By now, you've probably seen (or at least heard of) the nostalgia-filled movie musical that is sweeping up all the awards in Hollywood. This spectacle of a film beautifully blends new and old; a classic Hollywood love story set in modern day Hollywood. Nearly everyone that sees this film raves about it, but there seems to be a common theme amongst the reviews...many are either confused or unhappy about how the film ends. What those people probably don't understand is that the first 5 minutes of the movie, the opening number of "Another Day of Sun" literally gives away the plot of the entire movie!
**DISCLAIMER: The rest of this article contains spoilers from the movie, so if you wish to not have this wonderful film spoiled for you...drive to your nearest movie theater, watch this movie, and then come back to this article.**
"Another Day of Sun" is the soundtrack behind the opening number of La La Land. Aside from its catchy beat and great choreography (s/o to Mandy Moore), the lyrics of this song parallel the plot of the movie. Here I will take some of those lyrics, analyze them, and hopefully blow your La La Land loving minds.
Verse 1:
"I think about that day. I left him at a Greyhound Station west of Santa Fé. We were seventeen, but he was sweet and it was true. Still I did what I had to do 'cause I just knew."
Though this number is being sung by a woman that it not the protagonist, Mia, the intentions are the same. Like the woman singing, Mia ends up leaving her love, Sebastian, to follow her dreams of becoming an actress. Romance is sweet, but the dream of being in Hollywood is sweeter to both of these women.
Pre-Chorus 1:
"'Cause maybe in that sleepy town he'll sit one day, the lights are down, he'll see my face and think of how he...used to know me."
The woman singing is referencing to her past lover sitting in a movie theater, with the lights down, seeing her face on the screen as her dream of making it big in Hollywood came true. This same concept is interpreted in the movie itself towards the end when Ryan Gosling's character walks past a huge movie poster of Emma Stone's character's face on the way to his jazz club.
Verse 2:
"I hear 'em ev'ry day. The rhythms in the canyons that'll never fade away. The ballads in the barrooms left by those who came before. They say "you gotta want it more" so I bang on ev'ry door."
This verse has the same intention as the first one but is obviously about music when referencing rhythms and ballads. The lyrics now are being sung by a man dreaming of becoming a musician, meant to represent Sebastian. In the story, Sebastian's appreciation of jazz music and motivation to follow his dream of becoming a musician is greatly influenced by the greats before his time. You see in the movie that Sebastian does multiple odd jobs (playing piano at a restaurant, playing keyboard in an 80s cover band, etc.) in order to try and hopefully break into the music industry in order to fulfill his ultimate dream of opening a jazz club. This idea being translated through the lyrics "they say 'you gotta want it more' so I band on ev'ry door."
Next time you sit down to watch a movie or listen to a song, listen and look for the small details. They may give you insight to what the future holds.
La La Landis a Summit Entertainment film directed by Damien Chazelle.
Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone.
"Another Day of Sun" is composed by Justin Hurwitz, lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
All lyric analyzation is used with reference to https://genius.com/11110923 .
