You Can't Stop the Beat: Difference between revisions

"'''You Can't Stop The Beat'''" is the finale number in the 2002 musical ''[[Hairspray (musical)|Hairspray]]''. It is sung by Tracy, Link, Penny, Seaweed, Edna, Motor Mouth, Velma, and Amber with Corny and Wilbur as backing singers. Although the lyrics touch on [[sizeism]] and [[racism]], the song also references broader themes of [[Social revolution|change]] and [[Social change|progression]]. The song pays tribute to the [[Phil Spector]]-produced 1966 [[Ike Turner|Ike]] & [[Tina Turner]] hit "[[River Deep – Mountain High]]".<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RKIejAB83F0C |title=Hairspray |last=Heller |first=Dana |date=2011 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons|isbn=9781444395624 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Shewey |first=Don |year=2002 |orig-year=2002-10-01 |title=Broadway's biggest do |journal=The Advocate |pages=62–63}}</ref> Members of the [[Hairspray Live!]] cast have lovingly mocked the song as "You Can't Stop to Breathe".<ref>{{Cite web |title=You Can't Stop…to Breathe! Find Out What Song the Cast Is Scared to Perform on "Hairspray Live!" |url=https://www.yahoo.com/news/cant-stop-breathe-song-cast-020758709.html |access-date=2022-03-31 |website=www.yahoo.com |date=16 November 2016 |language=en-US}}</ref>

The song was edited for the [[Hairspray (2007 film)|2007 film]]. Notably the Von Tussle section was removed. It was shot however, and is featured as a bonus feature on the DVD.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

The ''[[New York Times]]'' deemed it a "contagiously elating finale".<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/18/nyregion/18theatli.html|title = You Can't Stop the Aerosol|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 16 July 2010|last1 = Gates|first1 = Anita}}</ref> Reviewing the stage show, the Leicester Mercury described the song as "infectiously catchy" and added "you can't fail to leave singing You Can't Stop The Beat".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Review-Hairspray-Curve-Leicester/story-20772844-detail/story.html#ixzz35XyJyJe6|title=Review: Hairspray at Curve, Leicester|work=Leicester Mercury}}</ref> The Boston Globe called it "the show's splashy closing number", The [[Boston Herald]] deemed it "joyous", In Newsweekly described it as "the fabulous ensemble closing number", and Theatre Mirror noted "you won't be able to stop your feet from stomping out the rhythm".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nsmt.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=283|title=North Shore Music Theatre - Hairspray - Reviews|author=Mike Ceceri|work=nsmt.org}}</ref> The Sun Southwestern College said ""You Can't Stop the Beat" was so high energy it seemed the cast had drained the espresso machine. It left the audience exhausted".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.theswcsun.com/review-hairspray/|title=Review: 'Hairspray'|work=theswcsun.com}}</ref> [[NY Magazine]] called it a "boisterous finale",<ref>{{cite web|url=https://nymag.com/movies/reviews/34734/|title=Hairspray - Interview - Sunshine -- New York Magazine Movie Review|work=NYMag.com|date=13 July 2007 }}</ref> Spark Sunderland named it "famous",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sparksunderland.com/featured/2013/03/review-hairspray-sunderland-empire/|title=Review: Hairspray - Sunderland Empire » Spark Sunderland|work=sparksunderland.com}}</ref> while Plays in the Park dubbed it the "show's anthem".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.playsinthepark.com/index.php/season/reviews/66-review-nj-press-media-hairspray|title=Review - NJ Press Media (Hairspray)|author=Super User|work=playsinthepark.com}}</ref> Joyce's Choices said the song was "jubilant...one of my all time favorite affirmations and musical numbers".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://joyceschoices.com/theater/theater-hairspray|title=THEATER: HAIRSPRAY|work=joyceschoices.com|date=6 February 2014}}</ref> 99.9 Kez said " You Can't Stop the Beat is the ultimate infectious show closer, designed to have you leaving the theatre wishing every musical ended with such an up-beat, high-energy song and dance.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kez999.com/onair/david-appleford-16160/hairspray-theatre-review-11733736/#ixzz35Y1dMidT|title=On-Air|work=99.9 KEZ}}</ref>

The [[People's Choice Award]] for "Favorite Song from a Soundtrack" was given to the Hairspray cast for "You Can't Stop the Beat".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://starstruckworld.wordpress.com/2012/06/27/you-cant-stop-the-beat/|title=You can't stop the Beat - Our Lovely World|work=Our Lovely World|date=27 June 2012}}</ref> The cover from the 2016 live version of the musical was nominated for "Best Musical Moment" at the 2017 MTV Movie & TV awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/movie-and-tv-awards/winners|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170512015522/http://www.mtv.com/movie-and-tv-awards/winners|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 12, 2017|title=Winners & Nominees by Category - 2017 - MTV|work=MTV}}</ref>

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[[Category:Songs againstabout racism and xenophobia]]