“I guess the change in my pocket wasn’t enough”
Everyone can relate to this song. Cee Lo Green’s ‘Forget You’ was released August 19, 2010, with its’ viral kinetic video, which allowed us to sing along to it (and to make sure we didn’t miss any chosen words). Using Kinetic Typography, it easily became one of my favorite pieces in recent memory, and the song was as unforgettable as the video – which just missed the best kinetic videos by a month.
I love the simplicity of it all, which reminded me of the effectiveness of Google’s Superbowl Commercial. Cee Lo Green’s ‘F**k You Forget You’ consisted of simple chords, simple melody, and simple lyrics. So I wanted the orchestration to mimic that. It’s a fun piece, which makes light of a heartbreak.
When working on this piece I considered arranging it 1 of 2 ways: sad, so as to follow the lyrics; or happy like the recording, as in a sense of victory, new beginnings, and declaration. I chose the later, because there’s nothing more joyful then moving on, learning from a lesson that someone betrayed you, and growing from it. The flutes take the lead throughout the entire arrangement, in order to add a beauty to the lyrics – which, as harsh as they are, are honest, and powerful – a great translation for the wind section. For the chorus I have the violins sing in a way that sounded magical, rather than depressing.
Finally, I wanted the drums to be aggressive, the brass writing to be accented, and the ending to be victorious, similar to Pearl Jam’s Alive – reminding us to stand tall.
One of my favorite quotes is John Mayer’s “Stay hurtable. Stay human. Stay open. It’s always worth it“. I felt that the lyrics aren’t so much about telling someone off – it’s more about declaring that they made a mistake, and you continue to live on. Frank Sinatra always said “Massive Success is the best revenge.” And since music is the most beautiful and passionate language in the world – I could find no better combination or excitement to express that thought than with the classical orchestra.
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