Tag: A Great Big World

A Great Big World – I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas

“How beautifully upbeat.” “And how bloody annoying.”

Tom: Previously: Fountains of Wayne wanting an alien for Christmas. This has got a lot to live up to.

Tim: And I think you may be surprised. Quick explaining, though: as it turns out, there’s a reason I hadn’t heard of basically any of the songs on that compilation CD; namely, they’re all shit, or at the very least rather tedious. This, though, is not tedious, especially considering how you said yesterday you’re in favour of upbeat tracks.

Tim: And how beautifully upbeat that is.

Tom: And how bloody annoying.

Tim: What? It’s demanding, I suppose, because there aren’t many families that could have a hippo join them, even if it is just for Christmas (and especially given that they’re vegetarian). But still, the run-up to Christmas is when you’re allowed to be incredibly demanding and unreasonable, as long as you accept that with that comes an inevitable feeling of disappointment on the day itself. Or not, or course – maybe you will get a hippopotamus, in which case WELL DONE YOU for dreaming big. And I’ll have that dog if you’re otherwise just going to throw it out.

I’ve got distracted. Fun track, that’s what’s important.

Tom: You’re wrong, wrong, wrong. It’s like a half-assed They Might Be Giants, only not nearly as clever. I know, I know, I asked for upbeat, but this might as well be sung by a kids’ choir.

Tim: I suppose it could have that ring it. And I love it. Well done everyone.

Tom: Now leave.

Tim: Shan’t.

A Great Big World – This Is The New Year

“Doesn’t Glee mostly just cover Big Pop Tunes?”

Tim: Tom, you may not like how I’m going to introduce this, but I don’t care: I first heard this on last week’s episode of Glee, and thought it was strange – it was presented almost as a separate music video rather than fitting into the show like normal.

Tom: You’re right, I don’t like how you’re introducing that. Doesn’t Glee mostly just cover Big Pop Tunes, though?

Tim: Almost exclusively, yes, but I didn’t recognise this, and I realised I wanted to look it up.

Tim: So I looked for the original and found this. They’re a new band, who describe themselves as doing theatrical pop, and I reckon that fits almost perfectly.

Tom: I can see where they’re coming from there – it sounds like it’s a track from a musical. I suppose that’s basically what Glee used it as.

Tim: More or less, yeah – an uplifting closing track to one of the occasional very good episodes it has. It’s a lovely piano song, and even if you’re not listening to the lyrics you pretty much what it’s about. Structurally it’s unusual – aside from the one line “I will give the world to you” there’s no real chorus – just a big build-up in front of each verse. Much as I’m generally opposed to any variation from the standard formula, I have to admit that it works brilliantly here, as it places a lot of focus on that upbeat power-chord melody that really makes this song.

Tom: It’s basically a piano-led, instrumental chorus. I can live with that – particularly when it’s this deliberately, massively, heftily uplifting. If it weren’t this damn good, it’s come off as trite – but it is this damn good.

Tim: It really is. It’s worth noting, as you did earlier, that it’s very, very rare that Glee features new music or bands – the only previous example was We Are Young, and, well, look what happened to that. Based on this track, I do hope success isn’t far off for this band.

Tom: I can only agree.