Tomorrow (Annie)

"Tomorrow" is a show tune from the musical Annie, with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Martin Charnin, published in 1977. The number was originally written as "Replay" (The Way We Live Now) for the 1970 short film Replay, with both music and lyrics by Strouse.[1]

"Tomorrow"
Song by Andrea McArdle
Published1977
GenrePop, show tune
Composer(s)Charles Strouse
Lyricist(s)Martin Charnin
"Tomorrow"
Song by Aileen Quinn
from the album Annie (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
B-side"Let's Go To The Movies"
Released1982
GenrePop, show tune
Length2:21
LabelColumbia
Composer(s)Charles Strouse
Lyricist(s)Martin Charnin
Producer(s)Ralph Burns

Composition and lyrics

In 1972 Strouse, and Thomas Meehan began working on a musical based on the Little Orphan Annie comic strips, Annie. Strouse contributed a reworked version of "Replay" as "Tomorrow". "Annie" took until 1976 to reach Broadway[2] and during that time Strouse reworked "Replay" again for possible use in what became "Charlie and Algernon", a musical version of Daniel Keyes's Flowers for Algernon with book by playwright David Rogers although it was not ultimately used. "[3]

The song has always been prominently featured in productions of the musical throughout its history: several variations of the song were performed in the original 1977 Broadway production, including being the show's finale. Its lyrics are repeated as a personal motto by the character of Annie in Thomas Meehan's 1980 novelisation. It was the entry and concluding credits score for the 1982 film adaptation; an a capella version of the song was performed by Aileen Quinn as Annie during the scene at the White House where Annie and Warbucks meet Franklin D. Roosevelt.

The song pronounces an optimistic view of life through its main themes and the phrases 'hang on until tomorrow' and 'when I'm stuck with a day that's gray and lonely, I just stick out my chin and grin [and say]'. It appears to be in unison with another song in the score, "You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile", which again pronounces the importance of smiling, though in a much lighter and cheerful tone.

The lyrics were likely influenced by the song "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow", written by the Sherman Brothers for Disney's Carousel of Progress attraction for the 1964 New York World's Fair. They have very similar themes, stressing the importance of looking forward optimistically to a shining future, and in some places use almost identical lyrical phrases (compare "just a dream away" and "only a day away," for example).

See also

References
  1. Replay (Short 1970) – IMDb
  2. Cast Changes, Rewrites and More: From Yesterday to 'Tomorrow,' Annie's History on Stage and Screen | Playbill
  3. "From Basement to Broadway". Washington Post. 7 September 1980.
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