An opening number is a delicate act: It needs to welcome new audiences in, have plenty of in-jokes for superfans, and show off the host's talent. So how did 2025 Tony Awards host Cynthia Erivo do? It was a particularly rousing opener, featuring a preamble inspired by the second act of the Sunset Blvd. revival (and which featured cameos by Oprah Winfrey, Larry Owens, Tim Murray, Hwaboon, and a cardboard cutout of Andrew Lloyd Webber).
Then Erivo took the stage to sing an original song by Tony Award-winning songwriters Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman, and Scott Wittman鈥攋oined by the Broadway Inspirational Voices.
Here are the lyrics, courtesy of the songwriters themselves. Watch the full number in the video above.
"SOMETIMES ALL YOU NEED IS A SONG"
(music and lyrics by Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman)
Cynthia Erivo:
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鈥檙e doin鈥� you, you can鈥檛 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 sleight of hand鈥�
Well, I can鈥檛 help you there (nails)
And sometimes it鈥檚 confetti
Shot from cannons firin鈥� steady all night long
But sometimes all you need
Sometimes all you need is a song
Now we love a big production
With sets that touch the sky
While other times it鈥檚 true that less is more
Well, above that big production
If you really wanna fly (with a wicked wink!)
It鈥檚 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鈥檚 really very simple:
It鈥檚 the thing that makes you sing
That makes you strong
And sometimes all you need
Yes, sometimes all you need鈥s鈥鈥ong!
Broadway Inspirational Voices:
Sometimes all you need is a song
It鈥檚 all you need
Sometimes all you need is a song
It鈥檚 all you need鈥�
And sometimes all you need
Is some first-time nominees
Cynthia:
Or when Audra glows
As Mama Rose
BIV:
And we all sing out, Louise
Cynthia:
Sing out louise!
BIV:
Sometimes all you need
Is a Purpose to attend
Or a story of robotic love
Cynthia:
And its maybe happy end
BIV:
Sometimes all you need
Is to belt as blood drips down
And as smash pops off,
Well, here comes Groff
Cynthia:
鈥榗ause Johnny鈥檚 back in town
BIV:
Oh, sometimes all you need
Cynthia:
Is all this talent on display
BIV:
Gimme Odenkirk
Cynthia:
Or watch Cole werk!
BIV:
At Oh, Mary鈥檚 cabaret
Or dead divas who lit鈥檙ally slay
Or dead outlaws who slowly decay
Cynthia:
Clooney, Kieran, Downey, Denzel
All:
Half of Hollywood did a play!
While the Cuban rhythms sway (Boop!)
There鈥檚 a Mincemeat matinee (see Boop!)
Cynthia:
鈥淪hiv Roy鈥� is Dorian Gray
All
You get it all on Broadway!鈥�
Cynthia:
So when the world is lookin鈥� gloomy
Well, let that curtain rise
鈥榗ause the antidote is to find your note
As we all harmonize
We鈥檙e here and holdin鈥� space
鈥楥ause Broadway is a place we all belong
Where sometimes all you need
Sometimes all you need
Yeah, sometimes all we need is a song
All:
Sometimes all you need is a song
It鈥檚 all you need
Sometimes all you need is a song
It鈥檚 all you need鈥�
Cynthia:
Sometimes all we need is a song
All:
Welcome to the 78th Annual Tony Awards!
See Erivo's opening monologue (which featured jokes by Alex Edelman) below.
