Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas came out in 1993. It’s a stop-motion animated musical, with music by legendary composer Danny Elfman. He’s won Emmys, a Grammy, and been nominated for four Oscars. His work includes the music for Tim Burton’s Batman films, Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man films, Good Will Hunting, and the theme to The Simpsons. From 1979 to 1995, he was the singer and songwriter in the band Oingo Boingo.
The Nightmare Before Christmas takes place in a world where different holidays all have their own realm. And the story is about Jack Skellington, the leader of Halloweentown, a place where it’s always Halloween, and Halloween is all they know, and Jack has grown a little tired of it. But then, Jack discovers a portal to Christmastown, with snow and Santa and all things Christmas inhabiting it. He's never seen anything like it, and the discovery changes everything. The song "What’s This?" takes place in that moment of discovery. In this episode, Danny Elfman tells the story of how it all came together, and how writing and singing this song for Jack Skellington ended up profoundly connecting to his own life.
For more, visit songexploder.net/danny-elfman.
Kelly Lee Owens - On
Black Pumas - Colors
The 1975 - The Birthday Party
Waxahatchee - Fire
Khruangbin - So We Won't Forget
Apparat - Goodbye (Theme from "Dark")
Mobb Deep - Shook Ones, Pt. II
Re-issue: Michael Kiwanuka - Black Man in a White World
100 gecs - Money Machine
Laura Marling - Song for Our Daughter
Tame Impala - It Might Be Time
FKA twigs - Mirrored Heart
Nathaniel Rateliff - And It's Still Alright
Eric Nam - Love Die Young
Soccer Mommy - Circle the Drain
Caribou - Home
Vagabon - Water Me Down
Semisonic - Closing Time
Vampire Weekend - Harmony Hall
Intro Theme and Thao's Farewell
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