We Can Do It Lyrics – Producers

Song Overview

Song Credits

• Artist: Mel Brooks
• Featured Performers: Matthew Broderick & Nathan Lane
• Album: The Producers – Original Broadway Cast Recording
• Track #: 4
• Writer & Composer: Mel Brooks
• Producers: Lynn Landis, Rhoda Mayerson, Frederic H. Mayerson
• Orchestration: Doug Besterman
• Release Date: March 26, 2001
• Genre: Broadway show tune / comic pop pastiche
• Mood: Scheming, exuberant, cheekily inspirational
• Language: English
• Label: Sony Classical (U.S. release)
• Copyright © 2001 Mel Brooks, Sony Music Entertainment

Song Meaning and Annotations

The tune lands like a pep talk delivered over a deli counter: brisk, buttery, and slightly absurd. In the story, veteran producer Max Bialystock twists timid accountant Leo Bloom into bank-rolling the “sure-fire flop” scheme at the heart of The Producers. That frantic 2/4 oom-pah beat flicks its bowler hat, promising champagne dreams while the clarinets giggle behind the brass. Think Tin Pan Alley on double espresso.

The emotional arc is a tug-of-war. Max belts out ra-ra promises—Rio, pearls, and buckets of cash—while Leo shrinks in terror, convinced he’ll end up in handcuffs. Musically, brass crescendos mirror Max’s sales pitch; woodwinds scurry with Leo’s panic. Historical wink: Brooks channels the gee-whiz optimism of wartime factory posters—“We Can Do It!”—but flips it into comedic larceny. It’s the American dream… with a forged signature.

“What did Lewis say to Clark… We can do it!”

A ludicrous comparison, yet it sells the con. By invoking explorers and revolutionaries, Max weaponizes heroic myth to justify petty grift—classic Brooks satire.

Verse 1 & Spoken Set-up

Max’s bullet-point “Step One! Step Two!” reads like an office whiteboard skit. The scansion is snappy, driving the joke that fraud can be project-managed.

Chorus

“We can do it, we can do it, we can make our dreams come true…”

The ascending line on “do it” mimics a sales graph, musically nudging Leo upward. Meanwhile, muted trumpets cut in like cash registers cha-ching.

Counter-Chorus (Leo’s Panic)

“I can’t do it, I’m a loser, I’m a coward…”

Notice the melodic drop: Leo’s notes tumble a minor third, underscoring dread. The orchestra softens to pizzicato strings—his heartbeat skittering.

Dual Fugue Finale

Both men sing simultaneously, comic counterpoint swirling. Max’s march fights Leo’s minor-key whimper until the number ends in glorious uncertainty—an audio shrug saying, “This will either soar or crash.”

Similar Songs

1. “I Wanna Be a Producer” – Matthew Broderick (from The Producers)
   Where “We Can Do It” pairs cajoling with cowardice, this solo is Leo’s private daydream. Both share marching snare patterns and tap-dance rhythms, but here the optimism is earnest rather than scheming. Thematically, it’s the innocent mirror image—before Max weaponizes Leo’s ambition.
2. “You’ll Be Back” – Jonathan Groff (Hamilton)
   Another comedic villain number that disguises menace in syrupy melody. King George’s faux-Beatles bounce parallels Max’s vaudeville swagger; both characters charm the audience while plotting domination—financial or colonial.
3. “Master of the House” – Alun Armstrong & Company (Les Misérables)
   Thénardier’s tavern hustle matches Max’s grifter energy. Accordion oom-pah, rowdy ensemble lines, and ironic cheer cloak decidedly dodgy deeds. Each song invites listeners to root for lovable rogues—until the bill comes due.

Questions and Answers

Why does Max compare their scam to historic expeditions?

He hijacks grand American myths to legitimize his flim-flam, making Leo feel like a patriot rather than an embezzler.

What musical tricks highlight Leo’s anxiety?

Brooks drops the key, switches to staccato strings, and halves the orchestra volume whenever Leo sings “I can’t.”

Is “We Can Do It” a duet or a battle?

Both. It’s a pep duet masquerading as verbal fencing—every encouraging line has an anxious echo.

How does the number advance the plot?

It persuades Leo (and the audience) that the impossible scheme just might fly, propelling Act I into delicious chaos.

Did Mel Brooks reuse any melodic motifs here?

Yes. The descending clarinet lick echoes the “Springtime for Hitler” vamp, slyly connecting Max’s scams across scenes.

Awards and Chart Positions

Although “We Can Do It” itself never cracked pop charts, its parent production The Producers shattered Broadway records, sweeping twelve Tony Awards in 2001—including Best Musical and Best Original Score. In cast-album sales, the recording peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Top Cast Albums list, riding the show’s tsunami of buzz.

Fan and Media Reactions

“This number is like a motivational poster designed by con men—catchy and totally crooked.” @BroadwayBuff91

“Nathan Lane could sell me a timeshare in Antarctica with that gleeful shout of ‘We can do it!’” @StageDoorSue

“I tried doing taxes while listening—ended up planning a heist instead. Thanks, Mel.” @SpreadsheetSteve

“The split-screen vocals make my earbuds argue with each other. Glorious chaos.” @CastAlbumCritic

“Twenty-plus years on, still the snappiest persuasion anthem ever written about committing fraud.” @RetroShowtunesPod

Critics echoed the love. Variety called the song “vaudeville adrenaline,” while The New Yorker likened its manic optimism to “a used-car lot throwing confetti.” Meanwhile, Brooks himself quipped in interviews, “It’s the only motivational anthem that ends in handcuffs.”