Rock-a-Doodle “Never Let Him Crow” (1991)

rockadoodle

Before I get to the song (which I do actually like), a little backstory is needed:

Once upon a time an animator named Don Bluth had a dream: a dream to create an animation company that would rival (and hopefully surpass) Disney itself. To that end, Bluth created his own animation studio and early on produced an acclaimed classic: The Secret of NIMH. More success followed with The Land Before Time, An American Tail, and An American Tail: Fievel Goes West.

With all of these well-known films, one might ask the question: if they were doing so well, why did the studio eventually go bankrupt? Well…a lot of it had to do with films like Rock-a-Doodle (1991), films that looked good as far as animation went, but were really bad in all other areas. In fact, this film did so poorly that it was the beginning of the end for the studio (their final release was The Pebble and the Penguin in 1995).

Rock-a-Doodle “Never Let Him Crow” (1991)

Therefore, if you haven’t heard of Rock-A-Doodle, I’m not surprised. Viewing the film with adult eyes, I can’t believe how flawed the story is. The film follows a young kid named Edmond (Toby Scott Granger) who loves the story of Chanticleer (Glen Campbell), a rooster who sang every morning to make the sun rise. But when the Grand Duke of Owls sabotages the rooster to make it look like the sun comes up on its own, Chanticleer leaves for the city, humiliated. Constant rain has fallen ever since, and in the real world, Edmond’s home is in danger of being flooded too. Seeing his family (out battling the flood) close to being swept away, Edmond opens his bedroom window and begins yelling for Chanticleer. Instead, Edmond somehow summons the Duke, who decides to teach Edmond a lesson by turning him into a cat (somehow in all of this Edmond was sucked into Chanticleer’s animated world, I told you the plot was full of holes). Edmond encourages the remaining farm animals to band together and find Chanticleer in the big city.

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There is one bright spot in the film and that is the casting of Christopher Plummer as the evil Duke (an Owl who plots to drive the rooster Chanticleer from the farm because if he leaves the sun won’t rise. Yes, really, that’s the basis of the plot.) How they got Plummer to do this role, I don’t know, but I’m glad he did because he absolutely rocks this part. One of my favorite moments is “Never Let Him Crow.”

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To be technically correct, “Never Let Him Crow” is not so much a song as it is a spoken monologue (from the Duke) with sung commentary from a chorus of Owls. This monologue is also accompanied by a HUGE pipe organ that is playing a slightly abbreviated rendition of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor (aka that first song from Disney’s Fantasia). The infuriated Duke is relaying the story of how, earlier in the film, he got bit in the leg by a certain “flea-bitten cur” (the dog Patou, played by Phil Harris, aka the voice of Baloo. This was his final film role) and also how he got blasted in the face with a flashlight by Edmond (the kid who gets turned into a cat by aforementioned Duke, yes really! And in this film owls have an extreme dislike of light in any form and fashion, flashlights included).

So he turns on the duke?
And with what do you suppose he turns on the duke?

What master?

A flashlight!

What a horrible thing to do!
What a horrible thing to do!
Thing to do!

But then, when my back is turned
What four legged, flea-bitten louse comes sneaking through the window
That has the nerve to bite me on the leg?

Who? Who? Who? Who? Who? Who?

Patou.

*Gasps*
Yes!

Death to Patou!!

Destroy the farm! Destroy the cat! The dog!
Or do you want the chicken back?

No! We hate the sun! The answer’s no!

And it’ll make my leg feel so much better…
If that rooster never crows! Tahahaha!

We hate the sun, that much we know
We hate the rooster, we’ll never let him crow
(Never let him crow!)
We hate the sun, from head to toe
(From head to toe!)
We hate the rooster, we’ll never let him crow
Never let him crow!

Never let him crow.

I love the back and forth between the domineering Duke and his cowed subordinates (it doesn’t matter what the Duke says, he is their leader and therefore he is always right). I will also say again how much I like Christopher Plummer’s performance; he certainly sounds like he was enjoying himself.

While I can’t recommend the film as a whole, “Never Let Him Crow” is a relatively solid moment and I hope you enjoy watching it.

The Fellowship of the Ring “Shadow of the Past” (2001)

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After Bilbo takes his leave of the Shire (leaving all Hobbiton in an uproar), Frodo finds himself the owner of Bag End and heir to almost all that Bilbo possessed, including a certain golden ring that he found once, deep in the Misty Mountains. Gandalf already has his suspicions about that ring, given that right before he gave it up, Bilbo had begun to act odd, almost violent towards his old friend.

But most alarming is what he called the ring: “My Precious,” a term that only Gollum had ever used up until now. Things might have turned ugly, but when Gandalf put some force behind his words, Bilbo found himself again and gave the ring up of his own free will (possibly the only person to ever do so).

The Fellowship of the Ring “Shadow of the Past” (Film Scene) (2001)

Even though Frodo had a pretty good idea that Bilbo was leaving, it still hurt that the old hobbit was gone. But if he hoped to get any answers/help from the wizard, Frodo is going to be disappointed, because Gandalf is setting out immediately, where he won’t say, except that there are “questions, questions that need answering.” Before he leaves, he makes sure the Ring is sealed inside an envelope and placed “somewhere out of sight.”

After Gandalf’s hasty departure, Frodo stares down at the envelope containing the Ring, wondering what on earth he’s actually inherited, when the music kicks up into a living nightmare (that’s how I’ve always thought the music sounded.) The scene abruptly shifts to Mordor, a hellish wasteland dominated by the mountain of fire, Mount Doom and the imposing tower of Barad-Dur, atop which sits the devilish Eye of Sauron (so far we’ve only had a fleeting glimpse of that, when Gandalf lightly brushed the Ring with his fingers).

The music twists and turns, harsh trumpets and other brass instruments dominating the theme. This is our first look at Mordor after the Prologue, and the music needs to quickly establish that this is a very bad place (and it succeeds). But there’s more: after we hear the screams of Gollum confessing what little information he knows (“Shire!” “Baggins!”), Mount Doom erupts and the 9 Black Riders are seen departing Minas Morgul, with a brief introduction of their theme.

The scene shifts again: now we’re back to Gandalf, who has ridden out to the city of Minas Tirith in Gondor and observes the increased activity in Mordor. With no time to lose, he rides into the city and begins to scour the archives, pouring through old documents until he finds what he is looking for: a long-forgotten scroll written by Isildur, that describes how the Ring came into his possession (already the ring was “precious” to him) and what it looked like before it cooled and shrunk. Originally, there were letters of fire surrounding the band, and only extreme heat would be able to bring them to light again. This is what Gandalf has been seeking: a way to prove once and for all whether or not this mysterious Ring is THE Ring.

A quick note about this brief scene in Gondor: you’ll note that the short fanfare does not match up to the main Gondor theme (first introduced in The Council of Elrond, a story I’ll tell next time). This is because at the time Shore created this part of the score, he had not yet conceptualized what Gondor’s theme would sound like. This short fanfare that we do hear could be considered a musical “placeholder.” It quickly sets the scene, but is otherwise not that important.

You can become a patron of the blog at: patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

See also: Film Soundtracks A-W

For more Fellowship of the Ring, see also

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Shire” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Wood Elves/Passing of the Elves” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Treason of Isengard” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “A Knife in the Dark” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Flight to the Ford” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Many Meetings” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Ring Goes South/Fellowship Main Theme” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Bridge of Khazad-Dum” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Lothlorien” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “In Dreams” (2001)

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook 🙂 Have a great day 🙂

The Lion King “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1994)

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There are love songs and then there are love songs, and for a long time “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was THE love song for me. The song was created by a collaboration between Tim Rice and Elton John (in fact the pop version in the end credits is performed by the latter). Now that they’re both grown up, Simba and Nala are finally accepting their feelings for one another and coming to the realization that yes, they are in love!

The song went through several variations before it reached the form we all know and love. At one point, it was going to be sung exclusively by Timon and Pumbaa, but that idea was discarded because it was felt that the comedic nature of the duo would detract from the romantic theme of the song.

I can see what’s happening
(spoken) What?
And they don’t have a clue
(spoken) Who?
They’ll fall in love, and here’s the bottom line
Our trio’s down to two
(spoken) Oh.
Ze sweet caress of twilight
There’s magic everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster’s in the air

Then it was going to be sung onscreen by Simba and Nala, but THAT idea was dropped because it was felt Disney had already gone that route many, many times. Ultimately, a compromise of sorts was reached: Timon and Pumbaa begin and end the song, while Simba and Nala sing offscreen while onscreen we watch the pair grow closer together.

Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things

Of course it’s not as simple as Simba and Nala just falling in love, they both have mental obstacles that are initially holding them back.

So many things to tell her
But how to make her see
The truth about my past? Impossible
She’d turn away from me

He’s holding back, he’s hiding
But what, I can’t decide
Why won’t he be the king I know he is
The king I see inside?

Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the evening brings
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things

Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn’t look too far
Steeling through the night’s uncertainties
Love is where they are

For Simba’s part, he still blames himself for his father’s death, and he feels that if Nala knows the “truth,” she would never love him. For Nala, she can’t understand why Simba has stayed away all these years (in fact up until a few hours ago she believed Simba was long-since dead) when he is in fact the rightful king of Pride Rock. Happily, they both dismiss their mental concerns and embrace the fact that they love each other, and for tonight at least, the world is a perfect place.

Hijinks ensued (Simba started it)

And while Simba and Nala are happy with their new-found love, Timon and Pumbaa are horrified because, if Simba falls in love, he’ll ultimately leave the oasis, which means their longtime friend will be gone forever and “doomed” (because their life motto Hakuna Matata/No worries doesn’t really make provision for love, which in itself can be home to a host of worries).

And if he falls in love tonight
It can be assumed
His carefree days with us are history
In short, our pal is doomed

I really love the inclusion of Timon and Pumbaa’s comedy as a bookend to the song (let’s face it, little kids can get squirmy during love songs, I know I did at that age). (And, I don’t know why, but I always giggle a little when Timon and Pumbaa burst into tears at the end of the song, it just seems funny to me that they’re so upset about Simba falling in love).

And that’s “Can You Feel the Love Tonight.” Let me know your thoughts on this awesome love song in the comments below!

Become a patron of the blog at: patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button

For more Lion King, see also:

The Lion King “The Circle of Life” (1994)

The Lion King “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” (1994)

The Lion King “Be Prepared” (1994)

The Lion King “Hakuna Matata” (1994)

The Lion King “Under the Stars” (1994)

The Lion King “To Die For” (1994)

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” (1994) Pt. 1

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” Pt. 2 (1994)

For more great Disney songs and other animated soundtracks, check out the main page here

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook 🙂

My thoughts on: Kubo and the Two Strings (2016)

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So on Saturday afternoon I finally got to see Kubo and the Two Strings and wow! Oh.my.gosh. This film is AMAZING!! It deserves every ounce of praise that it is getting and is easily the best film I have seen this year, period. I can’t sing the praises of the stop-motion animation enough, this film takes the genre to an entirely different level. In fact, the stop-motion was so fluid that for 90% of the film, I forgot that this was stop-motion entirely (there are a handful of moments where you can see the tell-tale signs that the figures are being manipulated, but I’m not really complaining).

As for the story, oh wow, talk about a roller coaster ride! This story had more than it’s fair share of highs and lows. The film stars Art Parkinson as Kubo, Charlize Theron as Monkey (Kubo’s protector), and Matthew McConaughey as Beetle, a strange warrior-beetle…thing. The film has a heavy emphasis on dealing with loss, the power of memories and the meaning of family. The main villain of this film is the mysterious Moon King, an otherworldly figure that is after Kubo for the most dastardly of reasons (and when the full reason is explained, I gasped in horror). To try and stop the Moon King, Kubo embarks on a journey to find a legendary suit of armor and a sword that is said to be powerful enough to defeat him.

But we don’t meet the Moon King until well into the film; first we meet two of his daughters (and I don’t believe they have any specific name) and they are, by far, two of the scariest characters I’ve seen in a long time. In fact…

*minor spoilers*

The Moon King’s daughters remind me very much of V from V for Vendetta because they both wear these smiling masks (that make them look really creepy) and they wear long black cloaks with wide-brimmed black hats. Every time I saw them, I had the nagging sensation that they looked familiar, but it wasn’t until I got home that I made the connection. I’m not saying it’s bad that they resemble V, just pointing out the similarity.

Monkey (Charlize Theron) and Beetle (Matthew McConaughey) are hilarious, especially when they’re interacting with each other. And of course, Kubo himself is the best character in the film; he cares for his mother, he takes on this massive quest and…. *minor spoiler* he learns to use magic.

Traditional Japanese music is front and center in this film and that is something that I love! A lot of the music is generated in-story by the shamisen that belongs to Kubo and his mother. A shamisen is a traditional Japanese instrument that has three strings and is played with a plectrum (think of a really large guitar pick). As a film music scholar, I’m so pleased to see a film with non-orchestral music, as that is a rare thing these days.

A Japanese noblewoman with a shamisen

In conclusion, Kubo and the Two Strings is an amazing film (I keep saying that but it’s true!) that everyone should go see. After the less than stellar sequels, prequels and remakes offered this summer, Kubo and the Two Strings is a breath of fresh air. 🙂

The Lion King “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” (1994)

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Oh Simba, Simba, Simba…now that the young lion knows about the mysterious elephant graveyards (courtesy of his devious uncle Scar), the mischievous cub is determined to find a way to go see them, despite being clearly warned by his father that he must NEVER go there. But of course, this is a Disney movie, and when did the rules ever stop a Disney hero from going where they weren’t supposed to go?

At any rate, Simba has a plan, and it involves his best friend, a girl lion cub named Nala. Claiming that he wants to go with Nala to visit the nearby water hole, the pair is allowed to set off, but are accompanied by Zazu. Needing to “ditch the dodo,” the two young cubs begin formulating a plan when the observant bird lets some unexpected news slip: Simba and Nala are betrothed/engaged/intended/affianced, in other words, some day they’re going to be married!! This actually gives the cubs the perfect opening to set their plan into motion as, when Zazu protests that betrothals are a tradition “going back generations” Simba boasts:

“Well when I’m king, that’ll be the FIRST thing to go.”

Despite Zazu’s (increasingly vocal) protests, the young prince begins to lay out exactly how he’ll run the Pride Lands when he becomes king and this is the basis of “I Just Can’t Wait to be King.”

I’m gonna be a mighty king
So enemies, beware

(spoken)
Well, I’ve never seen a king of beasts
With quite so little… hair

I’m gonna be the main event
Like no king was before
I’m brushing up on looking down
I’m working on my ROAR!

(spoken)
Thus far, a rather uninspiring thing

Oh, I just can’t wait to be king!

The song is hilarious for many reasons: Simba and Nala take every opportunity to tease poor Zazu; seemingly every animal in the Pride Lands is in on the trick and, most funny of all, Simba clearly has no idea of what it actually means to be king!

This is understandable, I mean, after all, Simba is only a kid and not expected to know everything at this point, but he’s already at that age where he thinks he knows all he needs to know, meaning he has very unrealistic expectations of what being a king is like.

No one saying, “Do this”

No one saying, “Be there”

No one saying, “Stop that”

No one saying, “See here”

Free to run around all day

Free to do it all my way!

For example, Simba seems to believe that kings can do whatever they want, whenever they want, however they want (a belief that Scar shares believe it or not). A king’s life also consists of looking down (from atop Pride Rock), working on his roar and basically strutting around everywhere (with Nala by his side).

Poor Zazu is completely mortified by Simba’s attitudes about being king, exclaiming “If this is where the monarchy is headed, count me OUT!!” The uptight bird can sense that the cubs are up to something, but if he ever completely figures out what’s going on it’s not until the cubs have already gotten away with it (poor guy).

The song builds and builds, until finally Simba is “enthroned” atop a massive pyramid of animals, with an unwitting Zazu set up to be squashed at the bottom. This gives the cubs enough time to slip away and head straight for the forbidden elephant graveyard.

Everybody look left
Everybody look right
Everywhere you look I’m…
Standing in the spotlight

Let every creature go for broke and sing
Let’s hear it in the herd and on the wing
It’s gonna be King Simba’s finest fling!

Oh, I just can’t wait to be king!
Oh, I just can’t wait to be king!
Oh, I just can’t wait…

To be king!

“I Just Can’t Wait to be King” is a fun Disney song that really brings back happy childhood memories for me (I loved pretending to be Simba). I hope you enjoyed reading about this song and have a great weekend 🙂

Become a patron of the blog at: patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button

For more Lion King, see also:

The Lion King “Be Prepared” (1994)

The Lion King “Hakuna Matata” (1994)

The Lion King “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1994)

The Lion King “The Circle of Life” (1994)

The Lion King “Under the Stars” (1994)

The Lion King “To Die For” (1994)

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” (1994) Pt. 1

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” Pt. 2 (1994)

And for more great Disney songs and films, check out the main page here 🙂

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook

*all images are the property of Walt Disney Studios

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Ring Goes South/Fellowship Main Theme” (2001)

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After the 9 members of the Fellowship of the Ring are assembled at the conclusion of the Council of Elrond, preparations are made for the group to leave Rivendell on their dangerous quest. (As a refresher, the Fellowship consists of: Frodo, Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Gimli, Legolas, Boromir and Aragorn).

Arwen and Aragorn (who are very much in love, despite Elrond’s wishes) make a final farewell, but it is not a happy one. We will learn later that Elrond has pressured Aragorn into dismissing Arwen’s love, to encourage her to travel across the sea when her father makes his last journey (if Arwen were to stay in Middle Earth with Aragorn, they would never see each other again). Aragorn is also confronted (by Elrond) regarding his destiny: he is the last surviving member of the royal bloodline of Numenor; he and he alone could unite the realms of men and become King, but Aragorn swears he does not want this destiny, he has never wanted it.

Elsewhere, Frodo and Bilbo have their last moment together and Bilbo has some gifts for Frodo: his old mithril shirt (that can repel any blow) is given to him to wear secretly under his clothes. Frodo is also given Bilbo’s elven sword Sting, which (like all Elven blades) will glow blue whenever orcs are close by (it’s curious then, that Legolas’s daggers don’t glow blue as well). As Frodo goes to put the mithril shirt on, Bilbo catches a glimpse of “his” old Ring, and he pleadingly asks to hold it one last time. When Frodo draws away however, Bilbo has a frightening “Gollum” moment that scares them both (and reveals that the Ring still has a very strong grip on the old hobbit). Guilt-ridden that his Ring has placed Frodo in this mess, Bilbo apologizes for everything that’s happened, and the two say farewell.

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Ring Goes South” (Film Scene) (2001)

Now comes the moment the Fellowship departs, crossing the bridge that leads out of Rivendell. As they do, a theme begins to build, starting with a single French horn, and slowly building in intensity. We have actually heard snippets of this theme before, beginning when Aragorn first takes the four hobbits “into the Wild.” It is the main theme of the Fellowship and now we are to hear it in full, in all its glory, along with the famous “Fellowship passing by” scene. It’s a grand moment, but sadly very short-lived, as the music immediately begins to die away after the climax and the scene moves on.

There are some gorgeous scenic views in this short sequence, and it never fails to impress me that the entire trilogy was filmed in New Zealand; it’s the perfect setting for Middle Earth (and I fully plan on visiting the country some day if I ever get the chance).

See also: Film Soundtracks A-W

You can become a patron of the blog at patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

For more Fellowship of the Ring, see also

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Shire” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Wood Elves/Passing of the Elves” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Treason of Isengard” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “A Knife in the Dark” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Flight to the Ford” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Many Meetings” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Bridge of Khazad-Dum” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Lothlorien” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “In Dreams” (2001)

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook 🙂

*all images are the property of New Line Cinema

The Lion King “The Circle of Life” (1994)

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Part of what makes The Lion King so spectacular is the gorgeous animation and renderings of the African landscape. The film’s iconic sunrise opening remains a beautiful moment, even 20 plus years after the film’s initial release. The opening song “The Circle of Life” is a perfect combination of traditional African music and Western song. The opening “call” is from the Zulu language and translates to:

“Here comes a lion father, oh yes it’s a lion!/We’re going to conquer/A lion and leopard come to this open place.”

After this initial verse, the scene alternates between various animals found in Africa (cheetahs, rhinoceros, elephants, ostrich, antelope, etc) all awakening and beginning a mass journey towards what is ultimately revealed as Pride Rock. This visual of animals assembling to celebrate the birth of a new Prince is reminiscent (and likely inspired by) the opening scene of Bambi (1942) where all the animals of the forest gather to greet the newly born Bambi.

I love the next verse:

From the day we arrive on the planet
And blinking, step into the sun
There’s more to see than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done

There’s far too much to take in here
More to find than can ever be found
But the sun rolling high
Through the sapphire sky
Keeps great and small on the endless round

It’s a perfect summation of life, there is so much to do/see/touch/experience, that even living life to the absolute fullest, we still couldn’t experience all of it, which is amazing when you think about it.

I love the sweeping view of the landscape when Zazu flies up to Mufasa

It’s the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love

Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life

Up at Pride Rock, King Mufasa (James Earl Jones) is awaiting the arrival of Rafiki, a mandrill who serves as an advisor to the king and also presents the new Prince to the animals of the Pride Lands whenever a new one is born. The newborn Simba is absolutely adorable and somewhat bewildered by everything going on around him. Rafiki pronounces his blessing and proceeds to take the lion cub out to the ledge so that all the animals can see him and bow in homage. It’s a wonderful moment, and this remains one of my favorite Disney songs.

I hope you enjoy “The Circle of Life,” let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

Become a Patron of the blog at patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button

For more Lion King, see also:

The Lion King “Be Prepared” (1994)

The Lion King “Hakuna Matata” (1994)

The Lion King “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1994)

The Lion King “Under the Stars” (1994)

The Lion King “To Die For” (1994)

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” (1994) Pt. 1

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” Pt. 2 (1994)

For more great Disney songs and films, check out the main page here

Don’t forget to like Film Music Central on Facebook 🙂

The Fellowship of the Ring “Many Meetings” (2001)

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After barely (and I mean barely) escaping the clutches of the Black Riders, Frodo awakens after several days in the hidden valley of Rivendell, home of Elrond (Hugo Weaving), the near-legendary son of Earendil, brother to Elros (the first king of Numenor and Aragorn’s distant ancestor), and the father to three children: Elladan, Elrohir and Arwen (Liv Tyler, more on her later).

The visual introduction to Rivendell is stunning, but I am sad to report that the location (with all the waterfalls) does not exist in real life, making Rivendell one of the few locations not to be completely based in a real-life environment. The musical backdrop is full of tranquil choral voices which highlight the fact that Rivendell is a place where one can find peace of mind, no matter what they’ve gone through (and recently Frodo has gone through quite a lot).

As the name of this piece implies, many meetings take place in this scene: Frodo is reunited with Sam, Merry and Pippin, who are all overjoyed to see Frodo recovered, but, to Frodo’s joy, there is one more meeting (more like a reunion), as he sees a considerably aged Bilbo sitting and working on his book (appropriately, there’s a brief refrain of “The Shire” at this moment). The two sit and talk for a while, and Frodo finally accepts that, however much he wanted to be like Bilbo as a child, his own adventure was turning into something completely different.

Keep in mind now that Frodo (at this stage) believes his part in the story is ending. The Ring, so far as he knows, should be safe in Rivendell, therefore he and Sam and the others should be ready to go home to the Shire before long. Unfortunately, the hobbits are soon to discover that they aren’t going home any time soon.

Meanwhile, Elrond and Gandalf have been holding their own meeting and Elrond lays out the cold, hard truth: the Ring cannot possibly stay in Rivendell, not with Sauron AND Saruman looking for it. Between the two forces Rivendell would fall sooner or later, and it’s not really up to the Elves to fix the situation anyway. After living in Middle-Earth for thousands of years, most of the Elven peoples are leaving, heading across the Sea to the Undying Lands. Someone else will have to resolve the situation with the Ring.

Gandalf believes he has a solution then “It is in Men, that we must place our hope.” But Elrond is dubious (and in his mind rightfully so). You see, he was there, 3000 years ago, when Isildur defeated Sauron and cut the Ring from his hand. Elrond took the Numenorean prince into the heart of Mount Doom and begged him to destroy the Ring on the spot, and end evil for all time. But even in those few minutes of possessing the One Ring, Isildur’s heart had been corrupted and he refused. Ever since, Elrond has lost faith in any “strength” that Men may possess.

A council is being called and delegations from all corners of Middle Earth are arriving: we see Boromir (Sean Bean), riding in from Gondor; Legolas (Orlando Bloom) from the Woodland Elves in Mirkwood; Gloin and Gimli (John Rhys-Davies) to represent the dwarves. Together, hopefully, they will be able to decide what to do with the One Ring.

Howard Shore hit the nail on the head when he wrote the music for “Many Meetings.” The piece functions in the same way that “Lothlorien” does after the Moria scenes, since Rivendell immediately follows the frantic chase in “Flight to the Ford.” Now that the danger is (temporarily) passed, everyone has a chance to breathe and relax and the music encourages this feeling. Truthfully, I could listen to this music for several hours and not find it boring. I also love how everything in Rivendell seems to be infused with a golden light (in a similar vein, Lothlorien is predominately silver), and everything feels warm and very much alive.

That’s all for me today, I am beginning to feel better, but still not quite 100%. I hope you enjoyed “Many Meetings”

You can become a patron of the blog at: patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

See also: Film Soundtracks A-W

For more Fellowship of the Ring, see also:

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Shire” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Shadow of the Past” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Wood Elves/Passing of the Elves” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Treason of Isengard” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “A Knife in the Dark” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Flight to the Ford” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Ring Goes South/Fellowship Main Theme” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Bridge of Khazad-Dum” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Lothlorien” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “In Dreams” (2001)

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*all images are the property of New Line Cinema

The Lion King “Hakuna Matata” (1994)

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Driven from his home in the Pride Lands, Simba finds himself in a lush oasis (separated from his home by a wide desert). But he is not alone: this place is already home to a meerkat named Timon and a warthog named Pumbaa (they’d found Simba passed out not far away and brought him back with them).

Horribly guilt-ridden, Simba doesn’t want to stay, but Timon and Pumbaa persuade them to change his mind by teaching him a new lesson “You have to put the past behind you…when the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world!” All of this can be summarized in the two word motto the pair use: “Hakuna matata” which means “No worries.” It’s also the title of the song the pair sing to introduce Simba to his new home and their way of life.

Hakuna Matata, what a wonderful phrase!
Hakuna Matata, ain’t no passing craze
It means no worries for the rest of your days
It’s our problem-free philosophy
Hakuna Matata!

I love “Hakuna Matata.” It’s a hilariously funny Disney song and the perfect way to lighten the mood after the darkness and despair of the wildebeest stampede. Timon and Pumbaa are the perfect comedy relief, a pair of wonderful characters. As a kid, I loved singing along with this particular track, and even now, thinking of it makes me smile.

Abiding by the rule of “hakuna matata”, Timon and Pumbaa don’t let anything bother or upset them. No one bothers them and they don’t bother anybody else. We also find out why Pumbaa in particular separated himself from the world.

Why, when he was a young warthog…
When I was a young warthog!

He found his aroma lacked a certain appeal
He could clear the Savannah after every meal
I am a sensitive soul
Though I seem thick-skinned
And it hurt that my friends never stood downwind
And oh, the shame!
He was ashamed!
Thought of changing my name!
Oh, what’s in a name!
And I got downhearted!
How did you feel?
Every time that I…

Hey, Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!
Oh, sorry.

Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase!
Hakuna Matata, ain’t no passing craze
It means no worries for the rest of your days
Yeah, sing, kid!
It’s our problem-free…
philosophy!
Hakuna Matata!

It looks like Pumbaa used to live in the Pride Lands, however, being particularly flatulent, no one wanted to be around the poor warthog, and an embarrassed Pumbaa retreated to the oasis. Another verse was going to tell Timon’s story, but the song was already running long so that verse was cut.

One big change that Simba has to get used to is a new diet: the oasis, while a lush place, is home to no other wild life, no antelope, zebras or hippos, not anything that Simba is used to eating. As Timon says “Kid, if you’re going to live with us, you have to eat like us.” And what do Timon and Pumbaa eat? Grubs!! (Bugs and worms, that is). Simba is grossed out by the idea, but he finally tries one and finds….it’s not so bad!

Now comes one of my favorite visual moments in the film. During a montage representing the passing of time, Simba transforms from a cub, to a young adult, to a fully grown adult lion with a beautiful mane. The adult Simba has fully embraced “hakuna matata” and is seemingly content to live out the rest of his days in this isolated paradise. And Timon and Pumbaa are thrilled to have a friendly lion that’s looking out for them, and not at all interested in eating them.

But Simba’s quiet, carefree life is about to come to an emphatic end when a person out of his past makes an unexpected appearance (oh who could it possibly be!!)

Become a patron of the blog at: patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button

For more Lion King see also:

The Lion King “Be Prepared” (1994)

The Lion King “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” (1994)

The Lion King “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” (1994)

The Lion King “The Circle of Life” (1994)

The Lion King “Under the Stars” (1994)

The Lion King “To Die For” (1994)

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” (1994) Pt. 1

The Lion King “King of Pride Rock” Pt. 2 (1994)

And for more great Disney songs and films, check out the main page here: Disney Films & Soundtracks A-Z

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The Fellowship of the Ring “A Knife in the Dark” (2001)

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095ac-weathertop

The Fellowship of the Ring “A Knife in the Dark” (Soundtrack Only) (2001)

After Strider brings the four Hobbits to the former watchtower of Amon Sul (also known as Weathertop in the book), he gives all of them swords and then (predictably), leaves to have a look around. What happens next never fails to boggle my mind.

Keep in mind that everyone is aware that the Black Riders are hot on their trail and they do NOT want to be discovered by them. Why then, would they think it was a good idea to make an open campfire that could be seen for miles away? Frodo, jolting awake, discovers the fire and stamps it out, but it’s too late, the Riders have discovered them and converge on Weathertop.

It’s only now that the music really gets going. As the Hobbits run into the ruined watchtower, swords drawn, the strings take a spin-chilling leap into the upper register. I like to think that if the sensation of the hair on the back of your neck standing up was translated into sound, it would sound exactly like that. I also call this “Creepy-crawly music.”

Of course Frodo is the first to see the Black Riders appearing out of the darkness (in a moment that I absolutely love). The way they move in near unison, levelling their swords at the hobbits, it’s just scary! And the music does everything it can to heighten the tension, reinforcing that these Black Riders are really bad news.

The hobbits don’t stand a chance of course: Sam is blown away, Merry and Pippin are quickly knocked aside, leaving Frodo face to face with the leader of the Black Riders (a figure later named as the Witch King of Angmar). He knows that Frodo has the Ring, and he’s determined to get it. Terrified, Frodo slips the ring on and discovers what the Riders really look like. Instead of faceless black figures, the Riders are transformed into white, ghostly wraiths, skeletal shadows of the men they once were.

Weathertop-Nazgûl

All wear crowns on their head, and the leader looks almost handsome (in a ghostly way). I imagine that in life the Witch King had a silver tongue and knew how to be persuasive. I say that because at first he tries to coax/coerce Frodo into giving him the Ring, using all of his will to draw the ring within a finger’s length of his hand. But Frodo’s strength is greater than he realized and when Frodo is able to draw his hand back, the enraged Witch King takes the more direct approach: he stabs Frodo in the shoulder with his dagger.

Aragorn_nazgul

But before the Witch King can finish the job, here comes Strider!! And he’s come prepared for battle, not only does he have his sword, but also a flaming torch (the Black Riders aren’t fond of fire). Strider single-handedly wipes out (or scares off) the Riders, using his torch to set one on fire, out-dueling another and ending the fight by throwing the torch straight into the head of the last remaining Rider. The danger is gone, for now anyways, but there’s a big problem: the Morgul Blade has critically wounded Frodo. The only way to save him now is to get him to Rivendell as fast as possible. The chase is on!

“A Knife in the Dark” is not one of the biggest musical cues in The Fellowship of the Ring (it’s certainly not as memorable as, say, “The Shire”), but it fulfills its purpose in making the scene on Weathertop as terrifying as possible.

That’s all from Middle Earth!

See also: Film Soundtracks A-W

You can become a patron of the blog at patreon.com/musicgamer460

Check out the YouTube channel (and consider hitting the subscribe button)

For more Lord of the Rings, see also:

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Shire” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Shadow of the Past” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Wood Elves/Passing of the Elves” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Treason of Isengard” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Flight to the Ford” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “Many Meetings” (2001)

The Fellowship of the Ring “The Ring Goes South/Fellowship Main Theme” (2001)