

Get the Sheet Music Here

8. “I Left My Heart At The Stage Door Canteen” from This Is The Army (1942) (baritone)



For the first time on this list, here’s a number that makes explicit reference to the war, as this musical revue by Irving Berlin was performed and produced by Army men. This classic alludes to the iconic, very in-period, Stage Door Canteen.

Get the Sheet Music Here

9. “When My Baby Goes To Town” from Something For The Boys (1943) (baritone)



Porter’s final musical for Ethel Merman referenced the war, but had a more trivial plot as three cousins’ boarding house for servicemen’s wives is mistaken for a brothel. This rouser was for La Merm’s love interest, an Army bandleader.

10. “My Pin-Up Girl” from Stars And Gripes (1943) (baritone)



With a title as such, this number is sure to suggest memories of the WWII era. It’s a sweet entry by Harold Rome from a touring revue, performed by soldiers, that premiered in the summer of ’43 in Brooklyn. It survives amiably via V-discs!

11. “Westwind” from One Touch Of Venus (1943) (baritone)



German composer Kurt Weill teamed with poet Ogden Nash for this literate sophisticated musical about a statue of Venus that comes to life in the present day and falls for a barber. This haunting melody was for a wise museum owner.

12. “I Love You” from Mexican Hayride (1944) (baritone)



The most famous number from one of Cole Porter’s lesser known scores, this plainly worded love ballad is a simple, no-strings attached delight that’s perfect for gents who want to show off their vocal chops. Dreamy, pure, unforgettable.

Get the Sheet Music Here

13. “Drink” from Seven Lively Arts (1944) (baritone)



One more Cole Porter tune – here is a forgotten number from a little known musical revue that starred Bea Lillie and Bert Lahr. This rapturous number was headed by Lahr, who extolled the pleasures of drinking. A satire of operetta.

14. “Lucky To Be Me” from On The Town (1944) (baritone)



Thanks to a recent revival, On The Town may be the least forgotten show here. But if you don’t know Bernstein, Comden, and Green’s score, it’s about three sailors on a 24-hour shore leave in NYC. This is the male solo of the WWII era.

Get the Sheet Music Here

15. “When She Walks In The Room” from Up In Central Park (1945) (baritone)



Although set in the 1870s, this charming score by Dorothy Fields and Sigmund Romberg (a delectable combo) is the most genuine representation of operetta, an important genre on its last legs in the ‘40s. Here’s a classic “I’m in love” song.

16. “From Morning Till Night” from The Girl From Nantucket (1945) (tenor)



As Broadway moved into its Golden Age, a sign of the times’ superiority was that even its flops – like this 12-performance stinker – offered potential standards. Originally the main lovers’ (two painters’) duet, it makes for a grand solo.

For more on the scores of this era, visit jacksonupperco.com!

Listen to a Spotify Playlist of these audition songs here:


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Jackson Upperco is a lover of retro television, forgotten Broadway musicals, and Pre-Code Hollywood. He boasts a Bachelors Degree in Film and Television from Boston University. You can keep up with all of his entertainment interests at jacksonupperco.com.