My Favorite Songs from Les Mis

In my mind, it's hard to be a musical fan and a Catholic and not like Les Mis. So here are my favorite songs from Les Mis. 

11) "Prologue/Look Down/Prologue: Work Song"

This one is a downer, but I like it a lot. 

10) "Paris/Look Down"

Valjean is doing philanthropy work in Paris as the poor ask the rich to look at them with compassion. Also sheds light on the political climate in France at that time and the impending revolution led by college students. 

9) "Castle on a Cloud"

Young Cosette works tirelessly for the less-than-honest Thernadiers. And she sings about a castle on a cloud as an escape from her tough situation in life. 

8) "A Heart Full of Love-Reprise"

This is after the revolution. Marius recovers from his injuries sustained during the battle with help and encouragement from Cosette.

7) "ABC Cafe/Red & Black"

Talk about a difference in focus! Poor Marius. His loneliness and new found love being dismissed as unimportant. 

6) "Bring Him Home"

This is Valjean's heartfelt prayer to God for Marius's protection. 

5) "Valjean's Soliloquy"/"Prologue: What Have I Done?"

This had to be in the top five. It's Valjean's conversion.

4) "Do You Hear The People Sing?"

This is such an empowering song. 

3) "Epilogue"/"Finale"

This one is a tearjerker for me, particularly on the line, "Lord in Heaven, look down on him in mercy." Plus, it has a triumphant and hopeful reprise of "Do You Hear The People Sing?" And that makes me cry, too.  I like that in the movie, the spirit of the Bishop of Digne appears instead of Eponine. I have nothing against Eponine, but the Bishop was clearly a Godly man and it was so nice to see him again at the end. 

2) "The Bishop"/"Prologue: Valjean Arrested/Valjean Forgiven"

How could this not be in the top three? The Bishop is such a Godly man. He took Valjean in when no one else would due to his parole status. And it's a human expression of God's boundless mercy in secular art. 

1) "One Day More"

For an ensemble piece, this is amazing.