Amy Lott

MUS 127V

March 22, 2021

Song Report Group Two

“Candle on the Water”

“Candle on the Water” is a song composed by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschhorn in 1977. It was

written for the live-action/animated Walt Disney Pictures film, Pete's Dragon. This song was nominated

for the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1977, but lost to "You Light Up My Life." Initially

“Candle on the Water” was intended to be the only song in the film. When it became a hit, a decision

was made to make Pete's Dragon a musical, and more songs are added to the film.

The song takes place in the lantern-room balcony of a lighthouse. The lighthouse belongs to the

characters Nora and Lampie, a Father and daughter who live at the lighthouse. The song is sung by Nora

to her Fiancé, who is lost at sea. The role of Nora was originally played by Helen Reddy. Her original

recording of “Candle on the Water” reached 27 th on the Billboard charts in the US. Reddy’s career

continued to include 15 singles on the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Six of her songs made the top

10 and three reached number one, including her most well-known hit "I Am Woman." While

researching this song, I learned Helen Reddy passed away this year during the pandemic, at the age

of 78. She died in a skilled nursing facility for retired entertainers in Los Angeles. Although COVID

has not been listed as a cause of death, friends and family report that her health took a sharp

decline after isolation precautions were enforced.

”Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite"

“Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now Invite" is a song composed by John Dowland. It was

included in Dowland's First Booke of Songes or Ayres, which appeared in 1597. The First Booke of Songes
or Ayres was Dowland’s first published collection of music. The song “Come Again, Sweet Love Doth Now

Invite" was written for soloist and lute player.

Dowland was one of the most stylish of English Renaissance composers. He is often considered

the first songwriter as the term is understood today. This is understandable, as the universal human

theme of unreturned love has stood the test of time. The song illustrates the emotional ups and down of

a love no longer returned, something most people can relate to at some point in life. It has been

recorded and performed many times, by many types of musicians that truly span modern genres. For

example, recently it was recorded by the Scottish tenor Paul Agnew, and the pop singer known as Sting.

“On My Own”

"On My Own" is a solo from the 1980 musical Les Misérables for the part of Éponine. In the

song, she expresses her unrequited love for the character Marius, and how she dreams of being at his

side, unrelenting, although she is aware of his love is for Cosette, the upper class version of her. The

emotion of this song speaks loudly of the monetary differences profoundly apparent and relevant to the

politics of today.

This is the most popular song, of the most popular musical of mankind. I feel forntunate, at the

excuse to delve into it. The musical , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz (/leɪ ˈmɪz/), is a sung-

through musical adaptation from the French poet and novelist Victor Hugo's 1862 novel. Claude-Michel

Schönberg), Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, and Herbert Kretzmer (English lyrics) all added to the

sensation that is Les Miserables.