It seems that musical theater never gets sick of a good love song, and neither do we. Here are a few (of many) that will have you belting along with the most in-love characters to have serenaded the Great White Way with their passionate melodies.

If it worked for them, it can work for you!

1. Tony and Maria, West Side Story

“Say it loud and there’s music playing, say it soft and it’s almost like praying, Maria”

west-side-story-tony-maria

All of the songs the star-crossed lovers sing are pretty romantic, but we’re partial to “Maria,” the heartfelt ode Tony sings of his beloved.

2. Guy and Girl, Once

“Take this sinking boat and point it home we’ve still got time”

While Once may not be the most conventional love story, “Falling Slowly” is a soft and welcoming melody that evokes the complex nature of falling in love.

3. Angel and Tom Collins, Rent

“I think they meant it when they said you can’t buy love, now I know you can rent it, a new lease you are my love”

Rent - Angel & Collins — Photo Credit: Sony Pictures

Undoubtedly the truest and most honest of the romantic relationships in Rent, Angel serenades Collins with “I’ll Cover You,” an upbeat song about going above and beyond for the person you love.

4. Marius and Cosette, Les Miserables

“A heart full of love, no fear no regret”

In a classic case of love at first sight, Marius and Cosette fall head over heels for each other. Their first duet, “A Heart Full of Love” chronicles their introduction to one another as they as they find themselves both lost and found.

5. Hamilton and Eliza, Hamilton

“Then you walked in and my heart went boom!”

Eliza sings “Helpless” the night she first meets Alexander Hamilton, remarking on her immediate infatuation with him. Toward the end of the song, he implores her to believe in him despite not having a dollar to his name. Swoon.

6. Cinderella and The Prince, Cinderella

“In the arms of my love, I’m flying, over mountain and meadow and glen”

cinderella-on-broadway — Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg

Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella serenades us with dazzling numbers that tell the story we all know and love. “Ten Minutes Ago” is a whimsical duet the lovers sing as they swirl around the dance floor.

7. J.M. Barrie and Sylvia, Finding Neverland

“We can fly if we want to, I promise you faith will give you wings”

Photo Credit: Sara Krulwich/ The New York Times

In this fictionalized tale about writer J.M. Barrie and the inspiration behind Peter Pan, Barrie meets the young widow Sylvia with whom he shares an instant connection.

8. Motel and Tzeitel, Fiddler on the Roof

“Of all God’s miracles large and small, the most miraculous one of all is the one I thought could never be: God has given you to me.”

These young lovers rocked their shtetl when they pledged to marry one another without the help of parents or a matchmaker. Motel, a poor tailor, sings that his impending marriage to Tzeitel is nothing short of a miracle in the sweet and heartfelt “Miracle of Miracles.”

Check out our Spotify playlist below for these songs and more. And remember: nothing says “I love you” quite like a Broadway ballad.

Love songs

The Best Musical Theater Love Songs