Elf Lyrics – All Songs from the Musical

"Elf — The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)" Soundtrack Description

FAQ

• Is there an official cast album? Yes—Ghostlight Records released the Original Broadway Cast Recording on November 1, 2011; it’s widely available to stream and on CD.
• Does the musical reuse songs from the 2003 film? No. It’s a brand-new Broadway score by Matthew Sklar (music) and Chad Beguelin (lyrics) with a book by Bob Martin & Thomas Meehan.
• What numbers get the biggest audience response? “Sparklejollytwinklejingley,” the Act II roof-raiser “Nobody Cares About Santa,” Jovie’s torchy “Never Fall in Love (With an Elf),” and the finale of “A Christmas Song.”
• What changed after the 2010 premiere? The 2012 Broadway return added a peppier opening (“Happy All the Time”) and subsequent revivals refined orchestration/supervision details while keeping the score intact.
• Is there a London/West End recording too? Yes—the 2015 Original London Cast album exists separately; arrangements are close but not identical to Broadway’s.

Notes & Trivia

• The OBCR booklet prints the full lyrics and features liner notes by Tony winner Sheldon Harnick—think of it as a stocking stuffer for score nerds.
• Orchestrations are by Doug Besterman; dance arrangements by David Chase—classic, brassy Broadway bones underpin the jingles.
• The stage version swaps the film’s Gimbels for Macy’s, nudging numbers into a department-store makeover vibe.
• The 2012 return added the fizzy opener “Happy All the Time,” which later revivals kept.
• Recent revivals list Alan Williams as music supervisor with additional arrangements/orchestrations; original 2010 musical direction was by Phil Reno.
• There’s also a separate 2015 Original London Cast album; fun to A/B with Broadway’s band sound.

Overview

Why does a big brassy Broadway pit feel like hot cocoa? Elf answers by leaning into swingy horns, tight tap, and a candy-cane palette that never apologizes for joy. It’s unabashedly commercial—and expertly built. Sklar & Beguelin write in bright major keys and clean hooks, but the trick is placement: each tune pushes story beats forward. When the sleigh needs literal belief to fly, the score earns the lift. When Jovie guards her heart, the music turns torchy, not mawkish. Result: a holiday musical that plays like a proper book show, not a jukebox of familiar carols.

Genres & Themes

• Broadway brass & swing ? plucky optimism (Buddy’s worldview) and high-spirited department-store bustle.
• Mid-century show tune pastiche ? nostalgia without dust; melodies that sell sincerity over snark.
• Torch-song pop ballad ? Jovie’s guard-up vulnerability (personal stakes, not generic “holiday romance”).
• Gospel-adjacent finale lift ? collective belief powering the sleigh; ensemble voices become the “engine.”

Key Tracks & Scenes

• “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” — Company
  Where it plays: Department-store makeover with the Store Manager and staff (Act I; on the sales floor—Macy’s in most stagings). Diegetic as a show number within the scene.
  Why it matters: It locks the show’s comic speed: Buddy weaponizes cheer, turning retail drudgery into spectacle and winning over skeptics.
• “Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)” — Jovie
  Where it plays: Act II solo as Jovie waits for Buddy and talks herself out of catching feelings. Sung onstage, character-internal but presentational.
  Why it matters: A legit torch tune that humanizes Jovie—dry wit over bitterness; the melody smolders instead of schmaltz.
• “Nobody Cares About Santa” — Fake Santas, Buddy
  Where it plays: Early Act II in a late-night Chinese restaurant, a chorus of disillusioned mall Santas vents. Fully diegetic within the world.
  Why it matters: Stakes turn adult: the number confronts cynicism head-on and sets up the show’s “belief economy.”
• “There Is a Santa Claus” — Emily & Michael
  Where it plays: When mother and son witness Santa’s flight outside their window; belief tips back to wonder.
  Why it matters: A warm duet that flips Walter’s household from skepticism to possibility.
• “The Story of Buddy the Elf” — Buddy & Company
  Where it plays: The Greenway pitch meeting becomes a meta-musical sell; the family literally sings the book idea into existence.
  Why it matters: Work vs. family tension resolves through art—music as the argument that convinces Walter.
• “A Christmas Song (Reprise)” — Ensemble
  Where it plays: Climactic street-side singalong; Jovie leads New Yorkers to power the sleigh.
  Why it matters: The score’s central thesis—shared song repairs the city and the sky.

Music–Story Links (characters & plot beats as connected to songs)

• Buddy ? “World’s Greatest Dad.” The upbeat patter sits over a genuine ache; the comic tempo keeps the yearning from curdling.
• Emily/Michael ? “I’ll Believe in You” ? “There Is a Santa Claus.” Letters turn to proof; the musical sequence tracks skepticism melting in real time.
• Jovie ? “Never Fall in Love (With an Elf).” Guarded humor first, then a controlled belt; the song earns her final-scene leadership.
• Walter ? “The Story of Buddy the Elf.” The office becomes a bandstand; harmony (literally) reframes priorities and he chooses family.
• City ? “A Christmas Song (Reprise).” Ensemble as character. When New Yorkers sing together, plot physics change—belief has wattage.

How It Was Made (supervision, score, behind-the-scenes)

• Score team: Matthew Sklar (music) & Chad Beguelin (lyrics); book by Bob Martin & Thomas Meehan. Broadway premiere: November 14, 2010.
• Band & charts: Orchestrations by Doug Besterman; dance arrangements by David Chase. Original Broadway musical direction/vocal arrangements by Phil Reno.
• Album production: OBCR produced by David Lai & Matthew Sklar; recorded/mixed by Isaiah Abolin (mastered by Mark Wilder) at MSR Studios, NYC.
• Revisions & revivals: 2012 Broadway return introduced “Happy All the Time.” Later Broadway/West End revivals credit Alan Williams for music supervision/additional arrangements; Nate Patten musical direction (recent Bway revival).
• Why it sounds “big”: Traditional pit—bright brass, reed doublings, and rhythm-section punch—keeps even the candy-cane comedy grounded in classic Broadway sonics.

Reception & Quotes

“The score… is an impressive throwback to 1950s musicals with big brassy melodies that get stuck in your head.” — TheaterMania

“Her ‘Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)’ is a treat worth waiting for that brings down the house.” — TheaterMania (revival)

“The music is pleasant enough, the dancing at times exciting… and there are some wondrous moments in it.” — New York Theater

Technical Info

• Title: Elf — The Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• Year: Stage premiere 2010 (Broadway); OBCR released November 1, 2011
• Type: Cast album (stage musical soundtrack)
• Composers/Lyricists: Matthew Sklar (music); Chad Beguelin (lyrics)
• Book: Bob Martin & Thomas Meehan (based on David Berenbaum’s screenplay)
• Orchestrations: Doug Besterman
• Dance Arrangements: David Chase
• Original Musical Direction/Vocal Arrangements: Phil Reno (2010 Broadway)
• Recent Music Supervision: Alan Williams (revival credits); Musical Direction: Nate Patten (revival)
• Album Producers/Studio: David Lai & Matthew Sklar; recorded at MSR Studios, NYC; mixed by Isaiah Abolin; mastered by Mark Wilder
• Label/Album Status: Ghostlight Records; in print and streaming
• Selected notable placements: “Sparklejollytwinklejingley” (department-store makeover); “Never Fall in Love (With an Elf)” (Jovie’s Act II solo); “There Is a Santa Claus” (window-side revelation); “A Christmas Song (Reprise)” (finale singalong)
• Availability: Widely on major platforms (plus a separate 2015 Original London Cast recording)