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.
Mumford & Sons - Beloved
Phoebe Bridgers - Scott Street
Wonderly - The Daily (Theme)
Japanese Breakfast - Boyish
Hozier - Nina Cried Power (feat. Mavis Staples)
Yo-Yo Ma - Prelude, Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major
Re-issue: Thao & The Get Down Stay Down - Astonished Man
Fleetwood Mac - Go Your Own Way
Breakmaster Cylinder - Reply All
Empress Of - When I'm With Him
Big Boi - Order of Operations
John Carpenter - Halloween (Theme)
Janelle Monáe - So Afraid
Cat Power - Woman
Blood Orange - Saint
Re-issue: Patrick Carney feat. Ralph Carney - BoJack Horseman (Main Title Theme)
The Decemberists - Once In My Life
Re-issue: Mitski - Your Best American Girl
Christine and the Queens - Doesn't Matter
Neko Case - Last Lion of Albion
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