A Definitive Guide to the Back to the Future the Musical Songs
Posted on 22 July 2024
Great Scott! Get ready for 1.21 gigawatts of charged-up musical theatre power, as Back to the Future the Musical electrifies audiences at the Adelphi Theatre. Based on the 1985 film of the same name, Back to the Future: The Musical sees Marty McFly, a heartfelt, hapless teenager who goes back to 1955 with a mad scientist. Can the pair return to reality and discover what it means to be a good person?
Back to the Future the Musical is jam-packed with all the rocking hits from the film, plus an original score that’ll knock your socks off. This musical is for the dreamers, so read on for more.
The most famous Back to the Future the Musical songs
Songs? Where you’re going, you’ll want to know all about the Back to the Future songs. The Back to the Future the Musical includes all the chart-topping film hits, such as 'The Power of Love', 'Earth Angel', and 'Johnny B. Goode'. Plus, there are dozens of original songs by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. Once you’ve read the article, discover the original London cast, including Roger Bart, perform the Back to the Future the Musical numbers.
Back to the Future the Musical Act One songs
It's Only a Matter of Time
Welcome to Hill Valley, California. In this 1980s small-town suburb, everyone’s living happily ever after. Listen closely to the lyrics, and you’ll pick up on references about turbo boosters and what the future could hold.
Got No Future
Poor Marty McFly. He’s trying hard to be himself and he wants to perform at his high school talent show. After a few rocking guitar licks, Principal Strickland doesn’t think it’s a good idea. What he doesn’t know - but you’ll realise when you hear Got No Future - is that 'Got No Future' bears an uncanny resemblance to 'The Power of Love', later performed by Marty McFly and the Pinheads.
Wherever We're Going
Marty’s a typical teenager. He’s head-over-heels for his high school friend, Jennifer Parker. In 'Wherever We’re Going', these loved-up teens promise to be by each other’s side… Unfortunately for Marty, it’s not for long.
Hello – Is Anybody Home?
When you meet Marty’s dad, you’ll get an immediate insight into the McFly’s family dynamics. George McFly is often taunted by Biff Tannen; he’s bigger, stronger, and has George wound around his little finger. Marty wants George to be a confident man, instead of shying away. So by asking if anybody is home, Marty wonders if anyone will actually do anything beyond their town.
It Works
Welcome Doc Brown! In this part of the show, Doc and Marty meet in 1985 and the time-travelling plans are revealed. The flux capacitor works, the plutonium is there, and the DeLorean is kitted out. Now, all that’s left to do is select a date and drive there. And because Back to the Future is now a musical, cue the bevvy of dancing women to accompany Doc Brown. It works!
Cake
Audiences - and Marty McFly - crash into 1950s Hill Valley in style. Although Marty’s travelled 30 years back in time to 21st October 1955, he recognises a fair bit around him. During the song, the Hill Valley residents view him as a newcomer. But he’s not a stranger. They’re the strangers to him!
Gotta Start Somewhere
As Marty steps inside the Hill Valley diner, he meets a younger Mayor Goldie Wilson. But in 1955, Goldie isn’t a mayor, he’s a busboy. Goldie and Marty chat about their hopes, leading Goldie to burst into a gospel-fused number about achieving everything you set your mind to.
My Myopia
It’s not just the Hill Valley residents that Marty’s meeting for the first time (again). It’s his parents. Yes, Marty McFly goes back in time to a world where he wasn’t born but must watch how his parents fell in love. Weird!
In 'My Myopia', Marty's father, George, sings about his feelings for Lorraine, and how he wishes they could be together.
Pretty Baby
We know all about George’s feelings for Lorraine. And in 'Pretty Baby', Marty hears the reciprocated feelings from his mother-to-be, in his mother’s childhood bedroom. Add a new nickname (Calvin Klein, based on his underwear) to the mix, and the result is pretty surreal.
Future Boy
A short while after time-travelling, Marty’s slowly getting used to his surroundings. But he’d like to return to the real world, and fast. When Marty heads over to Doc Brown, Marty confides with the scientist that he’s scared he’ll never live a normal life. 'Future Boy' is all about reshaping your past and future, and how they’ll generate 1.21 gigawatts of energy.
Something About That Boy
Lorraine can’t believe her luck. She had a boy in her bedroom and he was attractive! It’s a pity then for Lorraine that this boy is a younger Marty McFly, a kid that’d turn out to be her son. At the same time, school bully Biff Tannen shares his feelings for Marty and George. 'Something About That Boy' is really about all the boys, depending on who you’re rooting for.
Back to the Future the Musical Act Two songs
21st Century
The Hill Valley residents in Back to the Future can only envision what the 21st century will look like. To them, it’d be full of flying cars, nonstop connections, and the ability to teleport. Listen to Doc Brown’s ideas of the 2000s and beyond in '21st Century', complete with a thumping techno undertone reminiscent of European nightclubs.
Put Your Mind to It
George McFly’s a good guy. All he needs is a little confidence. And that comes in the form of Marty McFly - yes, George’s son from the future is giving him advice on dating his mum (this musical is a little strange!) There’s one simple message in this song. George, 'You can do anything if you put your mind to it'.
For the Dreamers
Doc Brown may be a mad scientist, but he's not always crazy. He’s just a big dreamer who wants to change the world. A heartfelt ballad, join Doc as he reflects on his past and what’s happened in his life.
Teach Him a Lesson
As Back to the Future jumps three decades, it’s apparent that younger characters keep the same personality traits as they age. This applies to Biff Tannen. Marty’s seen Biff bully his dad, and now he’s in the eye of the storm. Before the prom, Biff and his friends scheme an evil idea to get rid of Marty so that Biff and Lorraine can dance together.
Deep Divin'
Back to the Future the Musical is a high school story, so of course, there’s a high school prom to go with it. Dive into an enchantment under the sea in 'Deep Divin’'.
Earth Angel
The Penguins’ 1954 doo-wop song 'Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)' features in the Enchantment Under the Sea prom at Hill Valley High School. It sets the prom scene up with a relaxing tone, but everything changes when Marty McFly rocks up to the event and takes to the mic.
Johnny B. Goode
When Marty McFly takes the microphone from Principal Strickland, he’s about to introduce these 1950s teenagers to a new world of music. Marty performs 'Johnny B. Goode' - the Chuck Berry hit that’ll be released in 1958, three years away. But for these California girls and boys, it’s a mysterious head-bopping jiving song and they’ve never heard anything like it. Once Marty’s performed at the prom, he needs to get out quickly. Marty must make sure his parents fall in love so that he can enter the real world again.
The Clocktower
Marty and Doc have to get back to 1985 somehow! They’ve got everything worked out to a tee - 10.04pm on November 12, 1955, at the courthouse clockface is the moment. But can they do it?
Although 'The Clocktower' is an instrumental section, it underplays the tension during the pair’s struggle to return to 1985. We won’t spoil too much about 'The Clocktower' here, you’ll have to book Back to the Future the Musical London tickets to find out more.
The Power of Love
Thankfully for Marty McFly and co, they don’t need any money to ride this train. They just need 'The Power of Love'. Huey Lewis and the News’s song became a runaway success from the original 1985 film, so we don’t blame any audience members who get on their feet for this celebratory ending.
Doc Returns
"Where we're going, we don't need roads," says Doc Brown in this Back to the Future: The Musical song. Now they’ve mastered the art of time travel, watch Marty and Doc in the DeLorean as they go wherever they want. But most importantly, will the car fly?
Back in Time
This unexpected decade-jumping, science-loving pair were made for each other. And now they’ve gone 'Back in Time' to the present, Doc Brown’s ready to go again. Hill Valley will never be the same, but their knowledge and abilities will shape the town forever.
Did Back to the Future win any awards?
Back to the Future the Musical received seven Olivier Award nominations, winning Best New Musical. In the original film, 'The Power of Love' received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song, but eventually lost out to Lionel Richie's 'Say You, Say Me.'
Who stars in Back to the Future the Musical in London?
The London cast of Back to the Future regularly changes, with alumni including Ben Joyce and Olly Dobson as Marty McFly, Amber Davies as Lorraine Baines, and Jay Perry and Cedric Neal as Goldie Wilson.
Is the Back to the Future the Musical worth seeing?
If you’re a fan of sci-fi movies, or you need a good musical theatre night out, then Back to the Future is a must. Sit back and discover the power of love and time travel, with upbeat toe-tapping songs and a special effects spectacular. It must be seen to be believed!
