"Simple Little Things" from 110 In The Shade

First I'd just like to start by saying how beautiful all of the music from this show is. This song starts out very simply as far as the melody goes. She basically sings one note over and over again for about the first 8 measures while the piano plays the same chord over and over again. However, this is very fitting to the lyrics: "Not all dreams are great big dreams, some peoples dreams are small. Not all dreams have to have a golden fleece, or any kind of fleece at all. My dreams like my name are very plain, no shining knight must kneel. My dreams like my name are very plain, but never the less they're real, they're all so very real." This helps to establish Lizzie's character. It wouldn't make sense for the music to be all complicated while she sang those lyrics.
The accompaniment doesn't really change or become interesting until the refrain begins, and it becomes much more complicated rhythmically. It goes from being mostly quarter notes and half notes to having a bunch of sixteenth note runs and such. The accompaniment does not do a whole lot to help the singer out. Most of the time, a chord will be held out while the vocal line is in sixteenth notes above it. This makes the vocal line so raw, exposed, and heartfelt.
At the B section, the tempo picks up, and the density of the accompaniment increases, as does the texture. These changes are typical at any type of B section. The accompaniment becomes more and more exciting as Lizzie talks about all the simple little dreams that she has. When the A section returns, the tempo slows back down and the accompaniment once again becomes subdued and simple as she sings about only wanting simple things.
The melodic line throughout is very simple, as are Lizzie and her dreams, so it is fitting. It is mostly stepwise, but since the accompaniment is really of no help, it is still slightly difficult for the singer. I just love this song. The music is very pretty, and I think I relate very much to the idea behind the song.
"Simple little things. All I want are simple little things. All I need is someone beside me to have and to hold, someone to love me as we grow older. Simple little things, simple little dreams will do." *sigh*