While many might be flocking to Coachella this year to catch Harry Styles or Billie Eilish, composer Danny Elfman is quickly becoming the music festival’s show stealer. Of course, as a huge Elfman fan (even his Oingo Boingo days), I could be biased.
For starters, Elfman, who used to look like this:
Now looks like this:
A sort of punk rock Ron Weasley in the best way. Oh, did we mention he is 68 years old?!
And then there’s his live version of the theme song from “The Simpsons.” In full cinematic glory.
Danny Elfman credits the award-winning, legendary theme song as being “The easiest thing he’s ever done.” In an interview with Vulture, Elfman revealed that he came up with the tune on the ride back home from an interview with Matt Groening, the show’s creator.
Ever the avant garde-artist, Elfman told Groening, “If you want something contemporary, I’m not the guy for that. But if you want something like a crazy Hanna-Barbera that never was, then I think I’m the right guy.”
And crazy it was (and is). Elfman came up with a song that has a bit of everything: a crazy amount of musical variations, an epic saxophone solo, something called the devil’s interval … all within the span of 90 seconds.
The very next day after sending the proposed track, the song got the green light. And the rest is a 33-season history.
“I didn’t think [The Simpsons] would last more than one season, if it even lasted one season,” Elfman told Vulture. “So I did it purely for fun. That silly moment would become this major defining moment in my life. It’s amazing. It’s ironic.”
If there’s any doubt as to what a symphonic masterpiece this theme song is, just watch the video from Coachella. It has everything the original had. Only bigger and badder.
Danny, please save some genius and sheer coolness for the rest of us. Actually, one second thought: Just continue being your wild, unhinged, brilliant self.
