Joe Iconis takes the stage at Feinstein's/54 Below.
(© David Gordon)
5 Songs by Composer Joe Iconis and the Inspirations Behind Them | Theatermania
The Drama Desk Award-nominated tunesmith lifts the veil on some of his classic songs, including "Broadway, Here I Come!"
Joe Iconis, the songwriter behind the Drama Desk Award-nominated Bloodsong of Love, Be More Chill, and the upcoming Broadway Bounty Hunter, is currently in residence at Feinstein's/54 Below, where he and his family of musical-theater rabble rousers will take the stage for upcoming performances on April 17 and May 9. Here, Iconis takes us behind the curtain to reveal the inspiration for several of the songs audience members will hear, from a Smash hit to the opening number for his latest tuner.
Disclaimer: The following are some thoughts about, explanations of, and insights into a few of my songs. They are strictly the opinion of this author and I would never be so presumptuous as to tell You what My songs are Really about. I may think "Blue Hair" is about a girl dyeing her hair blue, but you are perfectly within your rights to think it's about the Rise and Fall of Communism in Russia. I'm probably more correct than you are, but both are valid interpretations.
"Broadway, Here I Come!"
Probably my most well-known song, on account of its inclusion in [the television show] Smash. As many people know by now, the song is about two things.
1. The idea of "making it" on Broadway and all the anxiety and exhilaration that comes along with that, and
2. Jumping off a building, hurtling toward the street of Broadway. I wrote it when I was feeling very depressed about many things in my life, specifically about how success felt so close and so far. I loved the idea of a sad song called "Broadway, Here I Come!" (the punctuation of the title is hugely important, I think) and once I realized that I could write about reaching my dreams and killing myself in the same song, the thing was born. And now little kids sing it at their elementary school graduations. Life is weird.