The Old Red Hills of Home

"The Old Red Hills of Home" performed by the Broadway revival cast of Parade.

[WillScarlet]

This is one of the most quietly searing (if that makes sense) opening numbers in recent musical theater history - the sound and the words are rousing and patriotic, but there is just enough dissonance and menace in the underscoring to give you some unease, and the sense that there is something brutal, something cruel lurking under that patriotism.

[carolinecao]

A lyric like "My Lilia and I swinging in a tree" is really striking. It tells you how filtered this perspective is. We know that the concept of "swinging in a tree" means something different for the Jewish Franks and Black Georgians.

[emilyle]

Love the shots of the cast being in awe of Howard McGillin, cause same lol

[jacobknight]

Omg the way they even blurred out the confederate flags for this (amazing) video of the recording!! You can tell everyone involved in this revival truly understood the importance of their work. I’m so grateful I got to see it

[morgan_c]

This song has always been one of my favorites in this show!! It’s a soaring, grand way to open a show!!

[MICHAELHUGHES-ikiq]

I saw PARADE on Broadway yesterday and when the opening number came on...GASP! I was totally blown away by Charlie Webb's singing performance...I cannot remember when the last time that an opening number overpowered me...I am still in AWE...Charlie you certainly did it with your voice and emotion!!!!

[novelsolvings]

All the other cast members in awe of Howard McGillin's singing ♥This is one of the best opening numbers on Broadway

[tjmannion]

Nowhere, nothing is as good as an exposed choral moment at the end when the orchestra drops out and it's just the voices at full peal. It's a thrilling time to be alive. I saw this show pre-Broadway at the City Center gala. It was a stunning production, and so full of everything it needed to be. I'm so happy this recording exists to document that moment. Long live the live Theatre!!

[tiffanimurphy]

I was blown away by the voices of the Young and Old Soldiers. Then when the ensemble joined in at the last minute….chills! Such pure raw emotion given in this in song! I literally have replayed the ensemble part over and over again. It’s stunning!

[MrMrMrprofessor]

This production is absolutely phenomenal. This number sent chills up my spine the whole way through, from the silhouette of the general behind the scrim, to the change between the Young and Old soldier, the realization that none of the African American characters are singing during this song...fantastic, yet incredibly haunting. Just how this song should be.

[jacobmccain]

He has a stunning voice! When I first heard the soundtrack, I swore this was Aaron Tveit singing lol. Charlie can sing his face off! Man has some soul and I love how balanced his vibrato is and the color of his sound. Also, boy can he nail some nice riffs!

[osherratzabi]

What a beautiful version! He is the youngest-sounding Young Soldier I've heard so far (and I have listened to tons of versions of this song). It's actually chilling to think that it was a child going to war..
And JRB conducting 🤩

[laurenconrad]

Stunning song, though I can't help thinking, that's an insane literal hill to die on: fighting for the right to enslave black people.

[CameronRoss-qh]

I can't watch without being moved to tears (and of course feeling very uneasy). I saw it this month on Broadway, I don't know how I made it through that evening without breaking down, but I'm so glad I did. I feel honored to have witnessed this in person.

[karinalbrecht]

Love the "of" at 2:23, the voice of Howard McGillin is so beautiful, grand to see the cast perform.

[hamlet]

This is one of the best openings to any musical ever. Just kills me.

[BaxterWaller]

this is the best opening song to a musical

[zackstark]

By far one of the most powerful opening numbers in a Broadway musical I got chills seeing this live. Absolutely incredible score and production

[rileyjohnson]

Chills every time I hear this song. I did a workshop of this show when I was younger I played Iola. I had tears in my eyes when we first sang this song for the audience. So freaking good.

[melisaez]

The Most Heartbreakingly Gorgeous Show.