"I can't seem to wipe this smile off my face"
January 22, 2012 7:05 PM Subscribe
Life's a Happy Song sung by Kermit the Frog and Flight of the Conchords' Bret McKensie, who wrote the song [NYT].
Needs more Henson
posted by Optamystic at 7:12 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by Optamystic at 7:12 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
Britt?
posted by neuromodulator at 7:26 PM on January 22, 2012 [8 favorites]
posted by neuromodulator at 7:26 PM on January 22, 2012 [8 favorites]
Life's a taco.
Also, disappointed that this is the only use of the figwit tag.
posted by Gordafarin at 7:28 PM on January 22, 2012
Also, disappointed that this is the only use of the figwit tag.
posted by Gordafarin at 7:28 PM on January 22, 2012
McKenzie. FIGWIT the documentary. Parts 2, 3, 4, 5.
posted by unliteral at 7:34 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by unliteral at 7:34 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
I am very much on record of not really caring for the Muppets post-Jim Henson.
And I am also very much on record as being more of a Jemaine girl.
But Brett's smile around 1:50 where he's trying not to crack up and also seems to be clearly realizing "I am singing with Kermit right now" is so amazingly charming that I am willing to switch sides on both accounts.
posted by darksong at 7:35 PM on January 22, 2012 [8 favorites]
And I am also very much on record as being more of a Jemaine girl.
But Brett's smile around 1:50 where he's trying not to crack up and also seems to be clearly realizing "I am singing with Kermit right now" is so amazingly charming that I am willing to switch sides on both accounts.
posted by darksong at 7:35 PM on January 22, 2012 [8 favorites]
Bret's surname is spelt "McKenzie" (i.e. with a 'zed'). Might want to update the tags.
posted by John Shaft at 7:38 PM on January 22, 2012
posted by John Shaft at 7:38 PM on January 22, 2012
darksong: But Brett's smile around 1:50 where he's trying not to crack up and also seems to be clearly realizing "I am singing with Kermit right now" is so amazingly charming that I am willing to switch sides on both accounts.
Yeah, that was the moment when I realized this was the best video of all time.
John Shaft: Bret's surname is spelt "McKenzie" (i.e. with a 'zed'). Might want to update the tags.
Huh, I knew that, but I messed up.
posted by Kattullus at 7:42 PM on January 22, 2012
Yeah, that was the moment when I realized this was the best video of all time.
John Shaft: Bret's surname is spelt "McKenzie" (i.e. with a 'zed'). Might want to update the tags.
Huh, I knew that, but I messed up.
posted by Kattullus at 7:42 PM on January 22, 2012
When Kermit The Frog goes off book, you just sort of have to follow along.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:42 PM on January 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 7:42 PM on January 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Going into The Muppets knowing that Bret McKenzie wrote the songs, I could very much hear Bret and Jemaine singing the songs, especially the duets. It was just as magical.
posted by gc at 7:44 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by gc at 7:44 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
I would have posted this a while back when I first saw it, but was tired of being accused of shilling for the movie.
posted by hippybear at 7:46 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by hippybear at 7:46 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
Not worth kidnapping the manager of a New Zealand radio station to listen to.
I wish I could like it more but instead I'm grieving for my lost childhood. At least the last minute or so had its moments. I don't think I've had quite this exact feeling for not wanting to jump on the happy train, however.
posted by I've wasted my life at 7:50 PM on January 22, 2012
I wish I could like it more but instead I'm grieving for my lost childhood. At least the last minute or so had its moments. I don't think I've had quite this exact feeling for not wanting to jump on the happy train, however.
posted by I've wasted my life at 7:50 PM on January 22, 2012
Epony . . . ?
Movie was aight, but this video makes me very happy. Probably the easily the best song of the film.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:52 PM on January 22, 2012
Movie was aight, but this video makes me very happy. Probably the easily the best song of the film.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 7:52 PM on January 22, 2012
After seeing the movie (and playing the iPod game a few times), this song was in my head as the worst earworm I've ever contracted. Everyday, all the time, "I've got everything that I ne-ee-ed, right in front of me..." This went on for MONTHS.
I still love the song, and I bought the soundtrack for it.
and the other Mackenzie song, "Man or Muppet". When that one came on the theatre, I turned to my SO and said, "that sounds so much like a Flight of the Conchords song," and lo and behold, there Britt was in the credits.
the Muppets is easily my most favourite movie I have seen in the last few years - but I'm the first to admit that I'm completely biased and they had me as their devoted slave from the minute they did the recreation of the original TV opening.
posted by jb at 7:59 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
I still love the song, and I bought the soundtrack for it.
and the other Mackenzie song, "Man or Muppet". When that one came on the theatre, I turned to my SO and said, "that sounds so much like a Flight of the Conchords song," and lo and behold, there Britt was in the credits.
the Muppets is easily my most favourite movie I have seen in the last few years - but I'm the first to admit that I'm completely biased and they had me as their devoted slave from the minute they did the recreation of the original TV opening.
posted by jb at 7:59 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
I didn't know that McKenzie was involved in the movie when I went to see it. But when I got to the "Are You a Man or a Muppet" scene I started thinking - "Wow - that sounds just like a Flight of the Conchords composition." I was very pleased when I looked it up to find that I wasn't just imagining things.
posted by tdismukes at 7:59 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by tdismukes at 7:59 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
This was exactly what I needed to see, precisely when I needed to see it. Thank you.
posted by The White Hat at 8:09 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by The White Hat at 8:09 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
I've had this song on my mind intermittently since I saw the movie, but it keeps merging in my head with "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from Monty Python's Life of Brian. Even though it's been about twenty years since I heard the latter.
posted by yarrow at 8:15 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by yarrow at 8:15 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
"Life's a taco! Life's a pizza!"
I have a new credo.
posted by argonauta at 8:17 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
I have a new credo.
posted by argonauta at 8:17 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
Before the Holidays started up my friend and I wrote up and started to manage a Muppet-themed play-by email Mafia game. It just finally ended, and I've been writing the final flavortext composition for it. This will have to be fit in as a link sonehow, though I don't know what we will do to justify it. (The Mafia won, which almost never happens in our games. Moreover, we started with an unwieldy 18 players, and most of the Mafia were killed off in the first few cycles. The remaining member kept it going to the bitter end and won, as Count von Count of the vile Children's Television Workshop Mafia. Walter was the remaining townsperson.)
Anyway, this movie was absolutely fantastic. They had me from this opening number (and in a more biased way once they passed by the wedding in that number and I realized that the groom was played by an old childhood friend I hadn't thought about in forever) and then kept winning me over by including back-to-back solos by Feist and Mickey Rooney in that number. It might be the best in the show, but it's got a lot of competition. For instance this one.
By the end, they had restored my faith in the power of movies to move me in even the simplest, most transparent and predictable ways. When the curtain opened on "The Rainbow Connection" you could hear the entire audience basically weep with joyful nostalgia, and then Kermit's speech after their failure, and slow walk to the doors of the theater...
This was easily my favorite movie of the past year. Probably many years running, really.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:18 PM on January 22, 2012 [6 favorites]
Anyway, this movie was absolutely fantastic. They had me from this opening number (and in a more biased way once they passed by the wedding in that number and I realized that the groom was played by an old childhood friend I hadn't thought about in forever) and then kept winning me over by including back-to-back solos by Feist and Mickey Rooney in that number. It might be the best in the show, but it's got a lot of competition. For instance this one.
By the end, they had restored my faith in the power of movies to move me in even the simplest, most transparent and predictable ways. When the curtain opened on "The Rainbow Connection" you could hear the entire audience basically weep with joyful nostalgia, and then Kermit's speech after their failure, and slow walk to the doors of the theater...
This was easily my favorite movie of the past year. Probably many years running, really.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:18 PM on January 22, 2012 [6 favorites]
This movie was my 3-yr old's first in a theater. She loved the song and we love singing it since. Thanks for highlighting it.
posted by skepticallypleased at 8:24 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by skepticallypleased at 8:24 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
This movie was my 3-yr old's first in a theater.
I'm nominating you for the Ideal Perfectest Parent Ever Award.
posted by hippybear at 8:26 PM on January 22, 2012 [7 favorites]
I'm nominating you for the Ideal Perfectest Parent Ever Award.
posted by hippybear at 8:26 PM on January 22, 2012 [7 favorites]
Anyway, I dragged my curmudgeonly partner to see the movie... He doesn't quite get my Muppets obsession, but he tolerates it and I didn't give him much of a choice.
By the end of the movie he was weeping openly from joy and happiness. I knew he was absorbing bits and pieces of Muppet stuff simply by proximity to me... but needless to say, I was pleased that he found it as great a movie as I did.
It's easily our favorite film of the past year. Although The Artist is running a close second when it comes to pure movie-loving joy.
posted by hippybear at 8:30 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
By the end of the movie he was weeping openly from joy and happiness. I knew he was absorbing bits and pieces of Muppet stuff simply by proximity to me... but needless to say, I was pleased that he found it as great a movie as I did.
It's easily our favorite film of the past year. Although The Artist is running a close second when it comes to pure movie-loving joy.
posted by hippybear at 8:30 PM on January 22, 2012 [3 favorites]
Another fun thing about seeing this with my family over thanksgiving: my senior father's favorite aspect of it was that Kristen Schaal was involved. I got a kick out of that.
posted by Navelgazer at 8:33 PM on January 22, 2012
posted by Navelgazer at 8:33 PM on January 22, 2012
Such a wonderful, beautiful movie.
My wife and I took our 4 year old along - it was the first time he had been to the movies, and all he wanted was to see the Muppets and to get a small bag of popcorn.
Happy and satisfied on both counts.
Having been a massive fan of the original Muppet Show, and having gotten our son to enjoy some of those old episodes (he is a massive Swedish Chef fan) I hoped the movie would be good and it was.
One scene near the start, where the main characters visit Kermit's house and he sings about "the old times" and watches as portraits of the great Muppet characters come to life in front of him, almost moved me to tears. Just a reminder of how wonderful the original show was.
posted by chris88 at 9:05 PM on January 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
My wife and I took our 4 year old along - it was the first time he had been to the movies, and all he wanted was to see the Muppets and to get a small bag of popcorn.
Happy and satisfied on both counts.
Having been a massive fan of the original Muppet Show, and having gotten our son to enjoy some of those old episodes (he is a massive Swedish Chef fan) I hoped the movie would be good and it was.
One scene near the start, where the main characters visit Kermit's house and he sings about "the old times" and watches as portraits of the great Muppet characters come to life in front of him, almost moved me to tears. Just a reminder of how wonderful the original show was.
posted by chris88 at 9:05 PM on January 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Of course - that song has been linked to above - Pictures In My Head
posted by chris88 at 9:06 PM on January 22, 2012
posted by chris88 at 9:06 PM on January 22, 2012
That Bret McKenzie is a very manly muppet.
posted by orme at 10:41 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by orme at 10:41 PM on January 22, 2012 [2 favorites]
My one line review of the film was - My face hurts from happy.
That's all that needs to be said.
posted by cerulgalactus at 11:24 PM on January 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
That's all that needs to be said.
posted by cerulgalactus at 11:24 PM on January 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Nice video, good song.
Don't show it to any kids who think Kermit is real though, because they might ask what that clearly-visible thing connected to Kermit's left arm is.
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:48 PM on January 22, 2012
Don't show it to any kids who think Kermit is real though, because they might ask what that clearly-visible thing connected to Kermit's left arm is.
posted by drjimmy11 at 11:48 PM on January 22, 2012
jb -- you answered my question -- I had the same reaction to Am I a man or am I a muppet (is this flight of the conchords) .. and then the guy from big bang theory arrived and it was like BAM worlds collide
posted by chapps at 12:09 AM on January 23, 2012
posted by chapps at 12:09 AM on January 23, 2012
This song, “Man or Muppet” and “Pictures in My Head” are all on the Oscar shortlist for best original song. The nominations come out tomorrow morning and if one or more of them aren't nominated, I'm going to be seriously disappointed.
posted by Jugwine at 6:32 AM on January 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
posted by Jugwine at 6:32 AM on January 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
I had been waiting forever for The Muppets to finally come to Austria and it did just this past weekend. Loved the film, it was very much fun.
But I have to admit, the audience I sat in really made it special. There was one women who cackled and roared at every one of Statler & Waldorf's jokes. It just made everyone laugh with delight along with her. I secretly wonder if the Muppets had a plant like her in every showing worldwide.
posted by montaigneisright at 8:47 AM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
But I have to admit, the audience I sat in really made it special. There was one women who cackled and roared at every one of Statler & Waldorf's jokes. It just made everyone laugh with delight along with her. I secretly wonder if the Muppets had a plant like her in every showing worldwide.
posted by montaigneisright at 8:47 AM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
I secretly wonder if the Muppets had a plant like her in every showing worldwide.
When I saw it over Thanksgiving, I did this gratis.
posted by gauche at 8:49 AM on January 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
When I saw it over Thanksgiving, I did this gratis.
posted by gauche at 8:49 AM on January 23, 2012 [3 favorites]
I did the same thing, gauche. I am at the movies constantly, but I can't remember the last time I grinned so much during a film. I felt like a little kid again, seeing The Muppet Movie for the first time in the theater, loving all the songs and marveling at the sight of the gang up on the big screen.
posted by BrianJ at 9:05 AM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by BrianJ at 9:05 AM on January 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
Good news, Jugwine: "Man or Muppet" is one of only two(!) nominees for the Best Original Song Oscar, announced this morning.
posted by argonauta at 11:59 AM on January 24, 2012 [2 favorites]
posted by argonauta at 11:59 AM on January 24, 2012 [2 favorites]
Oh man, Bret McKenzie vs. Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown!
That'll be one category were I'll be happy whoever ends up winning.
posted by Kattullus at 12:08 PM on January 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
That'll be one category were I'll be happy whoever ends up winning.
posted by Kattullus at 12:08 PM on January 24, 2012 [1 favorite]
Now I have "Man or Muppet" on an endless loop in my head.
Damn you, Brett McKenzie!
(or god bless you, they are awesome songs)
posted by jb at 10:09 AM on January 26, 2012
Damn you, Brett McKenzie!
(or god bless you, they are awesome songs)
posted by jb at 10:09 AM on January 26, 2012
Man or Muppet is the biggest earworm of the film for me, too.
posted by Gordafarin at 10:53 AM on January 26, 2012
posted by Gordafarin at 10:53 AM on January 26, 2012
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