Song of the Week from “Deathly Hallows – Part 1”: Nick Cave’s “O Children”
Thanks to MuggleNet and Harry Potter fan, Leading Us Absurd (@LeadingUsAbsurd), we take a quick look back at one of the most interesting, and sometimes controversial, scenes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1. The scene takes place after Ron has left Harry and Hermione during their “camping trip.”
Whether you liked the scene in the film or not, the song ‘O Children,’ from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, is an amazing song that set the scene perfectly and at the same time, ironically.
Lyrically, the song is quite startling, but musically the song never suggests the turmoil underneath. The background singers lift the song to lofty heights, and bring a bit of tenderness. As the song builds in intensity, the singer’s voices grow louder (the part used in the movie), finally revealing what the dead children have to say:
Hey little train! We are all jumping on The train that goes to the Kingdom We’re happy, Ma, we’re having fun And the train ain’t even left the station
Hey, little train! Wait for me! I once was blind but now I see Have you left a seat for me? Is that such a stretch of the imagination?
Musical supervisor Matt Biffa came across the song and convinced director David Yates to incorporate it into the film. It is about parents murdering their children, of course the series of Harry Potter is just the exact opposite.
How did you feel about this scene during Deathly Hallows – Part 1, more importantly, how did you feel about the song capturing the moment? Let us know in the comments below.
