64 of the Best Audition Songs for Basses
Are you getting ready for an important audition? Well, first you should check out our giant database of audition songs for specific musicals. But if your show hasn’t yet been covered by us, or if you’re just looking to expand your repertoire, you can go through this list of audition songs for basses.
By the way, if your vocal range lies between E2-E4, you are a bass! If your range lies between the bass and baritone vocal types (or if it extends both), you are a bass-baritone. And if you haven’t gone through the steps to find your vocal type yet, I would definitely recommend doing so!
Please note: This post contains affiliate links. This means that if you choose to make a purchase through one of the following links, we may earn a small commission on the sale at no additional cost to you. See our disclosure for more info.
First Step: Read your audition details
Please read your audition details carefully, as they sometimes specify the type of song they’d like to hear (a ballad, something uptempo, etc.). Make sure to select a song that’s appropriate for your specific casting call. Also, as you’re picking out a song, these links may be helpful:
• Backing Tracks for the Songs Below
• “Audition Songs for Basses” Spotify Playlist
Quick Tip: For easy access to each song’s sheet music, backing tracks, music, time period, and vocal type info, just follow any of the links below!
Golden Age Songs for Basses (1940-1959)
“Don’t Cry” – The Most Happy Fella
“Edelweiss” – The Sound of Music
“I Still See Elisa” – Paint Your Wagon
“I’m an Ordinary Man” – My Fair Lady
“Lonely Room” – Oklahoma!
“My Time of Day” – Guys and Dolls
“Thousands of Miles” – Lost in the Stars
“What a Waste” – Wonderful Town
Post-Golden Age Songs for Basses (1960s)
“A Wonderful Day Like Today” – The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd
“Days Gone By” – She Loves Me
“How to Handle a Woman” – Camelot
“I’ll Never Say No” – The Unsinkable Molly Brown
“Not Mine” – Hallelujah, Baby!
“Once Upon a Time” – All American
“Try to Remember” – The Fantasticks
“Why Should I Wake Up?” – Cabaret
1970s Songs for Basses
“Fallin’” – They’re Playing Our Song
“Fear No More” – The Frogs
“If I Have to Live Alone” – The Baker’s Wife
“In My Own Lifetime” – The Rothschilds
“I Wanna Make the World Laugh” – Mack & Mabel
“Pilate’s Dream” – Jesus Christ Superstar
“Pure Imagination” – Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
“She Is a Diamond” – Evita
1980s Songs for Basses
“Father to Son” – Falsettos
“Funny” – City of Angels
“I Am What I Am” – La Cage aux Folles
“It Wasn’t Meant to Happen” – Marry Me a Little
“Marry Me” – The Rink
“See You in the Funny Papers” – Woman of the Year
“Song on the Sand” – La Cage aux Folles
“There’s Always One You Can’t Forget” – Dance a Little Closer
1990s Songs for Basses
“Farewell, Good Angel” – Jane Eyre
“Heaven Help Me” – Footloose
“How Long Must This Go On?” – Beauty and the Beast
“If the World Were Like the Movies” – My Favorite Year
“Lost in the Darkness” – Jekyll & Hyde
“The Greatest Star of All” – Sunset Boulevard
“They Live in You” – The Lion King
“Where’s the Girl?” – The Scarlet Pimpernel
2000s Songs for Basses
“Coffee Shop Nights” – Curtains
“It’s In Your Hands Now” – Roadshow
“Love Sneaks In” – Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
“Love Who You Love” – A Man of No Importance
“Mrs. Remington” – The Story of My Life
“The Life That You Wished For” – Chaplin
“Welcome to the World” – A Man of No Importance
“Who’s the Man” – The Witches of Eastwick
2010s Songs for Basses
“Everything About You” – Groundhog Day
“Out of the Sun” – Honeymoon in Vegas
“Temporarily Lost” – The Bridges of Madison County
“The Great Comet of 1812” – The Great Comet
“The Man Inside the Clues” – Catch Me If You Can
“This Is Not An Exit” – American Psycho
“We Look to You” – The Prom
“What Would You Do?” – If/Then
Character/Comedic Audition Songs for Basses
“Be Prepared” – The Lion King
“Hephaestus” – Dear Edwina
“If I Were a Rich Man” – Fiddler on the Roof
“I Wanna Be a Producer” – The Producers
“My Name” – Oliver!
“Please Send Me Someone” – Young Frankenstein
“Reindeers are Better Than People” – Frozen
“Suppertime” – Little Shop of Horrors
By the way… If you like this post, you might also like:
Know of any other great audition songs for basses?
And what role are you auditioning for next? We would love to hear all about your own favorite musical theatre songs for basses in the comments below! In the meantime, you can check out our database of best audition songs for other musicals.
Author: Stacy Karyn
Stacy Karyn is the founder of Theatre Trip, author of The Thespian’s Bucket List, and creator of The Cast Album List. She holds a BA in theatre, a TESOL drama certificate, and has worked and interned with Broadway and Off-Broadway theaters.