▶ Song: “What I Did For Love” (Orig. Cast Recording) — Musical A Chorus Line. The Music of Marvin Hamlisch

SONG: “What I Did For Love.” MUSICAL: A Chorus Line. The Music of Marvin Hamlisch. (1975, Broadway, Original Cast Recording)

Song: What I Did For Love. Musical: A CHORUS LINE. (Original Cast Recording) — The Music of Marvin Hamlisch

The human struggle behind the songs:

Every kid who ever came to New York to work in and around the theater, or anybody who dances for a living in that milieu, will immediately connect with the stories of the characters of A Chorus Line, and upon listening to them will say, “That’s me.” Which may explain why this is such an emotional show for so many people.

What emerged from the workshops at the New York Public Theater, was a show with no stars, no set, and almost no plot. This struck people as daring in 1975; given what’s been on the Broadway stage in the intervening two decades, “astounding” seems more like it.
A Chorus Line, 1975

Listen: “What I Did For Love” — Musical A Chorus Line. Broadway Original Cast Recording:

What I Did For Love. Musical: A Chorus Line.

“Kiss the day goodbye, the sweetness and the sorrow; we did what we had to do, and I can’t regret what I did for love, what I did for love. Look, my eyes are dry; the dream was ours to borrow. It’s as if we always knew. But I won’t forget what I did for love, what I did for love. Gone, love is never gone, as we travel on, love’s what we’ll remember. Kiss today goodbye, and point me toward tomorrow; wish me luck, the same to you. Won’t regret, can’t forget what I did for love. What I did for love.”
Lyrics: Edward Kleban

“The concept of the show was truly original: a show with no real set, no costumes to speak of, no star and no narrative had never been seen on Broadway before.”

SOUNDTRACK: MUSICAL A CHORUS LINE (1975)

Track 1: I hope I get it
Track 2: I can do that
Track 3: at the ballet
Track 4: sing!
Track 5: hello twelve, hello thirteen, hello love
Track 6: nothing
Track 7: the music and the mirror
Track 8: dance ten, looks three
Track 9: one
Track 10: what I did for love
Track 11: one (reprise) finale