The best
song ever performed by a
frog in a major
motion picture.
Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it.
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
The song was performed in "
The Muppet Movie" back in 1979 by
Kermit the Frog, voiced, of course, by the man who created the
Muppets,
Jim Henson. The film opens with Kermit sitting in a
swamp singing this song about his
dreams of finding
fame in
Hollywood. The song was written by
Paul Williams and
Kenneth Ascher. It reached as high as #25 on the
Billboard Hot 100 list in November of 1979 and stayed in the Top 40 for seven weeks. The song also received a nomination for
Best Song at that year's
Academy Awards.
Who said that every wish would be heard and answered
When wished on the morning star?
Somebody thought of that
And someone believed it,
Look what it's done so far.
What's so amazing that keeps us stargazing?
And what do we think we might see?
Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
This song speaks very strongly to, obviously, the dreamer in all of us, especially the dreamers who are dreaming
the impossible dream -- that a frog in a swamp could become a famous actor, that a poor kid from the sticks could make it to
Oxford, that the
ugly duckling could grow up to be a
swan. It's a
beautiful,
wistful song, and with the very first line, its
lyrics consciously evoke "
Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from "
The Wizard of Oz." Kermit's
nasal twang just adds to the effect -- Henson's Kermit was always the most
sensible of the Muppets (he ran the theater on "
The Muppet Show" and was the roving
reporter on "
Sesame Street" -- both duties requiring a certain level of
maturity and
intelligence). But he's also been the voice of both
discontent and
hope. After all, he's the guy who sings "
It's Not Easy Being Green" -- Kermit is the Muppets' hard worker and
sober commentator, but he
wants good things so very, very badly.
All of us under its spell,
we know that it's probably magic...
But I do believe there's a darker edge to this song. Part of it is the feeling of
sorrow that seems to permeate the song. We may wish that rainbows had magical qualities, but they are still "only illusions," with the hinted implication that our dreams, lofty and magical though they may be, are just as
illusory. Other lines seem to reinforce the idea that dreams are
empty ambitions easily crushed by the weight of
reality.
And then there's that
ominous line: "Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailor?" While there is a
romantic image of ambitious sailors who feel a strong calling and love of the sea, I can't shake another image -- that of the
sirens calling ships to their dooms in
shipwrecks.
However, all of this may be just my natural
pessimism painting my perceptions, as others consider this to be an entirely
hopeful song. At any rate, it's far from the saddest song from that movie -- "
I'm Going to Go Back There Someday" is guaranteed to get all but the hardest-hearted listeners
blubbering, even if the song is sung by
Gonzo the Great...
Have you been half asleep
And have you heard voices?
I've heard them calling my name.
Is this the sweet sound that calls the young sailor?
The voice might be one and the same.
I've heard it too many times to ignore it.
It's something that I'm supposed to be.
Someday we'll find it, the Rainbow Connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me.
The song has been covered by a huge number of artists, including
Willie Nelson,
Jason Mraz,
Judy Collins,
Johnny Mathis,
the Carpenters,
Sarah McLachlan,
Blondie,
Kenny Loggins,
Daniel Ahren, the
Dixie Chicks,
Less than Jake,
Fifteen,
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, and many more. I've sung it in public just once, for a high school choir assignment to sing a song solo in front of an
audience. It was a tough song to sing, mainly because I wasn't used to performing in front of crowds, and
nervousness forced my voice up an
octave. I'd like to think I'd do a better job nowadays, but I don't think I'd try it now -- the song's
melody is so
sad, it's not difficult to get my voice to crack and break down. So I try to limit my performances to my own house, quietly, when I'm feeling
melancholy anyway...
Some research from the Internet Movie Database (www.imdb.com) and the All Music Guide (www.allmusic.com)
shaogo says: "I'm so sorry you find the song somewhat melancholy. It's not, in my opinion. It's hopeful. (And certainly nowhere near as melancholy as Harold Arlen's 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.') The song has, indeed, a lot in common with 'It's Not Easy Bein' Green.' We in the jazz business find 'Rainbow Connection' a little cheesy; and most singers who tackle it are relegated to the 'Cabaret' genre. Personally, I like the 'Rainbow' song, but sadly, among music folks, it's been relegated to a place alongside 'Tomorrow' from 'Annie.' It's a tough song to sing. The octave jumps in the bridge and the need for perfect pitch because of the flats and sharps are what make it so."
E2's own Dizzy and Katyana had this song played at their wedding reception as their dollar dance.