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"Man or Muppet" is a song from the 2011 Disney musical film The Muppets, written by singer-songwriter Bret McKenzie. Performed by the film's main characters, Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter (Peter Linz), the song also features Bill Barretta and Jim Parsons portraying the contrasting identities of Gary and Walter, respectively.[2] The song was released by Walt Disney Records on November 22, 2011, as part of the film's original soundtrack.

"Man or Muppet" won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 84th Academy Awards and the Sierra Award for Best Song.[3] It was also nominated for Best Song Written for Visual Media at the 55th Grammy Awards,[4] Best Original Song at the Satellite Awards[5] and Best Song at the 17th Critics Choice Awards, in which two other songs from the film, "Life's a Happy Song" and "Pictures in My Head", were also nominated, with the former winning.[6]

Context

In the film, the song is performed by Gary (Jason Segel), Walter (Peter Linz), a Muppet form of Gary (Bill Barretta), and Walter's human form (Jim Parsons).

The song is a piece that reflects Gary and Walter questioning what their true identities are. Through the course of the film, Gary is oblivious to the desires of his longtime girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), and instead offers to sacrifice his time to assist the rest of the Muppets return to fame. This leads to a conflict between him and a distraught Mary, who returns to her home in Smalltown without him. Meanwhile, his younger brother, Walter, despite his respect and admiration for the Muppets, experiences an identity crisis as he comes to terms with the dilemma of having to choose between becoming part of the Muppets—which has been his lifelong dream—or continuing his ordinary life alongside Gary and Mary.

During this song, Gary and Walter see alternate versions of themselves—while wandering the streets, Gary sees himself as a Muppet in a shop window and trolley, and Walter sees himself as a human (Parsons) in a circle of mirrors inside the Muppet Theatre. At one point, Gary and Walter (each with their respective counterpart) come together in an abstract, recondite musical setting, dressed in white tuxedos and playing pianos facing each other. At the song's conclusion, both characters ultimately accept who they really are; Gary declares himself a "Man" (but "a Muppet of a man") and Walter a "Muppet" (but "a very manly Muppet"). Gary and Mary are later seen reconciling after Gary goes back to Smalltown and apologizes to her.

Background

I think everyone has had that crisis at some point, trying to figure out whether they are a man or a Muppet... I like the idea of people having that crisis, driving around, trying to figure it out.

— Bret McKenzie on the meaning of "Man or Muppet"[7]

The film's writers, Nicholas Stoller and Segel, informed McKenzie that he had to avoid alluding to the term "puppet", stating that the Muppet characters view themselves as actual people, and never as sentient puppet figures.[7]

McKenzie cited power ballads written by artists such as Eric Carmen and Harry Nilsson as inspiration for the song's tone.[7] He also stated that the main reason for the song's inclusion in the film was to have the characters resolve the problem of coming to accept their true selves.[7]

Michael Cera and Paul Rudd were considered for the role of Walter's alter-ego.[8] The part was eventually given to Jim Parsons, who described it as "the role of a lifetime".[9]

Reception

After receiving the Oscar nomination, McKenzie admitted that he never expected it to be nominated and described his experience in writing the lyrics, stating that he "really wanted it to be hilarious and beautiful" and that the song itself is "sincere but ridiculous".[10]

"Man or Muppet" was the third Muppet song to be nominated for an Academy Award, the others being "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie and "The First Time It Happens" from The Great Muppet Caper. "Man or Muppet" is the first Muppet song to win an Oscar.[11] It is also the twelfth song from a Disney film to win for Best Original Song.1

Accolades

Awards
Award Category Result
84th Academy Awards Best Original Song Won
Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards Best Original Song Nominated
Georgia Film Critics Association Awards Best Original Song Won
55th Annual Grammy Awards Best Song Written for Visual Media Nominated
Houston Film Critics Society Best Original Song Nominated
Phoenix Film Critics Society Best Original Song Nominated
Satellite Awards 2011 Best Original Song Nominated
Sierra Awards 2011 Best Song Won

Chart performance

Chart (2012) Peak
position
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[12] 121

Music video

On December 20, 2011, Walt Disney Records produced a music video for the song on their Disney Music YouTube channel. The video is similar to that of what is seen in the film during the song's duration, however there are a few other scenes from the film spliced in throughout the video. The video has been aired on Disney Channel and Disney XD.

On February 24, 2012, Walt Disney Records re-published the music video in high-definition on The Muppets Studio' official YouTube channel.

Footnotes

^1 Past winners include; "When You Wish Upon a Star", from Pinocchio, "Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah", from Song of the South, "Chim Chim Cher-ee" from Mary Poppins, "Under the Sea" from The Little Mermaid, "Beauty and the Beast" from the eponymous film, "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" from The Lion King, "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas, "You'll Be in My Heart" from Tarzan, "If I Didn't Have You" from Monsters, Inc., and "We Belong Together" from Toy Story 3.

See also

References

  1. ^ "2013 Grammy Awards: Full List of Nominees". Billboard. December 21, 2012. Retrieved September 7, 2015. 
  2. ^ ""Man or Muppet" Nominated for an Academy Award!". The Muppet Mindset. January 24, 2012. Retrieved January 24, 2012. 
  3. ^ "Oscars 2012: The Muppets wins best song". The Guardian. Feb 26, 2012. Retrieved Apr 25, 2014. 
  4. ^ Morris, Christopher (5 December 2012). "Frank Ocean, Fun lead Grammy nominations". Variety. Retrieved 12 December 2012. 
  5. ^ Knegt, Peter (2011-12-19). "'Descendants,' 'Drive' Lead Satellite Award Winners". indieWire. Retrieved 2012-01-24. 
  6. ^ Ford, Rebecca (2012-01-12). "Critics' Choice Movie Awards: 'The Artist' Wins Best Picture". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2012-01-24. 
  7. ^ a b c d Interview: "Bret McKenzie: A Very Manly Muppet [Extended Cut]". NPR. 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2012-02-25. 
  8. ^ Ditzian, Eric (2010-12-15). "'Muppets' Star Jason Segel 'Hoping' For Lady Gaga Cameo". mtv.com. MTV. Retrieved 2012-01-25. 
  9. ^ Arbeiter, Michael. "Jim Parsons Can Finally Talk About His Top Secret 'Muppets' Role: Late Last Night". Hollywood.com. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2012. 
  10. ^ Warner, Kara (2012-01-24). "'Muppets' Music Man Calls Oscar Nod 'A Big Surprise'". MTV. Retrieved 2012-01-24. 
  11. ^ Baillie, Russell (2012-01-25). "Will Bret McKenzie's Muppet song win an Oscar?". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 2012-01-24. 
  12. ^ "Chart Log UK: Chart entries update". zobbel.de. The Official Charts Company. 2012-02-25. Retrieved 2012-02-27. 

External links

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