This song is beautiful out of context, and even more meaningful embedded in the text of the film "Magnolia." In the film, it plays a part much like the chorus in a great Greek tragic play.
When watching the film, pay attention to what character is singing what lyric: it shows the characters purpose and motive. It is very telling, for example, that they pan on the young quiz kid during the final lyric: "So just... give up." The youngest character with the most innocence and naivete is actually the one that knows the answers.
In this song, it's one of the cases where giving up is the optimistic, not pessimistic, thing to do. All the characters in the film need to give up one way or another--give up their pride, give up their walls, give up their lies, give up misplaced love. Then again, isn't that sound advice for anyone?
A beautiful song to listen to on it's own, extremely relatable to anyone. But put it in the context of the film, and it's pure music & movie magic. Two art forms coming together and making a masterpiece.
BTW Jeremy Blackman--who played Stanley Spector, the astonishingly educated boy with an overbearing & greedy father, who had a humiliating experience on live television--was a better singer than the other members of the cast.
BTW Jeremy Blackman--who played Stanley Spector, the astonishingly educated boy with an overbearing & greedy father, who had a humiliating experience on live television--was a better singer than the other members of the cast.
Jeremy's talent was evident, also, when (among the earlier game-show scenes) he sings the "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" aria from Carmen. Bonus points for singing the answer, after all.
Jeremy's talent was evident, also, when (among the earlier game-show scenes) he sings the "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" aria from Carmen. Bonus points for singing the answer, after all.
Being a child prodigy is no cakewalk, as should be evident to anyone who's watched Magnolia or The Royal Tenebaums.
Being a child prodigy is no cakewalk, as should be evident to anyone who's watched Magnolia or The Royal Tenebaums.
This song is beautiful out of context, and even more meaningful embedded in the text of the film "Magnolia." In the film, it plays a part much like the chorus in a great Greek tragic play.
When watching the film, pay attention to what character is singing what lyric: it shows the characters purpose and motive. It is very telling, for example, that they pan on the young quiz kid during the final lyric: "So just... give up." The youngest character with the most innocence and naivete is actually the one that knows the answers.
In this song, it's one of the cases where giving up is the optimistic, not pessimistic, thing to do. All the characters in the film need to give up one way or another--give up their pride, give up their walls, give up their lies, give up misplaced love. Then again, isn't that sound advice for anyone?
A beautiful song to listen to on it's own, extremely relatable to anyone. But put it in the context of the film, and it's pure music & movie magic. Two art forms coming together and making a masterpiece.
BTW Jeremy Blackman--who played Stanley Spector, the astonishingly educated boy with an overbearing & greedy father, who had a humiliating experience on live television--was a better singer than the other members of the cast.
BTW Jeremy Blackman--who played Stanley Spector, the astonishingly educated boy with an overbearing & greedy father, who had a humiliating experience on live television--was a better singer than the other members of the cast.
Jeremy's talent was evident, also, when (among the earlier game-show scenes) he sings the "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" aria from Carmen. Bonus points for singing the answer, after all.
Jeremy's talent was evident, also, when (among the earlier game-show scenes) he sings the "L'amour est un oiseau rebelle" aria from Carmen. Bonus points for singing the answer, after all.
Being a child prodigy is no cakewalk, as should be evident to anyone who's watched Magnolia or The Royal Tenebaums.
Being a child prodigy is no cakewalk, as should be evident to anyone who's watched Magnolia or The Royal Tenebaums.