Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Underrated Les Misérables Songs



Alright. Les Misérables is great right? Even I know that! But I've been really loving some of their most underrated pieces from the 2012 movie. These are the songs and I'll tell you why I love them:

1. Fantine's Arrest

Wow. What can I say about this little piece of music? It's so heart-breaking. That dumb dandy Bamatabois had to harass poor Fantine. She was only doing that for her precious daughter, Cosette. She was basically sending money for the Thenardiers NOT for her daughter. Those bastards of the house swindled her out of a large amount of money, telling her things like "Cosette is sick and she needs a doctor" and "Cosette needs a new sweater or dress". LIES!!!!!!!! ALL LIES!!!!!!!!! Russell Crowe's Javert as breathtaking. Acting and singing, spot on! People usually don't like his voice. I think it's the perfect Javert voice and look. He looks tough and intimidating. Hugh Jackman was awesome as Valjean. And Anne Hathaway really did play her part well. This piece is lovely and heart-breaking.

2. Fantine's Death (Come To Me)

OH MY GOODNESS!!!! I love this song!!! Anne's portrayal is beautiful. Even though she is dying and weak, her voice is still beautiful. I love how they made it seem like she was hallucinating that Cosette was there. Just beautiful!!!!

3. The Confrontation

This was pure awesomeness! I love how you can hear Javert's sword and the piece of metal rod that Valjean is using to defend himself hitting each other!!


4. Look Down (Beggars Version)
Now, you're probably thinking, "What is this girl thinking? People love this song!". But in all reality, this song is kind of underrated. When people think of Les Mis, they think "One Day More", "On My Own", "I Dreamed A Dream" and possibly "Empty Chairs At Empty Tables". Gavroche's parts are amazing! I love the little "solos" that Tom Hooper gave him. The Barricade boys were brilliant. I love Hugh Skinner's voice, even if all he gets is a little line compared to Enjolras and Marius. 

5. The Robbery/Javert's Intervention

This is basically the part where the Thenardiers are trying to swindle money AGAIN from Valjean. (they have no idea who he is until they fid out a couple minutes later). Their parts were only good in the "Robbery" part. The others were so-so. I love the way that Eponine sings "It's the police disappear, run for it, it's Javert!" One of the best parts!!! Russell Crowe, brilliant as usual. 

6. Eponine's Errand

This was awesome. I love how lovestruck Marius sounds, and the way Eponine says "That that bourgeois to-a-penny thing!" and "You see I told you so! There's lots of things I know. 'Ponine, she knows her way around." 

7. In My Life

What an underrated song!!!! A Heart Full of Love, Own My Own and One Day More are always what the crowd wants. I love In My Life. Especially the movie version. Goodness, I wish I could sing like Amanda Seyfried! It's so beautiful!

8. The Attack On Rue Plumet

Wow. I love Eponine so much. And whoever says "It's your brat Eponine, don't you know your own kid! Why's she hangin' around out here?" was brilliant. That about all to say, since this is such a small song.

9. Drink With Me

Great song, underrated in the movie, Prouvaire and Joly- I just can't hear them. Graintaire's parts were cut. Such a shame. 

10. Turning

This song is breathtaking. It's a shame they cut it down in the movie, but at least it was still good. I just want to put the movie lyrics here:

Did you see them
 going off to fight?
Children of the barricade
who didn't last the night?
Did you see them 
lying where they died?
Someone used to cradle them
and kissed them when they cried.
Did you see them lying side by side?

11. Everyday
Hopefully, you can see I love just about every song that Cosette sings. It's so beautiful. But they should have put the rest in for it to make sense when Cosette sings "Don't think about it, Marius with all the years ahead of us. I will never go away and we will be together everyday." 

12. Epilogue
Okay, this song has to be like one of my favorite songs in the movie. I don't like the "Bring me home" part of it (no offense). I love it when Fantine starts to sing, "Monsieur I bless your name. Monsieur lay down your burdens." I did a "Let The Music Move You" for this song, so I needn't say too much. It's just so beautiful and heartbreaking. 

13. Do You Hear The People Sing (Reprise)
Oh. My. Goodness. This song!!!!!!!! I love this song!!!!!!!! And seeing the giant barricade with all of my boys on it! I couldn't be any happier!!!!!!! These are the lyrics that get me. Well it's all of them, but I don't care:

Do you hear the people sing, 
lost in the valley of the night, 
it is the music of a people who are climbing to the light, 
for the wretched of the earth,
there is a flame that never dies, 
even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise! 
They will live again in freedom in the garden of the Lord, 
they will walk behind the bloodshed, 
we will put away the sword, 
the chain will be broken 
and all men will have their reward! 
Will you join in our crusade, 
who will be strong and stand with me, 
somewhere beyond the barricade 
is there a world you long to see, 
do you hear the people sing, 
say do you hear the distant drums,
 it is a future that begins when tomorrow comes! 
Will you join in our crusade 
who will be strong and stand with me, 
somewhere beyond the barricade
 is there a world you long to see, 
do you hear the people sing 
say do you hear the distant drums 
it is a future that begins when tomorrow comes! 
Ohhhhhhh, ohhhhhhh, ohhhhhhh, 
tomorrow comes!

So, these songs are not only underrated, but they are among my favorite songs in Les Misérables. Short yes, but not unimportant. These are the Underrated Les Misérables Songs. 

What Is Your Favorite Underrated Les Misérables Song?

2 comments:

  1. The movie version of Attack of the Rue Plumet is awesome with Samantha Barks and Sacha Baron Cohen... both of them are outstanding actors! The intensity of the song, the evil characters and Eponine's bravery are amazing! Too bad Marius doesn't jump over the fence like in the musical. :(

    ReplyDelete
  2. I so agree with you!! Samantha Barks and Sacha Baron Cohen were pretty awesome!!!!

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