COCO music was created with Mexican rhythms and sounds, cheerful and varied. Check all about the music of the film that is breaking records in the United States and Mexico.
Disney invited me with all the expenses paid for the press trip.
Pixar always tries to tell the best story as best you can and in COCO they wanted music to be crucial; and they did it, each of COCO’s songs is spectacular. “COCO is a great celebration of family, music and joy and we had a great team working with us.” Co-Director and Writer Adrián Molina told us.
COCO tells the story of Miguel, a twelve-year-old boy who wants to be a musician, but tries to do it in secret, because his family does not allow it, they are forbidden all kinds of music, all this, will send Miguel on an adventure to achieve his dreams.
Look in the search box for everything about COCO, interviews with Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Brat, Anthony Gonzalez, Alanna Ubach, the creators of COCO and coloring pages!
HOW COCO MUSIC WAS CREATED
In the process of COCO music talented artists and composers participated: Michael Giacchino composer of the music of all the films of Pixar, Germaine Franco Composer and Arranger, the artist Camilo Lara, as music advisor (Mexican Institute of Sound DJ).
From the beginning, they were very clear that they wanted COCO to “smell like México” and for that, the creators of the music traveled to this country and met with fifty musicians, “la creme de la creme” as Camilo Lara told us.
They were recording melodies and sounds, of different styles, whatever they wanted to play. The creators told us that it was interesting to feel the emotions of each style of music.
Among the fantastic selection of musicians who recorded, there were some who could read music, others could not.
They recorded all the sounds and that served to make the animators recreate the movements in the film, so that what we see in the film, is how it is actually heard.
For example in the attic scene, where Miguel appears playing guitar in front of the TV, every movement of his fingers is as if he is playing a real guitar.
In addition to the music they recorded very Mexican sounds, such as the sound of the shoeing on the wood. “Mexico has a great variety of sounds and style of music,” said Germaine Franco, the son jarocho, threesome music, band, marimba; not just the mariachi music we all know.
At COCO they tried to tell the story with music; they incorporated classical, traditional, folk music, depending on the moments of the film. “Having access to all these kinds of music sounds was very good for the music creators,” said Michael Giacchino.
For example, when Miguel and Hector arrive in the part of the land of the dead, where the almost forgotten are, band music is heard, giving a touch of mystery but at the same time joyful, of camaraderie.
They worked with the Tierra Mojada Band of Oaxaca, the group of Son jarocho Mono Blanco de Veracruz and Celso Duarte; some of these musicians make their own instruments.
Remember Me song
COCO’s signature song was composed by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, the same ones who made the famous Frozen song. At COCO we can listen to Remember me or Remind me in different versions, depending on the moment.
“We wanted COCO to have a song that expressed the power of this star (Ernesto de la Cruz) from the golden age of Mexican cinema, at its best. Remind me, express the character of this character, gives the idea of being remembered and having someone to remember you,” Adrian Molina told us.
Germaine Franco Composer and Arranger, about Remind me, told us that it’s a song everyone would sing, “We wanted a song like the mornings, a song everyone knows.”
About A Little Crazy they told us they tried to get a dynamic song. Miguel sings it on the talent show, which he goes to with Hector and although they are working as a team, they are going a little crazy. The song has jarochos touches; the jarochos, tell the story in the song, as well as in the rans.
Ernesto de la Cruz’s iconic guitar
The famous guitar of Ernesto de la Cruz is white, is beautifully decorated as if it were a sugar skull and even has a golden tooth! About the iconic guitar we were told that it was made by German Vazquez Rubio, an expert guitar manufacturer.
Guitarist Federico Ramos is the one who plays many of the guitar songs at COCO and was playing the famous guitar at the meeting we had with them and at COCO’s premier party in Hollywood.
Adrian Molina, Co-Director and Writer of COCO told us that he lives in a generational family, where his grandparents brought music of all kinds, the music brings back memories and gives him a language to connect with his family.
The COCO Soundtrack
Coco’s soundtrack is now available in English and Spanish. The English soundtrack includes 38 tracks, including “Remember Me” by Kristen Anderson and Robert Lopez, additional original songs composed by Germaine Franco and co-director and screenwriter Adrian Molina; and original music by composer Michael Giacchino.
The COCO soundtrack in the English version includes:
1 Remember Me. Benjamin Bratt
2 Much Needed Advice. Benjamin Bratt & Antonio Sol
3 Everyone Knows Juanita. Gael García Bernal
4 A Little Crazy. Anthony Gonzalez & Gael García Bernal
5 Jálale (Instrumental). Mexican Institute of Sound
6 The World Is My Family. Anthony Gonzalez & Antonio Sol
7 Remember Me (Lullaby). Gael García Bernal, Gabriella Flores & Libertad García Fonzi
8 The Cryer. Alanna Ubach & Antonio Sol
9 Remember Me. Anthony Gonzalez & Ana Ofelia Murguía
10 Proud Heart. Anthony Gonzalez
11 Remember Me (Duo) Miguel
12 Will He Shoemaker?. Michael Giacchino
13 Shrine and Dash. Michael Giacchino
14 Miguel’s Got an Axe to Find. Michael Giacchino
15 The Strum of Destiny. Michael Giacchino
16 It’s All Relative. Michael Giacchino
17 Crossing the Marigold Bridge. Michael Giacchino
18 Dept. Of Family Meetings. Michael Giacchino
19 The Skeleton Key to Escape. Michael Giacchino
20 The Newbie Skeleton Walk. Michael Giacchino
21 Goodbye Chicharrón. Michael Giacchino
22 Plaza de la Cruz. Michael Giacchino
23 Family Doubtings. Michael Giacchino
24 Taking Sides. Michael Giacchino
25 Spectacular Party. Michael Giacchino
26 Feast with the Cross. Michael Giacchino
27 I Have a Great-Great-Grandson. Michael Giacchino
28 A Blessing and a Fessing. Michael Giacchino
29 Cave Dwelling on the Past. Michael Giacchino
30 We are Family. Michael Giacchino
31 Rivera Family Reunion. Michael Giacchino
32 A Family Dysfunction. Michael Giacchino
33 Grabbing a Photo Opportunity. Michael Giacchino
34 The Show Must Go On. Michael Giacchino
35 For Whom the Bell Tolls. Michael Giacchino
36 A Run for the Ages. Michael Giacchino
37 One Year Later. Michael Giacchino
38 Coco – Day of the Dead Suite. Michael Giacchino
And you’ve seen COCO? What did you think of the music in the movie?
What’s your favorite song?
Check out:
- Edward James, the voice of Chicharron in COCO (sings Juanita)
- Wong is the Asian SuperHero in Doctor Strange
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