Another Day of Sun

Last updated

"Another Day of Sun"
Song by cast of La La Land
from the album La La Land: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
ReleasedDecember 9, 2016 (2016-12-09)
Recorded2015-2016
Genre
Length3:48
Label Intesrcope
Composer(s) Justin Hurwitz
Lyricist(s)
Audio sample
"Another Day of Sun"

"Another Day of Sun" is the opening number from the 2016 musical film La La Land . The ensemble number portrays drivers in a Los Angeles traffic jam on a highway ramp singing and dancing about their aspirations to succeed in Hollywood. The song was filmed on location on a 130-foot-high express ramp of the Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange [1] [2] in three shots, edited with hidden cuts to give the illusion of a single six-minute take. [3] The song was composed by Justin Hurwitz with lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, and choreography by Mandy Moore. [4]

Contents

Composition and lyrics

Hurwitz noted the tension in the song between the aspirations of the singers and the uncertain outcome of their efforts, noting "It’s an optimistic song, but it’s also about unfulfilled dreams." [5] Paul said, "You pursue that dream, and you go to bed and get up the next day, and it’s a gorgeous day. It encourages you in one breath, and in another breath doesn’t acknowledge that you just failed miserably. You wake up and it doesn’t match your mood. It’s a bright and shiny day." [4]

The song is written in the key of E♭ major, with a tempo of 126 beats per minute. It generally follows an A♭–B♭–Cm–Gm chord progression, and has a vocal range for the various parts of G3–C5. [6] Hurwitz composed the song with a fast-paced tempo predominantly using major keys, but often using minor keys as well, making it "more bittersweet than it may seem on its face" according to Hurwitz. [7] The song also has densely layered background vocals and a full 95-piece orchestra and 40-person choir. [7] [8] Hurwitz tried to feature different elements of the orchestration as the visuals followed different members of the ensemble. [7]

Shooting and choreography

The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange, where the scene with the song was filmed. Los Angeles - Echangeur autoroute 110 105.JPG
The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange, where the scene with the song was filmed.
A view from below of the ramp used for the shooting Los Angeles Freeway Interchange.jpg
A view from below of the ramp used for the shooting

The sequence – the first of the film to be shot – was filmed over two days in August 2015. The song was filmed on a 130-foot-high express ramp of the Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange between the Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110) and the Glenn Anderson Freeway (Interstate 105) in South Los Angeles. The ramp was closed for the two full days of filming. [1] [2] The rest of the highway was left open, so that normal traffic is visible in the background. [9] The sequence was initially planned to be on a ground-level ramp, [10] but it was changed to the interchange to give a sense of the vastness of the city. [9] Director Damien Chazelle also likened the number's location on a highway to the Yellow Brick Road in The Wizard of Oz. [11]

The number was shot in three takes, which were edited to give the appearance of a single six-minute long take. [3] Moore spent between three and four months preparing for the shoot, which involved over 60 cars, 30 dancers, and 100 extras. The number was choreographed with a single dancer at its beginning, with other dancers joining in incrementally, to avoid having everyone abruptly start dancing at once. [1] The ensemble also included several stunt performers. [12] Initial rehearsals with ten dancers occurred in a studio parking lot using about 20 staff members' cars. [1]

The number was initially planned to be preceded by an overture, but during editing it was found that this slowed the opening too much. Film editor Tom Cross noted that Chazelle "realized that for people to accept that it's a musical, you have to announce it confidently at the beginning," and then they realized that displaying the film's title on the final beat of the song was sufficient to make the song itself serve as a kind of overture to the musical. [13]

On screen, dancer Reshma Gajjar appears to sing the opening lines (and several others after that), but the lead female vocals were actually provided by vocalist Angela Parrish, who doesn't appear in the film. [14] The filmmakers had hoped to find a woman "who could both sing and dance on camera" to launch the opening number, but ended up finding their dancer first and then had to conduct separate auditions for a vocalist during post-production in the spring of 2016. [14]

Other performances

The cold open of the 74th Golden Globe Awards in January 2017 featured a musical parody of "Another Day of Sun", "City of Stars", and "Planetarium" from La La Land, with altered lyrics. The "Another Day of Sun" segment featured limousines in a traffic jam en route to the awards, with the dance routine performed by characters from several works nominated for the awards that year. It was performed by host Jimmy Fallon and featured cameos by Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, John Travolta, Sarah Paulson, Rami Malek, Kit Harington, and others. [15] [16]

It is performed by the Italian singer Mina, published by Sony Music and PDU on 9 February 2018. In 2022, Will Young, Jamie Winstone, Michael Owen, Charlotte Church, and Mark Feehily performed a version of "Another Day of Sun" in series 3 of the British version of The Masked Singer .

Charts

Chart performance for "Another Day of Sun"
Chart (2017)Peak
position
France (SNEP) [17] 18
Hungary (Single Top 40) [18] 16
Ireland (IRMA) [19] 79
Portugal (AFP) [20] 93
Scotland (OCC) [21] 75
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [22] 67
UK Singles (OCC) [23] 75

Certifications

Certifications for "Another Day of Sun"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
France (SNEP) [24] Gold66,666‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [25] Silver200,000‡

‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Freeway</span> Freeway in California

The Hollywood Freeway is one of the principal freeways of Los Angeles, California and one of the busiest in the United States. It is the principal route through the Cahuenga Pass, the primary shortcut between the Los Angeles Basin and the San Fernando Valley. It is considered one of the most important freeways in the history of Los Angeles and instrumental in the development of the San Fernando Valley. It is the second oldest freeway in Los Angeles. From its southern end at the Four Level Interchange to its intersection with the Ventura Freeway in the southeastern San Fernando Valley, it is signed as part of U.S. Route 101. It is then signed as State Route 170 north to its terminus at the Golden State Freeway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Interstate 105 (California)</span> Auxiliary Interstate Highway in Los Angeles County, California, United States

Interstate 105 (I-105) is an east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Greater Los Angeles urban area of Southern California. It runs from State Route 1 (SR 1) near El Segundo and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to I-605 in the City of Norwalk. It is commonly known as the Century Freeway after Century Boulevard which it parallels, and also officially known as the Glenn Anderson Freeway after the late congressman Glenn M. Anderson who advocated for its construction.

A directional interchange, colloquially known as a stack interchange, is a type of grade-separated junction between two controlled-access highways that allows for free-flowing movement to and from all directions of traffic. These interchanges eliminate the problems of weaving, have the highest vehicle capacity, and vehicles travel shorter distances when compared to different types of interchanges.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasek and Paul</span> American songwriting duo

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, known together as Pasek and Paul, are an American songwriting duo and composing team for musical theater, films and television. Their works include A Christmas Story, Dogfight, Edges, Dear Evan Hansen, and James and the Giant Peach. Their original songs have been featured on NBC's Smash and in the films La La Land, for which they won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song "City of Stars", and The Greatest Showman. Their work on the original musical Dear Evan Hansen has received widespread critical acclaim and earned them the 2017 Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Original Score. In 2022, they won the Tony Award for Best Musical for serving as producers for the Broadway production of Michael R. Jackson's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Paul</span> American composer and lyricist

Justin Paul is an American theater and television composer and lyricist best known for his works The Greatest Showman, La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen, all of which he co-wrote with his songwriting partner, Benj Pasek.

Samantha Jo "Mandy" Moore is an American choreographer, dancer, producer, and dance instructor. She is known for her work on the United States reality television series So You Think You Can Dance, having appeared on the show every year since the third season, and Dancing with the Stars. She choreographed the 2016 film La La Land and has also worked on stage musicals and commercials. She has created dance numbers for the Academy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Emmy Awards, and Grammy Awards ceremonies. She has been nominated seven times for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography, winning in 2017 for her work on Dancing with the Stars, in 2018 for her work on So You Think You Can Dance, and in 2020 for Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange</span> Interchange in California

The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange is a five-level stack interchange near the Athens and Watts communities of Los Angeles, California. It is the interchange of the following routes:

<i>Trolls</i> (film) 2016 film directed by Mike Mitchell

Trolls is a 2016 American animated jukebox musical comedy film produced by DreamWorks Animation and distributed by 20th Century Fox, based on the Good Luck Trolls dolls created by Thomas Dam. The film was directed by Mike Mitchell and co-directed by Walt Dohrn, from a screenplay by the writing team of Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger, based on a story by Erica Rivinoja. It stars the voices of Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Christine Baranski, Russell Brand, John Cleese, and Gwen Stefani. The film follows two trolls named Poppy (Kendrick) and Branch (Timberlake) who go on a quest to save their village from destruction by the Bergens, giant creatures who eat Trolls to be happy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Platt</span> American actor and singer (born 1993)

Benjamin Schiff Platt is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. Platt, the son of film and theater producer Marc Platt, began his acting career in musical theater as a child and appeared in productions of The Sound of Music (2006) and The Book of Mormon (2012–2015), rising to prominence for originating the title role in Broadway coming-of-age musical Dear Evan Hansen (2015–2017). His performance in the latter earned him multiple accolades, including the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical, the youngest solo recipient of the award at the time, in addition to a Daytime Emmy, and Grammy Award. Platt reprised the role of Evan Hansen in the 2021 film adaptation of the musical, produced by his father. He then played Leo Frank in the 2022 New York City Center Gala production of Parade, which transferred to Broadway in 2023 and earned him another nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damien Chazelle</span> American filmmaker

Damien Sayre Chazelle is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is known for directing the films Whiplash (2014), La La Land (2016), First Man (2018), and Babylon (2022), for which he has won various awards, including an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and a BAFTA Award.

<i>Beauty and the Beast</i> (2017 film) Film directed by Bill Condon

Beauty and the Beast is a 2017 American musical romantic fantasy film directed by Bill Condon from a screenplay by Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Mandeville Films, it is a live-action/CGI remake of Disney's 1991 animated feature film of the same name, itself an adaptation of Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont's 1756 version of the fairy tale. Starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens as the title characters, the film features a supporting ensemble and choir cast including Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Audra McDonald, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Ian McKellen, and Emma Thompson.

<i>La La Land</i> 2016 film by Damien Chazelle

La La Land is a 2016 American musical romance film written and directed by Damien Chazelle. It stars Ryan Gosling as a struggling jazz pianist and Emma Stone as an aspiring actress. They meet and fall in love while pursuing their dreams in Los Angeles. The supporting cast includes John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt, Finn Wittrock, and J. K. Simmons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hello (Adele song)</span> 2015 single by Adele

"Hello" is a song recorded by English singer-songwriter Adele, released on 23 October 2015 by XL Recordings as the lead single from her third studio album, 25 (2015). Written by Adele and the album's producer, Greg Kurstin, "Hello" is a piano ballad with soul influences, and lyrics that discuss themes of nostalgia and regret. Upon release, the song garnered critical acclaim, with reviewers comparing it favourably to Adele's previous works and praised its lyrics, production and Adele's vocal performance. It was recorded in Metropolis Studios, London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">74th Golden Globe Awards</span> American media award ceremony

The 74th Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and American television of 2016, was broadcast live on January 8, 2017 from The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California beginning at 5:00 p.m. PST / 8:00 p.m. EST by NBC. The ceremony was produced by Dick Clark Productions in association with the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Hurwitz</span> American composer and screenwriter

Justin Hurwitz is an American film composer and a television writer. He is best known for his longtime collaboration with director Damien Chazelle, scoring each of his films: Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2009), Whiplash (2014), La La Land (2016), First Man (2018), and Babylon (2022).

<i>La La Land</i> (soundtrack) 2016 soundtrack album by various artists

La La Land: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack album to the 2016 film La La Land. The soundtrack album was released through Interscope Records on December 9, 2016. The album has peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 and number 1 on the UK Albums Chart. At the 89th Academy Awards, the film won the Academy Awards for Best Original Score and Best Original Song for "City of Stars".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">City of Stars</span> 2016 song by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone

"City of Stars" is a song performed by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in the film La La Land (2016). The music of the song was composed by Justin Hurwitz while the lyrics were provided by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The song won numerous awards, including the award for Best Original Song at both the 74th Golden Globe Awards and 89th Academy Awards.

"Audition (The Fools Who Dream)" is a song composed by Justin Hurwitz with lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul for the musical film La La Land (2016). Sung by American actress Emma Stone in her role as Mia, the emotional ballad forms the film's climax. "Audition" sees Mia describing what it means to be someone who seeks a career in the arts; it has overall themes about dreamers and the importance of actors.

"Waving Through a Window" is the second song from Act 1 of the 2015 musical Dear Evan Hansen, which premiered on Broadway in 2016. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul wrote both the music and lyrics for the song, which serves as the main protagonist Evan Hansen's "I Want" song. It has since become the signature tune of the character, one of the musical's most famous songs and an anthem for those who have felt depressed and alone and show a desire for connection.

<i>Babylon</i> (soundtrack) 2022 film score by Justin Hurwitz

Babylon (Music from the Motion Picture) is the score album to the 2022 film of the same name directed by Damien Chazelle. The original music composed by Justin Hurwitz, Chazelle's frequent collaborator, which is set for release on December 9, 2022 by Interscope Records, two weeks ahead of the film's release on December 23, features 48 tracks running over an hour. Two of the tracks "Call Me Manny" and "Voodoo Mama" were released on November 11.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Fallon, Kevin (December 16, 2016). "How 'La La Land' Staged a Dance Number on an L.A. Freeway". The Daily Beast. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Aron, Hillel (2014). "Best Freeway Interchange: Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange". L.A. Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Pond, Steve (December 9, 2016). "'La La Land' High-Flying Highway Opening Scene: How'd They Do That?". The Wrap. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  4. 1 2 Bruner, Raisa (December 6, 2016). "Here's How They Made La La Land's Extravagant Opening Musical Number". Time. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  5. ↑ Meslow, Scott (December 16, 2016). "How 'La La Land' Got Its Unforgettable Music". GQ. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  6. ↑ Hurwitz, Justin (December 29, 2016). ""Another Day of Sun" from 'La La Land' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  7. 1 2 3 Tapley, Kristopher (August 31, 2016). "'La La Land' Composer Justin Hurwitz Details the Film's Songwriting Process". Variety. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  8. ↑ Ford, Rebecca (November 22, 2016). "How 'La La Land's' Music Found Just the Right Note". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  9. 1 2 Mekado Murphy (November 4, 2016). "L.A. Transcendental: How 'La La Land' Chases the Sublime". The New York Times . Retrieved November 5, 2016.
  10. ↑ Rebecca Ford (November 3, 2016). "How 'La La Land' Went From First-Screening Stumbles to Hollywood Ending". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved November 3, 2016.
  11. ↑ Gabler, Jay (December 16, 2016). "Will 'La La Land' save the movie musical?" . Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  12. ↑ Robinson, Tasha (December 20, 2016). "La La Land's choreographer shares the film's sneakiest dance-movie references". The Verge. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
  13. ↑ Giardina, Carolyn (December 19, 2016). "Why 'La La Land's' Opening Number Went From Cutting-Room Floor to Curtain-Raiser". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  14. 1 2 Walters, John (January 9, 2017). "Angela Parrish, The Hollywood Dreamer Who Sings 'La La Land's' Dreamy Opener". Newsweek. New York: Newsweek LLC. Retrieved March 3, 2017.
  15. ↑ Harris, Hunter (January 9, 2017). "Jimmy Fallon's La La Land–Inspired Golden Globes Cold Open Resurrected Stranger Things' Barb". Vulture. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  16. ↑ Lawson, Richard (January 8, 2017). "Jimmy Fallon Makes for an Oddly Tone-Deaf Golden Globes Host". HWD. Retrieved January 14, 2017.
  17. ↑ "La La Land Cast – Another Day of Sun" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved January 20, 2017.
  19. ↑ "Irish-charts.com – Discography La La Land Cast". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  20. ↑ "La La Land Cast – Another Day of Sun". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved February 9, 2017.
  21. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  22. ↑ "La La Land Cast – Another Day of Sun" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved April 30, 2023.
  23. ↑ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved January 28, 2017.
  24. ↑ "French single certifications – La La Land Cast – Another Day of Sun" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique . Retrieved March 27, 2018.
  25. ↑ "British single certifications – La La Land Cast – Another Day of Sun". British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved August 19, 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.