How the Grinch Stole Christmas Lyrics – All Songs from the Musical

"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording)" – Album Guide to Tracks and Key Scenes

The musical has been performed both on stage and in cinemas. The plot of the show is based on the children's fairy tale written by Dr. Seuss. The first display of the musical on a stage took place in 1998 in San Diego. Besides, the audience saw the show on Broadway and during the American tour in 2008. In 2010, one more North American tour took place. Since then, it has become a tradition, and the actors go on tour around the country every autumn. In 2000, the movie of the same name was made by Universal Pictures with Jim Carrey in a leading role. The world premiere took place on November 8.

Review

How do you write music for a character who hates joy… without secretly giving him the best melodies? That’s the sly trick of How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Musical: it sells you warm Who-ville sparkle, then lets the Grinch hijack the whole soundscape with snide rhythm, tight rhymes, and showbiz swagger.

This World Premiere Cast Recording (released by Masterworks Broadway in 2013) plays like a brisk holiday storybook that keeps flipping itself forward. Max narrates, the Whos sing like a town that runs on tinsel fumes, and the Grinch answers with a villain’s inner monologue you can tap-dance to. The score isn’t trying to be a “big new Christmas canon” the way some stage adaptations do. It’s more like a curated mix: classic DNA from the 1966 TV special’s songbook colliding with newer stage numbers designed to give the Grinch more psychology, more pace, more punch.

Genre-wise, the album moves in clear phases. Who-ville leans into bright, choral “community carol” energy — music that says belonging, routine, tradition. The Grinch numbers tilt vaudeville and character-comedy — music that says ego, isolation, and control. Then the story pivots into a montage-like stealth section (short cues, quick orchestral swipes), before it resolves in reprise-driven catharsis where earlier themes return softened, slower, and finally… kind of sincere. Yes, even for him.

How It Was Made

The stage musical grows out of the animated classic’s musical spine while widening the plot into a full theatrical arc. Licensing materials credit Timothy Mason (book and lyrics) and Mel Marvin (music), with additional music and lyrics credited to Albert Hague and Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel — a neat way of acknowledging that the show’s “new” songs sit alongside the famous 1966-era staples.

A key historical tweak: the production added songs in 2007, including “This Time of Year,” “It’s the Thought That Counts,” and “Fah Who Foraze,” plus dance expansions (notably for “Whatchamawho”). Those changes matter on the album because they create a stronger emotional bridge between the narrator (Old Max), the younger Max, and the Grinch’s eventual pivot from mockery to vulnerability.

On this recording, you can hear the cast-recording logic at work: a tight, story-forward sequence, quick transitions, and a conductor-led pit-orchestra sound that keeps the comedic patter crisp. Retail credits and reviews also spotlight Joshua Rosenblum as conductor and music director for the album, with featured vocals including John Cullum (Old Max) and Patrick Page (the Grinch).

Tracks & Scenes

Note: This section describes where songs land in the stage story (and common touring/televised staging). Timing is given as broad placement (early/mid/late) rather than frame-accurate timestamps, because productions vary by edit and runtime.

“Overture” (Orchestra)

Where it plays:

Right at the top (opening minutes). The orchestra sketches Who-ville’s bouncy curves and candy-cane momentum as Max sets the storytelling frame. Non-diegetic — it’s the curtain-raiser that says, “We’re in a Seuss book now.”

Why it matters:

It establishes the show’s sonic contract: bright surfaces, quick wit, and a hint of mischief underneath.

“Fah Who Foraze” (Ensemble/Whos)

Where it plays:

Early, as Who-ville’s holiday machine revs up. It plays like a public ritual — rows of Whos in coordinated cheer, singing nonsense-syllable carol language with total conviction. Diegetic-as-musical (they’re “performing” the season).

Why it matters:

It’s Who-ville’s worldview in one blast: community first, skepticism never.

“Who Likes Christmas?” (Company)

Where it plays:

Still early (first act setup). The town answers the question like it’s absurd to even ask, and the staging usually becomes a parade of decorations, lists, and friendly chaos. Mostly non-diegetic, but emotionally “real” inside the story world.

Why it matters:

This is the baseline the Grinch will later attack. The louder the joy, the sharper his silence.

“This Time of Year” (Old Max & Young Max)

Where it plays:

Early-to-mid, as narration turns personal. Old Max and Young Max share the memory of Christmas before the Grinch’s plan takes over the plot. It often plays with a gentle visual split (past/present) in staging.

Why it matters:

It gives the show an emotional spine: this story isn’t just “Grinch vs. Whos.” It’s about what gets remembered.

“I Hate Christmas Eve” (The Grinch)

Where it plays:

Mid-setup, once the Grinch is fully introduced as the anti-carol. He’s watching Who-ville from a solitary distance and firing off complaints like punchlines. Diegetic-as-musical, but staged like a private rant.

Why it matters:

It’s his manifesto: noise equals threat, togetherness equals hypocrisy. (He’s wrong… but he’s rhythmically persuasive.)

“Whatchamawho” (The Grinch & Little Whos)

Where it plays:

Mid-act, when the Grinch tangles directly with Who-ville’s social gravity. The “little Whos” energy usually turns the scene into a chaotic, physical comedy number — him trying to stay severe while the town keeps poking him into participation.

Why it matters:

It’s the first crack in his armor: engagement. Even irritation is contact.

“Welcome, Christmas” (Company)

Where it plays:

Mid-to-late first half, as the town gathers in a ceremonial carol moment (often staged as a communal circle, hands and harmony). It’s the song that feels closest to “classic Grinch” heritage, sung with earnest choral warmth.

Why it matters:

This is the moral center before the theft: the Whos aren’t singing to show off. They’re singing to stay connected.

“It’s the Thought That Counts” (Company)

Where it plays:

Typically late first half, as Who-ville articulates its holiday philosophy in a big ensemble statement. It often reads like a public-service announcement with jazz hands — and I mean that lovingly.

Why it matters:

It sets up the story’s punchline: the Grinch can steal objects, but not the meaning.

“One of a Kind” (The Grinch)

Where it plays:

Mid-to-late, after the Grinch has decided his identity is the point. Staging usually turns him into a vaudeville tyrant: spotlight, swagger, theatrical self-congratulation. Non-diegetic in style, but psychologically diegetic.

Why it matters:

It’s the show’s thesis about him: loneliness dressed up as superiority.

“Down the Mountain” (Orchestra)

Where it plays:

Late, during the action pivot into the theft. It’s a quick instrumental cue (a short, slippery drop) that usually underscores movement: sleigh, sneaking, descent toward Who-ville.

Why it matters:

It’s the show’s heist gear-shift: jokes tighten, pacing accelerates.

“Now’s the Time” (Whos)

Where it plays:

Late, in the thick of Who-ville preparation. The staging often becomes busy, domestic, and comedic — a town organizing itself into celebration, not realizing what’s about to happen.

Why it matters:

It’s dramatic irony as music: the Whos build the party; the Grinch sharpens the scissors.

“You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” (Old Max, Young Max & The Grinch)

Where it plays:

Late, as the Grinch’s reputation is sung into the air like a roast with holiday rhymes. Depending on staging, it can feel like narration turning into a live number with the Grinch physically “answering” the insults through movement and facial reactions.

Why it matters:

It’s the iconic label. The show needs this moment to connect the musical expansion to the story everyone already knows.

“Santa for a Day” (Cindy Lou & The Grinch)

Where it plays:

Late, when Cindy Lou’s hope collides with the Grinch’s disguise and plan. The scene usually plays intimate compared to the big choruses: one child’s belief, one villain’s confusion, a Santa suit that suddenly feels heavier than expected.

Why it matters:

This is the emotional lever. Cindy Lou doesn’t argue him into goodness; she treats him like a person.

“Stealing Christmas” (Company)

Where it plays:

Near the end, as the heist becomes a full montage: ornaments vanish, stockings disappear, the sleigh fills like a visual punchline. It’s usually staged fast, with physical comedy and tight orchestral punctuation.

Why it matters:

It’s the “victory” that’s designed to feel hollow. He gets what he wanted and still can’t relax.

“Welcome, Christmas (Reprise)” (Company)

Where it plays:

Endgame, after the theft, when the Whos sing anyway. Staging often simplifies here: fewer props, more faces, more breath. The song lands like a candle in a dark room.

Why it matters:

This is the turn. It’s not the Grinch changing the town; it’s the town changing him.

“Finale” / “Bows” (Company)

Where it plays:

Final minutes, then curtain call. The finale wraps the moral into a clean holiday ribbon, and the bows let the cast break character and hand the audience a last dose of sparkle.

Why it matters:

The story ends with community, not conquest. Even the applause becomes part of the “Welcome Christmas” feeling.

“Once in a Year” (Bonus Track) (Company)

Where it plays:

Presented as a bonus-track add-on to the album rather than a fixed narrative beat for every staging. It plays like an extra Who-ville postcard: seasonal wonder, a little wistful, a little bright.

Why it matters:

Bonus tracks are mood devices. This one extends the “afterglow” once the plot is already resolved.

“Where Are You, Christmas?” (Bonus Track) (Tori Feinstein)

Where it plays:

On the recording, it’s explicitly framed as a bonus tie-in from the wider Grinch universe (originating with the live-action film’s music world). Sung clean and straight, without Seussian irony, it plays like a sincere pop-ballad moment outside the show’s main rhyme engine.

Why it matters:

It shows how elastic the Grinch brand is: you can move from patter and vaudeville into pure seasonal yearning and it still “fits.”

Related “other songs” you’ll see attached to Grinch listening: the long-form “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” audio track and “Trim Up the Tree” belong to the 1966 TV soundtrack tradition, while “Where Are You, Christmas?” comes from the 2000 film’s songwriting world. If you’re building a playlist, these are the usual bridges between versions.

Notes & Trivia

• The licensed stage version’s billing (book/lyrics by Timothy Mason; music by Mel Marvin; additional music/lyrics by Hague and Seuss) is basically a roadmap of what the show is: expansion plus heritage.
• “Whatchamawho” was specifically noted as a number that received expanded dance sections in a major revision period.
• Critics reviewing the touring stage show in 2025 still singled out “One of a Kind” as the rare new song that can spar with the classic hits.
• The cast recording spotlights a narrator framing device (Old Max / Young Max), which helps the album feel like a storybook you can listen to in order, not just a bag of holiday songs.
• That bonus-ballad move (“Where Are You, Christmas?”) is clever marketing, sure — but it also quietly underlines the theme: Christmas is a feeling you keep searching for.

Reception & Quotes

Reception splits along a familiar line: the recording tends to be appreciated for performance and polish, while the televised/live-event versions often take heavier fire for tone and pacing. Touring reviews also keep returning to the same point: the show works best when the Grinch is allowed to be sharply funny, and the Whos don’t overstay their welcome.

“A delightful scenery-chewing turn… His ‘You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch’… is awesome!” JK’s TheatreScene (CD review)

“Only ‘One of a Kind’… rises to the challenge.” Times Union (stage review, updated Dec 4, 2025)

“An otherwise middling two hours… makes the Grinch’s hatred of song and dance seem reasonable.” The Washington Post (Dec 10, 2020)

“With so many other versions… it’s hard to imagine this one making the top of anyone’s Christmas list.” The A.V. Club (Dec 10, 2020)

Availability note: the World Premiere Cast Recording is widely available on major music platforms, and official show pages have promoted retail and digital purchase options. (Release date and label details are also consistently listed as Masterworks Broadway, October 25, 2013.)

Interesting Facts

• The touring stage show has been reviewed as an 85-minute, no-intermission sprint — which explains why the album favors brisk scene-to-song propulsion.
• One revision era didn’t just add songs; it also reworked dance breaks and even costume design, treating the show like a living holiday machine.
• “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” carries decades of cultural memory, so every new staging has to decide: play it as a roast, a narration, or a confrontation.
• The album’s alternation between town choruses and Grinch solos is basically a moral argument set to melody: community vs. control.
• Bonus tracks act like canon glue: they let listeners jump from the stage show to the film universe without changing playlists.
• Even negative TV-special reviews often carve out praise for specific elements (child ensemble energy, individual performances), suggesting the material isn’t the problem so much as the format.
• When critics say the Whos “overdo” reprises, they’re reacting to a structural choice: reprises are the show’s way of hammering the theme into a bedtime-story cadence.

Technical Info

• Title: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas!: The Musical (World Premiere Cast Recording)
• Type: Cast recording / musical soundtrack album
• Release date (album): October 25, 2013
• Label: Masterworks Broadway
• Core stage crediting (licensed version): Book & lyrics by Timothy Mason; music by Mel Marvin; additional music & lyrics credited to Albert Hague and Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel
• Selected notable songs: “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “Welcome, Christmas,” “One of a Kind,” “It’s the Thought That Counts,” “This Time of Year”
• Recording credits highlighted in retail listings/reviews: Joshua Rosenblum (conductor/music direction); featured vocalists include John Cullum (Old Max) and Patrick Page (the Grinch)
• Bonus-track bridge: “Where Are You, Christmas?” is included as a bonus recording tied to the live-action film’s song world

Key Contributors

Entity	Relationship (S–V–O)
Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel	Geisel — writes — lyrics (credited across classic and stage-expanded material)
Albert Hague	Hague — composes — signature songs associated with the 1966 Grinch musical legacy
Timothy Mason	Mason — writes — book and lyrics for the licensed stage musical version
Mel Marvin	Marvin — composes — new stage songs that expand the original story into a full musical
Joshua Rosenblum	Rosenblum — leads — orchestra as conductor/music director for the cast recording
Masterworks Broadway	Masterworks Broadway — releases — the 2013 World Premiere Cast Recording
Dr. Seuss Enterprises	Dr. Seuss Enterprises — holds — rights/branding for licensed productions and official soundtrack promotion
Proctors Theatre (Schenectady)	Proctors Theatre — hosts — touring performances reviewed in 2025

Questions & Answers

Is this album the exact Broadway show?

It’s a story-forward cast recording built from the stage musical’s structure. Like most cast albums, it prioritizes narrative flow over replicating every spoken beat.

Why are there two Maxes?

The Old Max/Young Max device turns the story into a memory tale. It also gives the score a softer emotional counterweight to the Grinch’s bite.

What’s “new” here compared with the 1966 TV special songs?

The musical expands the world with additional stage numbers credited to Mel Marvin and Timothy Mason, while still leaning on legacy songs associated with Hague and Seuss.

Is “Where Are You, Christmas?” actually part of the plot?

On this album, it’s presented as a bonus track rather than a required narrative scene. Think of it as a universe tie-in, not a story checkpoint.

What’s the single best “Grinch” character song on the recording?

“One of a Kind” is often singled out because it gives the Grinch a full theatrical self-portrait — comic, vain, and a little too revealing.

Sources: grinchmusical.com (official soundtrack page), Music Theatre International (show licensing page), Playbill, Barnes & Noble (album credits listing), Shazam (release/label metadata), Times Union, The Washington Post, The A.V. Club, BroadwayWorld, Spotify/Apple Music listings.