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Special Occasion Songs
by Stephen Schwartz

Wondering what music to use for special or sensitive moments? Here's the webmaster's suggestions based on e-mail messages from people who have used the songs.

Love Songs used for Weddings.

Other Love Songs.

Songs for Memorial Services and Inspiration events.

Songs for Commencement - Graduations

Healing or Enhancing Family Life.

Holiday songs.

heart imageLove Songs -
These songs have been used for Weddings: Compact Disk icon

From Children of Eden

"In Whatever Time We Have"

True report from B.C. of California (the bride): "Why did we pick, "In Whatever Time We Have," as one of our songs? It was because when Billy first proposed to me, he was worried about our age difference (he's 13 years older than me). I reminded him of this song and played it for him to hear. That became our song! If this was God's will for us to meet and get married, then we'll just enjoy whatever time that He will allow us to have together. We played the song just before the processional."

"World without You"

American Premiere Recording, RCA, 1998 (37 tracks, 2 CD Set)

From Pippin

"Love Song"

"with You"

Other Love Songs

"with You (Pippin)/Gifts of Love (The Baker's Wife)"

From Geppetto

"Since I Gave My Heart Away"

From Pocahontas

"If I Never Knew You"

  • John Barr - In Whatever Time We Have - (Dress Circle, 1998)
  • Michael Crawford - The Disney Album - (UNI/Disney, 2001) Buy Michael Crawford's The Disney Album. [new browser window]
  • Hal Ketchum and Shelby Lynne - The Best of Country Sings the Best of Disney (Walt Disney Records, 1996)
  • Jon Secada and Shanice - Disney's Greatest Pop Hits - (Walt Disney Records, 1998)
  • Angela DeCicco and Bill Whitefield - Our Heart Sings (Jerome Records, 2000)

From Rags

"Wanting"

Songs for Memorial Services and Inspirational events

candle image

From Wicked

"For Good" - lyrics page

From Children of Eden

"In the Beginning," "Children of Eden," and "In Whatever Time We Have"

From a music director in New York: "I can't begin to tell you the kind of impact Children of Eden had in our community. It will always be an integral part of my life. The weekend just prior to dress rehearsal week (yes, we dress for an entire week) I had to make a quick flight to Flordia to see my gravely ill father. I put him in his wheelchair for a trip around the hospital grounds in the warm Flordia sunshine with the melody of "In Whatever Time We Have" echoing in my head. He passed one hour before show time our second night of the run. I found a very deep and special meaning in many of the shows numbers as I conducted the final three performances. Children of Eden will be forever indellibly etched in my memory. Unbeknownst to Stephen, his work eased a lot of pain in what was a very difficult time of my life. Please pass along my special thanks."

From J.P.--posted on the Schwartz forum: "My beloved wife died suddenly of natural causes on the afternoon of Monday, March 29. I am very glad, however, that we were able to see Children of Eden together a few weeks ago in Michican City, Indiana. During the first few days of grief, I took great comfort in some of the songs from that show including the intro to "Children of Eden", "In whatever time we have", and especially "I am not a stranger to the rain". I would like to extend my humblest gratitude to Stephen Schwartz for having written the music that was so consoling in my time of need, and also to Richard Blake for putting on the Athena Productions show and letting my wife and I know about it."

Godspell "All Good Gifts"

Story from an actress named Dianne. "I went to a reuinion for Toby's Dinner Theater in Columbia, MD. It was a celebrate life party and hundreds of people from the entire 25 year history of the theatre were invited. The intent was to gather on a happy note instead of at everyone's funerals, like we usually do. After the speeches and food was done, they rolled in a piano and everyone circled the room to praise the lives of those present or had touched our lives and lost. And what do you think this multi-denominational group sang as it's thanks and praise to God - "All Good Gifts" of course! I was so moved and appreciated Stephen's talent even more at that very moment. That when a group that mixed in age, race, sex, preference,etc combined to praise with one prayer, Stephen had provided the ultimate vehicle for that prayer.! Amazing!

See the Godspell page for recordings of Godspell. "All Good Gifts" is on all CDs.

Godspell "Beautiful City"

Stephen Schwartz's comment for The Schwartz Scene issue 5, following the September 11th attack on the World Trade Center. "This past week, I have had the honor of singing at benefits for the families of victims of the attack. To quote from the song I have been asked to perform at the events ("Beautiful City"):

'When your trust is all but shattered
When your faith is all but killed
You can give up bitter and battered
Or you can slowly start to build
A beautiful city
Yes, we can; yes, we can
We can build a beautiful city
Not a city of angels
But finally a city of man.'"

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

"Someday"

The Prince of Egypt

"When You Believe"

  • Alison Jiear - Forgiveness' Embrace
  • Ann Marie Milazzo - The Stephen Schwartz Album - (Varese Sarabande, 1999)
  • Whitney Houston - My Love is Your Love - (Arista, 1998) (Babyface adaptation)
  • The Countdown Singers - Sweet Love - (Madacy, 1999) (Babyface adaptation)

Songs for Commencement Programs

From Wicked

"For Good" - lyrics page

Healing or Enhancing Family Life

Godspell, Pippin, Working, and Chidren of Eden offer inspiration to couples as well as to parents for the relationships with their children. Couples have found renewed hope for their partnership after following Pippin's quest in that show.

I've heard several stories of fathers being deeply touched when sharing "Fathers and Sons" from Working with their sons. Here's one of a father-daughter relationship as touched by Children of Eden.

Because forgiveness is often needed in relationships, Stephen Schwartz's number "Forgiveness' Embrace" can be helpful. Sources:

from W.L. of North Carolina: My involvement with Children of Eden began this Friday past. My wife and I attended the performance at Raleigh Memorial Auditorium in the capital city of North Carolina as guests of friends who are season ticket holders. I am sad to say that we knew little of Stephen Schwartz, only having heard some of his more popular works through radio/movies. Not being a musical/play buff, I was hesitant to spend two plus hours sitting through it.

The musicians, actor vocalists, and Mr. Schwartz' genius took me aback. I was so moved that my wife and I returned on Sunday evening for the last performance, finding it just as powerful, entertaining, and moving as the first time.

At the close of Act I with the rendition of "Children of Eden," the performance of "The Hardest Part of Love" in Act II, and the close of the show with "In The Beginning," I had tears streaming down my face, and I don't cry easily. Not only was the music beautiful beyond words, the lyrical conveyance was especially meaningful to me just now as my beloved daughter prepares to depart home for college life, leaving a painfully empty nest. As "The Hardest Part of Love" was played and sung by magnificent artists, I held my daughter's hand, and she laid her head on my shoulder. No words were necessary or adequate for what I'm sure we both were feeling. I thank Mr. Schwartz for his spark of creation, and its ability to transcend the gulf between head and heart, father and daughter, and hopefully, even foes (indeed, "It's in our hands.").

"For Good" from Wicked

From Amanda: My junior year of high school was an enormous struggle. I suffered from major depression for most of the year, but I also struggled with an eating disorder. After a while, I just didn't see any point in living a life I felt was doomed to succumb to failure anyway. That is, until I met a very special person...her name is Emily. Emily is over ten years older than I am...she was the psychology intern at my school, and we clicked instantly. within a few months, Emily literally saved my life. I made a full turn-around and gained roughly 20% of my body weight back, thanks to her.

However, as the year was coming to a close, I realized that I would have to let this angel go, as she would not be returning the following year. Devastated and tempted to fall back into old, destructive habits, I stumbled upon my recording of Wicked, which I had just received for my seventeenth birthday. I opened it and for some reason, I was drawn to the title "For Good." It was amazing. As I listened, I couldn't help crying because everything that I heard being sung by Glinda & Elphaba was what I was feeling. I listened to it over and over, mulled over the words, recorded them in my scrapbook, and the following day decided I would sing it for Emily.

That song meant a lot to both of us as we went our separate ways: in my case, preparing myself for college, for actually living. I still listen to it from time to time as a reminder of what things were like, and how much they have changed, all thanks to such an incredible woman who I was blessed to know. She didn't only change me "for good"...she saved my life. And that I will never, ever forget.

Special Holiday CD - Jane Olivor's Songs of Season with 2 Schwartz songs

Jane Oliver cover

Jane Olivor [new browser window]

Stephen wrote the music for two songs on this CD: "The Spirit of Christmas" and "The Chanukah Song"

A reviewer on Amazon.com said it's "...not like the run of the mill holiday CDs. This one is special. She not only sings some of our favoite holiday songs, but some we are not familiar with. She creaps into your soul. Each song sounds like she is singing it to you and with all the feeling and warmth that her beautiful voice is known for."