Welcome To The 60's Lyrics – Hairspray

Song Overview

Welcome to the 60's is the makeover-and-liberation showstopper of Hairspray. Tracy coaxes her agoraphobic mom, Edna, into the neon now, with The Dynamites stepping down like a Supremes-style chorus to seal the deal. The film version - led by John Travolta and Nikki Blonsky - appears on the 2007 soundtrack and in WaterTower’s official uploads.

Review and Highlights

Musically it’s Motown sunshine: tambourine tick, handclap lift, and a horn line that struts without hurrying. Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman write Edna’s awakening as a street parade - optimism with hairspray on it - while The Dynamites answer like a shop-window gospel trio. The movie leans into that 60s girl-group shimmer, giving the number a billboard-come-to-life visual gag.

Creation History

The song debuted in the 2002 Broadway score, then traveled to the 2007 film where Travolta and Blonsky share the lead, and The Dynamites are portrayed by Arike Rice, Tanee McCall, and Nadine Ellis. The soundtrack arrived in July 2007 on New Line, later showing up across WaterTower’s digital catalog.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Plot

Tracy convinces Edna to step outside, seize a new look at Mr. Pinky’s Hefty Hideaway, and say yes to the changing city. It’s a pep talk that becomes a sidewalk celebration - not subtle, but sincerely joyous - capped by a department-store star entrance.

Song Meaning

It’s about permission - and how love can grant it. The track reframes “different” as stylish and visible, not hidden. The Dynamites’ call-and-response turns one woman’s fear into a community upgrade. The punchline isn’t weight loss or passing - it’s visibility.

Annotations

“Tracy, I haven’t left this house in, in years”

The text signals Edna’s long freeze. You can read it as agoraphobia or a defense built from shame - either way, the number aims to loosen the bolt.

“Everybody’s groovin’ to a brand new sound”

Tracy’s thesis: 1962 is cracking open. The song ties cultural change to a beat you can move to.

“I haven’t left this house since 1951”

Time stamp that deepens the laugh and the hurt - a dozen years lost to the mirror.

“The Dynamites”

The billboard trio doubles as a Supremes send-up and a conscience. On film they’re embodied by Arike Rice, Tanee McCall, and Nadine Ellis.

“There’s my shining star... I’m Mr. Pinky”

Jerry Stiller’s cameo as Mr. Pinky nods back to the 1988 movie, where he played Wilbur Turnblad.

“Tell Lollabrigida to step aside”

Lampshading Edna’s new glam by invoking Gina Lollobrigida - a period-accurate glamour icon - is the joke and the victory lap.

Style and rhythm

Motown-tinted pop with Broadway chassis: bright horns, pocketed backbeat, stacked harmonies. The hook lands on repeated welcomes - an invitation sung until it sticks.

Cultural notes

The number telegraphs the show’s core idea - dignity can be loud, joyful, and public. It also centers a mother-daughter alliance, not a makeover for male approval.

Key Facts

• Artists: John Travolta, Nikki Blonsky, with The Dynamites
• Composer: Marc Shaiman
• Lyricists: Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman
• Album: Hairspray (Soundtrack to the Motion Picture) - 2007 release via New Line; later digital under WaterTower
• The Dynamites - film cast: Arike Rice, Tanee McCall, Nadine Ellis
• Mr. Pinky in the film: Jerry Stiller
• YouTube official audio ID: PGhgV9zop3g (official soundtrack post)

Questions and Answers

Who wrote “Welcome to the 60’s”?

Music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.

Who performs it in the 2007 film?

John Travolta as Edna and Nikki Blonsky as Tracy, with The Dynamites - Arike Rice, Tanee McCall, and Nadine Ellis.

Where can I hear the official version online?

WaterTower’s official “Provided to YouTube” and soundtrack posts carry the track.

Who plays Mr. Pinky in the 2007 film?

Jerry Stiller - a nod to his Wilbur Turnblad role in the 1988 movie.

Is this number in the stage show too?

Yes. It premiered in the 2002 Broadway production before being adapted for film.

Awards and Chart Positions

Soundtrack milestones: The 2007 album placed in the Billboard 200 top 10 for multiple weeks and earned RIAA Gold then Platinum certifications, buoyed by the film’s success - this track included.

How to Sing Welcome to the 60's

Range & placement: Tracy sits in bright mezzo mix; Edna lives lower, with warm chest and friendly vibrato. The Dynamites should blend tight, with lead-like presence when they step forward.

Groove: Keep the pocket relaxed. Tambourine and claps ride high - don’t rush the pickups into “welcome.”

Acting beats: Play permission. Tracy invites, Edna resists, The Dynamites affirm. When Edna emerges from the dressing room, shift from coax to coronation.

Additional Info

The Dynamites function as a visual pun - a mock Supremes trio who literally descend from advertising to reality - underscoring the number’s theme: step into visibility and the world will meet you halfway.