The Full Lyrics to the 2025 Tony Awards Opening Number 'Sometimes All You Need Is a Song'

Last night, the 78th Annual Tony Awards kicked off with a show-stopping number led by host Cynthia Erivo. Later joined by the Broadway Inspirational Voices (and a few Broadway favorites in the audience), "Sometimes All You Need Is a Song" was packed with references from this season and the greater Broadway community at large. Take a look at the full lyrics below, and see how many Easter Eggs you can find!

The number was written by Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Benj Pasek, and Justin Paul, and orchestrated by Joseph Joubert. The Tony-winning composing teams previously collaborated on Only Murders in the Building, for which they earned an Emmy Award last year.

The song features the Broadway Inspirational Voices, featuring Jourbert on piano. BIV Director Allen René Louis conducted the choir. 

The 2025 Tony Awards, hosted by Cynthia Erivo, are now available to stream on Paramount+. Watch them here. Winners included Maybe Happy Ending, Sunset Blvd., Buena Vista Social Club, Purpose, Kara Young, and more. Check out the full list of winners here.

Photo credit: Michele Crowe/CBS ©2025 CBS Broadcasting

"Sometimes All You Need Is a Song"

Some folks land all the punchlines
And barely break a sweat.
While others can do patter
As they double pirouette.

Whether comedy or kickline,
If you're doing you,
you can't go wrong.
And sometimes all you need...
Sometimes all you need is a song.

Some moments call for grandeur
As mighty trumpets blare.
Some moments call for slight of hand
Well, I can't help you there.

And sometimes it's confetti,
from cannons firing steady all night long.
And sometimes all you need
Sometimes all you need is a song.

Now, we love a big production
The sets that touch the sky
While other times, it's true that less is more.
Well, about that big production,
If you really want to fly,
It's our stories and our songs that let us soar.

So I took in all the voices
That told me what to do.
And I looked through all the choices,
And I found one thing is true:
It's really very simple,
It's the thing that makes you sing that makes you strong.
And sometimes all you need
Sometimes all you need is a song.

[Broadway Inspirational Voices enters]

Sometimes all you need is a song.
It's all you need. (It's all you need.)
Sometimes all you need is a song.
It's all you need.

And sometimes all you need
Is a first-time nominee
Or when Audra glows as Mama Rose
And we all sing out, Louise (Sing out, Louise!)

Sometimes all you need
Is a Purpose to attend.
Or a story of robotic love.
And its maybe happy end.

Sometimes all you need
Is to belt as blood drips down.
And as Smash pops off, well, here comes Groff
Cuz, Johnny's back in town.

Sometimes all you need
Is all this talent on display.
Gimme Odenkirk, or watch Cole work
At Oh, Mary's cabaret.

Or dead divas that literally slay
Or Dead Outlaws that slowly decay
Clooney, Kieren, Downey, Denzel
Half of Hollywood's in a play!

While the Cuban rhythms sway. (Boop!)
There's a Mincemeat matinee. (See Boop!)
Shiv Roy is Dorian Gray
And it's all on Broadway

So when the world is looking gloomy,
Well, let that curtain rise.
Cause the antidote is to find your note as we all harmonize.

We're here and holding space
Cause Broadway is the place we all belong.
And sometimes all you need,
Sometimes all you need,
sometimes all you need,
It's a song (it's all you need)

Sometimes all you need is a song
It's all you need.
Sometimes all you need is a song
It's all you need.
Sometimes all you need is a song
It's all you need.
Sometimes all you need is a song
It's all you need.
Sometimes all you need is a song
It's all you need.
Sometimes all you need is a song
It's all you need.

Sometimes, sometimes
Sometimes, sometimes
Sometimes all you need is a song.

Watch the full performance below.