If you follow me on twitter then you know IT IS OFFICIALLY SUMMERTIME!!!! Woo hoo!! Oh yeah!!! This is a very exciting time, and as today was my first official day of summer I did things I enjoyed and didn’t feel guilty for it (I also did productive things). But tonight is really what I’m loving about today. Tonight I crafted (am in the process of crafting) graduation cards for my friends graduating tomorrow and watched Les Miserables! Now I’ve already written about my love for Les Miserables and why I love it and you can read that here, so instead of writing about my love again I’m going to share with you my favourite songs (in no particular order) and a few videos of my favourite performances of some songs.
1) On My Own. Really this song is a young woman singing for the man she loves who clearly doesn’t love her back. I don’t really know what particularly drew me to this song. I’m not sure if it was Samantha Barks singing it, or the fact that every person has been in the position of fancying someone and having them not fancy you back. Why lie, we’ve all been there. I may also like this because it puts in to words how we feel when the person we fancy doesn’t fancy us back. No matter the reason, I love this song and I sometimes jam out to this song when I’m driving or getting dressed in the morning. I especially love when Samantha Barks sings this song!! Obviously the original is the best, but I really love the way Samantha Barks portrays Eponine and the way she delivers this song!
2) A Little Fall of Rain. I love this song almost as much as On My Own. I like this song because you see that Marius does love his friend. He may not feel the same way about her that she does, but he values her friendship and he loves her as his friend. I love it because we get to see that Marius does love Eponine, just not in the way I was hoping. I’m not gonna lie, I hoped Marius would fall in love with Eponine and they would fight in the revolution and it would be beautiful, but that’s just not how the story goes and I’ve learned that it’s okay that the story doesn’t go the way I want it to. I mostly love it though, because Marius holds Eponine as she dies so she doesn’t feel alone. She didn’t have the best life seeing as the Thenardier’s were her parents, but she had her friend and he wanted to be there for her and give her what she wanted in those moments.
3) I Dreamed A Dream. Well obviously I love this song!!! I honestly couldn’t tell you the reasons why I love this song, I just do. I just think it is such a beautiful song. In this moment a woman laments. She mourns what was and what could have been. I also just love that Susan Boyle sang this song and changed the way people viewed her and then she did great things!!
4) ABC Cafe/Red & Black. This song is a battle cry!! Maybe not really, but this is when the students realize that what they’re fighting for is legit!! They all get inspired to fight! I also really love it for this line “Who cares about your lonely soul?” Uh, this is such a burn to Marius because he walks in with his head in the clouds and his friend is like “Bro we have a revolution to plan which I think is a little more important than your feelings for the girl you just met. One thing at a time”. I just think the sassiness of the line makes me love this song. That and the fact that it’s pretty great!!
5) Do You Hear The People Sing? THIS SONG IS A BATTLE CRY!! For reals this time!! I love this because it’s awesome!!! These students and people’s of Paris are declaring that they are fighting for something and it’s real! They are angry and they are going to do something about it!! I imagine if people during any revolution were to sing a song it would be this song!! Every one is uniting because they are all angry and they want people to know that they are not going to sit back and do nothing about it; they’re going to fight!!! I just also love that at the end of the 25th Anniversary so many students and actors joined together to sing this song!! It was beautiful!!
6) One Day More. This song is just wonderful! Now, I realize the video I’m posting is not of an actual cast, but it is brilliant!!!!!!!! When I get married, I would love if my friends did this as a gift! Not gonna lie!
7) Drink With Me. I just like this song because at this point in the story they all know this could be the last time they are with one another. It could be their last night on the earth and they just want to enjoy it; remember it. I appreciate it because they understand that what they are fighting for can possibly cost them their lives. I also love that they have come to terms with the fine print of their deciding to revolt and they are going to remember what could be their last night.
8) Empty Chairs at Empty Tables. I like this song because we get to see Marius mourn his friends. I realize that may not be the most the most bright feeling, but I like that the audience gets to see that when Marius decided to fight, he knew what he was signing up for and the fact that he now has to live without his friends hurts. I think it adds another dimension to his character. I stopped seeing him as this lovesick puppy who only fought because he wouldn’t be able to see his love so he might as well and saw him as someone who chose to fight because this was a cause he believed in from its conception.
9) Bring Him Home. THIS SONG IS EPIC!!! I think this song shows how much Valjean loves his daughter. Even though he wants to protect her and he wants to keep her forever (as any father wants to keep his daughter I am guessing). Yet, he sees this young boy who loves his daughter so, and whom his daughter loves dearly. He sees that there is a man who wants to keep his daughter and protect her and he wants to save him. He wants to be sure that his daughter has someone because he knows that soon enough he won’t be there for her. Marius, is the answer to his prayers for a companion for his daughter. Also, there are three versions of this that I love, and each involves Colm Wilkinson who is the man who originated the role of Jean Valjean.
10) The Epilogue. I just love that this song captures the entirety of Valjean’s story!! I especially love love love the line “to see anther person is to see the face of God” because Valjean is learning to love and learning to accept love! It takes him a long time to understand what it is to love someone and what it means to be loved in return, but by the end of his life he has accepted love. He has given love. He has been redeemed! It’s beautiful!!
So, there you have it friends. My favourite songs from Les Miserables with an explanation, or an attempt at an explanation.
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