Singin' in the Rain is one of the best Hollywood musicals of all time and features plenty of amazing songs. Released in 1952, the Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly-directed film proved to be an instant hit with musical lovers as it was full of gorgeous technicolor, show-stopping performances, and hilarious comedy. The movie also proved to be a huge success critically, with Jean Hagen accruing an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a ing Role and Lennie Hayton receiving a nomination for Best Scoring of a Musical Picture.
Most of all, it is ed for its incredible musical numbers. There are eight songs in the film, and they range from wholly enjoyable, to some of the best songs ever put to film. Chronicling Hollywood's transition into sound, Singin' in the Rain has held up remarkably well considering its original release. It is a joyous and captivating movie, and its musical numbers do a lot to keep the movie constantly engaging and upbeat. All the songs serve their purpose and are entertaining within the movie, but some are much better than others.
9 Fit As A Fiddle
There are no bad songs in Singin' in the Rain, and "Fit as a Fiddle" is a pretty fun number, with incredible choreography. The first full musical number in the film, "Fit as a Fiddle" serves as a flashback as it explains Don Lockwood and Cosmo Brown's rise to stardom. It's very upbeat, and the violin dance that Don and Cosmo do is nothing short of incredible. However, Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor's physical comedy is better seen later in the movie, and the song itself isn't very catchy or memorable. Within the movie, it works great, but this is a song that warrants listening outside the scene itself.
8 You Were Meant For Me
"You Were Meant For Me" is a classic love ballad, and a very effective one at that. Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds have great chemistry and the backdrop they find themselves in during it is fittingly romantic and beautiful. Of all the musical numbers in the film, this feels the most standard and of its time, however, Kelly and Reynolds are just so good at doing this type of scene that it elevates the entire thing. Like "Fit as a Fiddle", the execution of this number makes up for some of the song's slack. However, the film does have better songs that achieve the same purpose.
7 All I Do Is Dream Of You
Debbie Reynolds knew how to control her presence on screen, and "All I Do is Dream of You" is a great use of her psychical comedy, as well as her musical abilities. While the song itself is a catchy earworm, Reynolds' performance in this upbeat number (which sees her being annoyed with Don's presence) is what makes the song go from good to great. While not the most iconic or the most emotional song in the film, it is a secretly important one and is necessary to fully sell the romance of Don and Kathy.
6 You Are My Lucky Star
The final full song of the film, "You Are My Lucky Star" is the best romantic ballad in the film and the emotional climax of the film. In of production and choreography, this is the most scaled-back number in the film, letting the performances and the song carry the emotional weight of the scene. While not the biggest or most catchy song, it is the best song to end the film on, and Kelly and Reynolds perform it beautifully.
5 Moses
"Moses" is one of the most annoyingly catchy songs in the history of movie musicals. It has a way to get stuck in a person's head for days, and the rhyming scheme is just too fun not to sing out loud. Kelly and O'Connor are both at the top of their game in of physical and verbal comedy, and the scene is just bursting at the seams with energy and joy. This song also uses the concept of the film to its fullest effect, as a simple vocal warm-up is turned into an outrageous sing-and-dance comedy routine.
4 Broadway Melody Ballet
In the middle of Singin' in the Rain, the film takes a 13-minute detour into the hypothetical film that Don Lockwood wants to make. It is a complete showstopper filled with ballet, tap dancing, singing, and even salsa. It is the most technically impressive part of the film, with eye-popping colors and some of the best dancing Kelly ever did on film. While the sequence does feel its length, the film just wouldn't be the same without it. It's not surprising that some see this as Kelly's best movie for the way he belts out "Gotta Dance!" fills the audience with the type of magic only movie musicals can provide.
3 Singin' In The Rain
The titular song from Singin' in the Rain is one of the film's best. The scene itself has been referenced and parodied (and for good reason). With few specifics and a simple tune, the scene captures the feeling of being in love and finding joy in every aspect of the world. Everything about this scene, from the song itself to Kelly's performance to the production design has seeped its way into pop culture, is so powerful. In fact, "Singin' in the Rain" is arguably what helped make it one of the best musicals from the 1950s.
2 Make 'em Laugh
Every performance in Singin' in the Rain is incredible, but with "Make 'em Laugh", Donald O'Connor threatens to steal the movie right from under Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds. "Make 'em Laugh" is an upbeat and catchy anthem about the joy of performing and comedy. It is an embodiment of everything the character of Cosmo believes in and is a terrific showcase for O'Connor's physical comedy. Every element of the scene is used to its fullest potential to get a laugh and 70 years after its release the song is still hilarious. "Make 'em Laugh" manages to make the impossible seem easy, and is true movie magic.
1 Good Morning
While Singin' in the Rain is filled with incredible songs and musical numbers, "Good Morning" takes the cake as the best song in the film and one of the best songs in any movie musical. Not only is the song itself catchy, but it is also the only song that includes all three leads, giving them all time in the spotlight and playing to their strengths. Singin' in the Rain is a lighting-in-a-bottle movie, where several talented people at the height of their powers worked together to make something truly magical, and "Good Morning" is a perfect encapsulation of that. From the direction to the performances, it is cinematic bliss.
