5 essential William Finn songs to remember the late ‘Falsettos’ composer

William Finn didn't compose songs—he composed emotional blueprints. With the recent passing of this renowned composer, it's only fitting to wonder: Which songs best reflect his spirit? From quiet ballads to frenzied ensemble pieces, these five must-listen tracks remind us of the complexity, vulnerability, and wit that Finn brought to musical theatre.

Whether you originally encountered Finn via Falsettos or came across A New Brain while digging into off-Broadway treasures, there's no question his music bore a certain fingerprint. These tunes weren't composed—They were lived. They addressed identity, disease, love, and dysfunction without hesitation. So if you want to know why William Finn was important—or just remember the genius he left behind—these five songs are the ones that must never be forgotten.

Here are 5 essential William Finn songs to remember the late ‘Falsettos’ composer

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1. "What Would I Do?" – Falsettos

This chilling duet brings Falsettos to a raw conclusion. Sung by Marvin and Whizzer, it's a devastating cry for what is lost, asking how life can ever move forward when love is gone. The music is plain, the lyrics bare.

No stagecraft here. Just sorrow, in all its starkness. It's one of William Finn's least showy, most devastating works and serves as an enduring testament to how he could reduce heartbreak to one line.

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2. "I Have Found" – A New Brain

If you need to know William Finn's link between life, death, and art, this song is a must. A New Brain—composed while Finn was recovering from a near-lethal brain ailment—is in autobiographical voice. "I Have Found" is delivered with brazen composure, an affirmation of lucidity and resolve.

It isn't a victor's anthem in any conventional sense—it's more like acknowledgment, the kind that only follows survival. It is an expression of Finn's singular talent for wedging philosophical introspection into lyrical sensibility.

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3. "My Father's a Homo" – Falsettos

This work may shock with its title, but its genius comes in the cutting, unflinching voice of a child describing grown-up mayhem. Marvin's son, Jason, attempts to rationalize the coming out of his father, and the comedy of the song is sabotaged by pain and confusion.

It's a perfect illustration of Finn's ability to craft songs that sound entertaining on the surface but contain emotional depth. This song captures the emotional complexity Finn never hesitated to express.

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4. "Heart and Music" – A New Brain

In a sense, this is Finn's thesis statement. It begins with A New Brain and is repeated throughout the show, holding the whole thing together. By repeating the words "Heart and music make a song," Finn gets out what he thinks makes us move on.

It's not a difficult lyric, but it's honest. This is the piece that underscores how Finn discovered purpose in art even at his lowest points.

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5. "Unlikely Lovers" – Falsettos

This quartet—sung by Marvin, Whizzer, and the "next-door lesbians," Charlotte and Cordelia—is a work of art in juxtaposition. As Whizzer's condition worsens, the four actors develop a tenuous yet potent support system.

The song muses on chosen family, caregiving, and acceptance, all via Finn's inimitable style of harmonized pain and pleasure. It's not an anthem, it's not a ballad—it's something all its own, and that's precisely what makes it indelible.

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William Finn's writing never demanded perfection. It demanded honesty. These five songs are not merely songs—they're blueprints of emotion, penned in his voice and style. In recalling these, we recall him—raw, emotional, and wholly original.

Also read: Who was William Finn? Tony-winning composer of Falsettos dies at 73