“At the Gala” is more Sondheim. It’s a takeoff of the song “Ever After” from Into The Woods.
Far as I’m aware, though, everything else is original. I would swear Applejack’s part during Winter Wrap-Up was something familiar (I keep wanting to say like Dave Matthews or something, but I know that can’t be right), but nothing else has been identified by The Internet.
I love Sweetie Belle’s rendition of Hush Now, Quiet Now. And Fluttershy’s version of Pinkie Pie’s song about Zecora (“She’s an evil enchantress…”)
Definitely the Winter Wrap-up song. I get chills on Twilight’s solo everytime.
“I wanna belong
So I must do my best today
Do my best today”
Art of the Dress, and the start of Rainbow Dash’s bit in At The Gala.
Art of the Dress, it is perfectly sung and I like the message.
I loved Rainbow dash’s part in *At the Gala
*
uncanny
For me, “Winter Wrap-up”.
Note to self: do not ready Brony threads without earworm remedy at hand.
Winter Wrap-Up, Winter Wrap-Up!
Let’s finish our holiday cheer~
Winter Wrap-Up, Winter Wrap-Up!
'Cause tomorrow Spring is here,
'Cause tomorrow Spring is here!
You’re welcome.
“Art of the Dress” wins it for me. The singer for Rarity has a great voice, and the melodic reference to the Sondheim piece fits the theme of art vs commerce perfectly. “Art of the Dress” presents a surprisingly complex take on a very “adult” question (and slyly comments on the production of the show itself), but presented in a way that children can understand. It encapsulates everything great about MLP:FiM in four awesomely catchy minutes.
All we ever want is indecision
All we really like is what we know
Gotta balance style with adherence,
Making sure we make a good appearance
Even if you simply have to fudge it
Make sure that it stays within our budget!
“Winter Wrap Up” comes in second. The lyrics aren’t quite as on-point as for “Art of the Dress,” but the music more than makes up for it (and there are still plenty of great lines). I particularly love Rainbow Dash’s part - and that sequence during the reprise when the pegasus ponies blast through the snowstorm is an awe-inspiring, Disney-esque merging of music and animation.
And of course, for pure comedic value, you can’t beat Flutterguy’s N’awlins rendition of “Evil Enchantress.”
Tan,
Art of the dress has to be number 1 or 2. It almost makes me like Rarity.
What’s the adult question being addressed in that song?
When does the second season air? Has Hasbro planned some stuff for bronies?
I really enjoy the remixes.
After a quick Youtube search, here are some of the ones I like:
PinkiePieSwear - Giggle at the Ghostly (Simple Joy Mix)
JackleApp - Giggle at the Ghostly (Ponyhouse Mix)
JackleApp - Cupcakes Yay! Cupcakes! (Flutterpie mix)
AllicornUK - PMV: Evil Enchantress (Allicorn’s Abra-ca-zebra Mix)
WoodenToaster - Pinkie’s Lie (MLP FiM Remix)
Two remixes I really like:
Rainbow Dash Likes Girls (Stay Gay, Pony Girl)
Rainbow Dash Likes Colts (Stay Straight, Pony Girl)
These aren’t remixes of one particular song. They take bits of lots of different Pony-related songs and sounds and stir them into new music.
The conflict between a working artist and her clients. Does the artist maintain her vision/ integrity at the possible expense of her livelihood, or does she compromise for the sake of sales? Is it her job to follow her client’s exact wishes, or is there room for creativity and personal flair?
It’s never as simple as “artists are paid to do what the client wants” versus “never sell out ever.” Real artists have to deal with these conundrums all the time, and the writers and animators of MLP:FiM are no exception. For example, Lauren Faust intended Celestia to be a “queen” as befits a head of state, but Hasbro insisted she be a “princess” because it sells better to little girls. Since the distinction doesn’t really matter from a character or storytelling standpoint, Faust agreed to make Celestia a princess. A contrasting example would be most of the rest of the show: it’s Faust’s singular artistic vision, after all, that made FiM into far more than the soppy dreck that comprises most animation for young girls.
These are complicated questions with no easy answers. And the very topic of artistic integrity versus commercial viability is, generally speaking, way above the pay grade of your average preteen MLP viewer. “Art of the Dress” does a beautiful job of conveying the battle between the two conflicting sides at a level understandable by anyone, without dumbing anything down or any air of condescension. That it also serves as biting satire and ridonkulously infectious pop music is what elevates it from “cool song about the artistic process” to “true genius” in my book.
I don’t think there have been any official announcements, but my guess is they’ll start airing Season 2 around October, since that’s the timetable they followed for Season 1. I’ve heard that they’ll be throwing in more brony-targeted background gags this season too (although I hope they don’t get too obtrusive about it). For example, Derpy’s appearances will be intentional this time around, probably like when she showed up in “Feeling Pinkie Keen” as a delivery pony.
Although in the actual episode, we see no indication that the other ponies are bankrolling the expense of making the dresses in any way. Rarity offers to do them all a huge favor and they proceed to walk all over her. The song is about the balance between artistic integrity and commercial success but the episode is about how not to be a weenie and let your friends take advantage of you.
Yeah, that’s the part that I’m assuming is a subtle dig at the networks. It doesn’t make much sense in the context of the story, but makes perfect sense if you view that verse as commentary on television production in the 21st century.
Edited to add: I’d also argue that the point of the episode isn’t about assertiveness vs. being a weenie per se. Rarity’s friends might not be paying her for the dresses, but the root conflict is one between an artist and her clients. Keep in mind that the resolution of the conflict isn’t that Rarity learns to stand up for herself, but that her original designs end up impressing Hoity Toity. It’s Rarity’s friends who learn the lesson that you shouldn’t take advantage of other people’s generosity. Rarity herself represents the triumph of the singular vision over art-by-committee.
Yeah, it’s a little bit of a mixed message. The obvious message is “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth,” which is what the Aesop covers, but it certainly goes deeper than that for viewers with broader experience.
So I may have gotten a little misty-eyed the last time I watched Cutie Mark Chronicles. Which episodes make you tear up?
Cutie Mark Chronicles does it for me, too, plus I gotta admit I felt really bad for Fluttershy towards the end of Bird In The Hoof. Poor thing thought that she had killed Philomena! I swear, that phoenix is as much of a troll as her owner.
ps - Check out Kyrospawn’s new MLP soundboard.
I’ll admit to a mild case of the throat lumpies during the montage at the end of “Winter Wrap Up” - particularly the segment I mentioned earlier in the thread in which the pegasus ponies blast through the clouds.
Yeah, between Celestia inviting the gals to the Gala because she knew it would suck and wanted to see what would happen and the phoenix incident…I think Celestia might be the evil one in the family, not Luna.
Speaking of, I’m really curious about why we never see Luna. Is she locked in a bedroom Misery style while Celestia gets her revenge? I have seen fan art explaining where she is, but I want the real deal. I love Luna.