Genre: DisneyArtist: Music and Lyrics by Sammy Cahn and Sammy Fain (and Sammy the Way-out Seal!)
Album: Peter Pan
Well, let's be honest. Can Kevin have a blog and not mention Peter Pan on it? Of course not. I actually cannot say that this is one of my favorite songs. To be perfectly honest, I love the music on Peter Pan, but the lyrics leave a lot to be desired. Not Disney's strongest movie for its songs, but the music and story more than make up for the rest. First of all, I love the opening of the song, and therefore the opening of the movie. The instruments come first, then the choir, and then Peter Pan's anthem, followed by a flute that makes me picture Tinker Bell flying down to an open window, where a young child is gazing out at the stars. Very strong imagery and very beautiful music. Then they start singing and it goes downhill. I just feel like they lose the awesome power they started with. According to an online source, the melody was actually written for Alice in Wonderland. Figures.
But the lyrics are not a total loss. "The second star to the right shines in the night for you to tell you that the dreams you plan really can come true." To me, that's what Neverland is: a place where dreams come true. Neverland is the symbol of all childhood hopes and dreams. But these dreams can be realized, so long as we continue wishing them, and doing all we can to make them come true. That Second Star is the best star to wish on, because it will lead you to Neverland.
I remember when I was younger, I would try to find the second star to the right. I would go out to the front lawn of my house in California and look up at the sky. But as I tried to find the second to the right, I would get confused because I wasn't even sure which one the first star was! Maybe once you are flying and you get closer you can tell the difference.
Peter Pan makes me think of a great childhood memory. I had gone to a birthday party for the Larmore twins and got a fun bag of candy at the end. My older brother, Danny, wanted some of my candy, but I was a selfish little boy and told him no. (After all, HE didn't go to the party and HE never shared his candy with me). Well, one day we are eating Peter Pan peanut butter and jelly sandwiches when Danny tells me, "Hey, did you know that if you eat Peter Pan peanut butter and then a piece of candy you can fly?" "Really?" I said. I totally believed him. "Of course! But since I told you, you need to let me have a piece too." "Ok!" So we both ate some of my precious candy and then went out front. We jumped off the bricks in front of the den window, only to land a couple inches below us on the grass. "Oh, darn. I guess it didn't work," Danny said. I wasn't so convinced. "Maybe we have to jump off something higher! Let's jump off the roof!" Danny talked me out of it, telling me that our mom wouldn't let us. I was sad and thought that my mom ruined all my fun. I don't know how many months it took to me realize Danny had conned me. Oh, well. It makes a great memory now. :)
