Did anyone else find "Shiny" to be reminiscent of David Bowie?
It was somewhat weak as far as Disney villain songs go, but the seeming nod to a departed idol was appreciated.
A tangential addition, but it was humourous as well to hear Jemaine Clement once more be given a 'baddie' song about being beautiful, as he was in 'Rio.' It's his animated niche, I suppose.
Catch me when you can, Mishter Lusk.
It was intended to sound like a David Bowie song. Lin-Manuel Miranda confirmed that in an interview.
What was the most unexpected musical influence you found when you were working on Moana?
Probably the song I worked on for Jermaine Clement, the voice of Tamatoa the crab. When I heard I was writing a song for a jewel crab, having mourned David Bowie along with the rest of the world and having David Bowie honestly be one of the formative childhood villains of my youth, having grown up with Labrinth and knowing Jermaine’s amazing Bowie tribute in Flight Of The Conchords, I said "I get to write a Bowie tune for a crab: that's what I work on with "Shiny". It was very Glam rock influenced, that whole Ziggy Stadust era. A giant crab who sang like "Look Fabulous". It was all I could do not to say "Look Crabulous".
http://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/article/hamilton-musical-lin-manuel-miranda-donald-trump
Ah, so it was intentional; Lin once again exposes his genius. Thank you for sharing!
Catch me when you can, Mishter Lusk.
thank you for this! I was thinking the exact same thing.
shareSort of a cross between David Bowie and Tim Curry. Great villain song.
shareOne of their best songs ever :)
shareIt is not a tipical villain song, but I liked it fine.
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I'm starting to think Tamatoa is on par with Audrey 2 during that scene he's fighting Maui while singing, "Shiny". It's just like Audrey 2 singing, "Mean Green Mother from Outer Space" while fighting Seymour.
shareI love Jemaine Clement, but his vocals could never rival those of Levi Stubbs. I see what you're saying, though; it did have that "triumphant gloating" feel to it, innit?
Catch me when you can, Mishter Lusk.