Les Miserables Goes Country

(No, that wasn't a typo)

   

While my sister was home for Christmas break she suggested that we go see Les Miserables.  I told her I’d go with her mostly because I was looking forward to stuffing my face with 500 calories of buttery goodness, yet what happened to me in that theatre was a total surprise.  I was completely blown away by the whole production and sat with my mouth gaping like an idiot the whole time.  I was so blown away by everybody’s performance that my bag of popcorn was still full by the time I left the theatre-and trust me, that never happens.

I picked up the book in Target the other day and have been reading it nonstop (side note: the quality of my school work has plummeted).  While I was reading about Jean Valjean’s conversion Rascal Flatts’ new single, “Changed” came on the radio and I got to thinking about how well that song connected with Valjean’s story.  My mind kept wandering and I wondered how many other country songs could have been included in the movie if director Tom Hooper had made the rash decision to change the setting from 19^th century France to the current land of cut offs, farms, and pick up trucks.  This is where my mind led me:

“Look Down”   ……becomes…….     “Folsom Prison Blues” by Johnny Cash

The lonesome and seemingly hopeless life of a prisoner has always been a very common theme in country music.  Everybody from Jimmie Rodgers to Blake Shelton has performed songs about prison.  Tim McGraw recently joined the prison crew with his song “Number 37405” on his most recent album, “Two Lanes of Freedom” (which I highly recommend checking out, by the way- it’s one of his best!).  

But perhaps no one has been able to effectively describe the life of a prisoner in a song better than The Man in Black himself, Johnny Cash- which is kinda weird because his song about prison has become much more popular than songs from artists who actually did some hard time behind bars (we’re looking at you, Merle).  Contrary to popular belief, Johnny Cash was never actually incarcerated and his song “Folsom Prison Blues” was inspired more by his time in the US Army than any personal experience behind bars. But nobody would ever guess that based on the emotion Cash puts into his song.  “Look Down” and “Folsom Prison Blues” both express feelings shared by almost all prisoners:  anger, hopelessness, sadness, regret, and longing.

                      

                                                           

“Valjean’s Soliloquy”  ……becomes….  “Changed” by Rascal Flatts

            Valjean’s Soliloquy is by far one of my favorite scenes in the movie and the waterworks started coming (not for the last time) while watching it.  Jean Valjean has just been released from prison but is far from being spiritually free because of an unshakable darkness inside of him.   He has been shown nothing but hatred since being released and returns to evil due to his anger and frustration with humanity.  When a bishop shows him an amount of mercy and love that he has never before known, Valjean is overwhelmed with guilt, remorse, and shame for all the wrongdoings he has done and vows to be a good, loving man for the rest of his life.  This is where Rascal Flatts’ song comes into play.  Redemption, reconciliation, and renewal are the major themes in this extremely refreshing song from Rascal Flatts.      

“I Dreamed A Dream”   …becomes….  “If I Can Dream” by Elvis Presley (Kinda…)

Alright, this one is the biggy. The big daddy.  The big cheese.  “I Dreamed A Dream” has become a staple for Les Miserables, and rightly so.  Anyone who wasn’t moved at least a little bit by Anne Hathaway’s performance is probably the same person who watches Home Alone and roots for Marv and Harry (the wet bandits, if you will).  

When I first started brainstorming country songs to replace “I Dreamed A Dream” I immediately thought of the song “If I Can Dream” by the one and only, Mr. Elvis Presley.  Both songs talk about dreaming for a better world while at the same time kind of losing all hope in humanity.  However, I was listening to Jason Aldean’s new album, Night Train,  the other day and I heard his song “Black Tears” for the first time.  The dark tone of the song immediately grabbed me and the lyrics reminded me of Fauntine’s story for obvious reasons.  So heck, why don’t you just listen to both songs because they are both amazing and you will fall in love.  Mkay, thanks :)

 

“Castle On a Cloud”   ……becomes….. “Queen Maybelline” by The Band Perry

Believe it or not, there are not a whole lot of songs these days being sung by abandoned children who are forced to live with a physco creep as a mother and Borat as a father.  But there are quite a few songs about children with a bad home situation who fantasize of going to another place where they are loved and appreciated.  

A good example of a song like this is “Concrete Angel” by Martina McBride, a hauntingly beautiful song about a young girl who is so often abused by her mother that she ends up getting killed.  The chorus of Martina’s song works sooo well with “Castle On a Cloud”  (“Through the wind and the rain/She stands hard as a stone/In a world that she can’t rise above/But her dreams/Give her wings/And she flies to a place/Where she’s loved”), but since the two songs have such different endings, I thought “Queen Maybelline” by The Band Perry would be a little more appropriate.  This song is a bonus track from their self-titled CD and is unsurprisingly awesome.

                                    An invisible girl in a cruel, cruel world

                                    Still can't find some peace

                                    When she flies out of her mind

                                    To a beautiful place with sunny skies

                                    She's free when she dreams

                                    She's Queen Maybelline.

                   

                   

“On My Own”         ….becomes…..  “Liar”  by Eden’s Edge

            Being in love with your best friend while they are completely and utterly oblivious and usually in love with someone else is a pretty popular theme in music in general, but especially in country music.  

Songs like Teardrops on My Guitar by Taylor Swift and Winner At A Losing Game by Rascal Flatts popped into my head but the song that really makes me think of Eponine is “Liar” by Eden’s Edge.  Eden’s Edge is a relatively new band from Arkansas but I think they’re going to be big one day.  Really big.  Their harmonies are amazing, the songwriting is fantastic, and Hannah’s voice is so innocent and beautiful that it makes me want to cry sometimes (Is that weird?  Probably.).  

 I think this song fits best with Les Mis because Eponine tries really hard to be happy for Marius and Cossette while simultaneously hoping with every fiber of her being that Marius will open his eyes and realize that she loves him.  

You may think this is irrelevant to the rest of the blog. You are wrong.  Aaron Tveit is always relevant.  Always.  

What do you guys think of this list?  Can you think of any other songs that could've made the list?  Let me know!