Music Analysis: Grease (Essay Sample)

Music Analysis: Grease
[Name of Student]
[Name of Institution]
Music Analysis: Grease
Introduction
Grease is one of the greatest blockbusters of the year 1978. The movie produced by Allan Carr and directed by Randal Kleiser, has earned the highest gross profits; soon after its release. It was the most popular movie of the 70’s decade and has got the reputation of the highest earning musical movie ever in the history of Hollywood. It has also gained all the critical acclaims too.
Grease is an ideal way to get deeply involved in the past years of the 70’s. Every single song of this movie is based upon the musical trend of 50’s and their popularity is enduring. This movie’s soundtrack was a smashing hit of the year 1978. The diehard fans of the Hollywood musical movies still remember Grease with great affection and fondness. CITATION Ste11 \l 1033 (Tropiano, 2011) The film has gained the status of an enormous hit at a time when the Hollywood musicals were taking their dying breaths. After the movie Grease, Hollywood has produced very little number of such big budgeted and memorable musicals. The popularity of the movie can be estimated by the fact that its sequel was also released with the title of Grease 2, but disappointingly; the sequel was unable to fulfill the audience’s expectations.
Background of the movie
The plot of the movie is set in the background of the year 1958’s summers. It’s a pure musical movie about the teenage romance. Danny who is a local guy, met a girl named as Sandy, at a beach. Sandy has been to California, to spend her vacations. Eventually, they both fall in love with each other. When her vacations end, Sandy had to return to Australia. But their destiny was obviously written somewhere else. Sandy’s parents changed their decision to return to Australia and decided to live in the US. Accidentally, Sandy has got admission in the same school, in which Danny was studying. From here on, the story takes a new turn. Danny and Sandy have to face many differences of social nature, in their way of love. These differences have kept on challenging the romance of both the teen agers in the whole movie.
Analysis of the Music of the Movie Grease (1978)
The soundtrack of Grease is the catchiest track, one could ever hear. The movie Grease (1978) possesses all the elements of a super hit musical movie like, pleasant and charming star cast, a story line which is simple, yet significant and an awesome collection of fun filled music. The reason that the film has got a huge fan following in the era of 70’s is that, people feel so much familiarity and friendliness with the movie’s soundtrack and were simply unable to resist it. Many songs of the movie have attained the status of pop smashing hits. It can be said undoubtedly that, the two things on which the whole movie Grease has relied upon; are the film’s music and the film’s reputation.
Considering the year of 1978, the soundtrack of the movie Grease was the second most successful and popular track in the US. The songs such as, Grease, You’re the One that I Want, Summer Nights, Hopelessly Devoted to You and Greased Lightning are timeless and unforgettable songs ever in the history of Hollywood cinema. Although these songs may not be entitled as songs that have achieved the greatest heights of music, but all such songs are pure funs to get listened and their long lasting appeal to music lovers has proved it right too.
The song of this movie, Hopelessly Devoted to You, was an Academy Award nominee; for the category of Best Music. Another record breaking factor about this film is that, its song, You’re the One that I Want; was the only song that was made public before the release of the film and ultimately it had become a huge success and was on top of the US charts. The thing to be noted here is that, this song was not even featured in the movie at that moment.
Even in the United Kingdom, the two duet numbers of the movie, featuring the lead cast Newton-John and Travolta; were the numero uno. These two songs were, You’re the One that I Want and Summer Nights. In fact, in the year of 2011, the same two songs were still within the twenty best songs ever sold; in the UK music history.
There were also few songs of the movie, that were featured in the film; but were absent in the film’s soundtrack. One of such songs was an instrumental one, named as; Alone at a Drive-in Movie. This instrumental track has also gained a huge popularity among film lovers.
The songs of the movie were choreographed by Patricia Birch. The choreographers have used the jazz, cha-cha, twist, rock ‘n’ roll and slow form of dancing. The composers for the soundtrack of the Grease and its lyricists were Warren Casey and Jim Jacobs. Its music has been dedicated to the young working people of the United States, more popularly called as ‘greasers’. The music of this movie has given the liveliest tracks for every sort of boring or dull wedding of the 70’s decade. Its soundtrack was also the most popular sound track, used for the dancing functions in the schools; at that time period. The film can be considered as the most energetic, active and musical. The songs possessed all the charm and the zip of that era.
Each and every song of Grease has fitted its plot in a very timely and accurate manner. The story of the movie goes further with the music. All the songs have served as a backbone for the movie. Soundtrack of Grease has become the music for the generations. It’s indeed, an out and out winner.
The reason behind the extreme popularity of the movie’s music is the fact that, this sort of music has posed an open challenge to the traditional music style; which was used to be followed in the US movies since many ages. The Grease has appeared as an elegant and a classic musical movie in its different and unique way. The themes of this movie have now become everlasting, appealing to the past, present and coming future generations. The movie has launched a new category of the melodic movies and the musicals. This movie was an introduction of such musical heights to the common people as well as to the elite class. Since the time of its release, the movie Grease is on a successful journey to become more and more beloved and well known, across the globe.
Grease is a classic and enduring musical movie that entertainingly captivates the ever changing world of the 70’s. It was a time when the culture of pop and rock ‘n’ roll have heavily affected the speech, dresses and the generation’s behavior, the liberated teenage and the immature America. CITATION Mil13 \l 1033 (Taylor, 2013) Thus, the arrival of that movie, along with its classy songs; have changed the US mainstream culture for forever. The music of this movie has strangely and unbelievably portrayed and dealt with diverse real life issues of the teen age Americans, while entertaining thoroughly on the other side too.
The music of Grease has evoked a sort of nostalgia among the young Americans of the 70’s. It is a treasured and a valuable piece of art, which should be celebrated very frequently time and again. One can feel a very special kind of connection with its music even today. Grease has per...