Ranking the Songs from the Up Soundtrack
On May 13, 2009, the 2009 computer-animated film, (Up), made its debut before hitting North American theaters on May 29 that same year. In the movie, which starred the voices of Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, and Bob Peterson, Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Asner) and a wilderness explorer named Russell (voiced by Nagai) embark for South America to honor a promise the elderly widower made to his late wife, Ellie. This adventure featured the two men encounter Dug the talking dog (voiced by Peterson) and an oversized bird being chased by a zealous explorer, Charles Muntz (voiced by Plummer). (Up) was the first 3D-animated film produced by Pixar. This movie was a box office success as one of the top ten grossing movies of 2009 during its theatrical run. (Up) earned a series of Academy Award nominations that resulted in two wins, namely for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Score. At the 2010 Golden Globe Awards, it won Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Score. Those original score wins are credited to the musical composition that added even more depth to a brilliant storyline that made (Up) as popular as it became. The musical composition that made the Up Soundtrack what it not only earned it an Academy Award but also a 2010 Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album and a 2010 BAFTA Award for Best Film Music. The digital download of (Up) as a soundtrack became available on May 26, 2009, just three days before the film itself opened in theaters. The entire flow of the music in the soundtrack is so well-knit together that it feels like a fluidic ride of one piece to another. The mood of the music dances with a mix of emotions and catchy tunes that seem to go from one extreme to another without sounding awkward. The first twenty-three tunes on the soundtrack were composed by Michael Giacchino while the final three were sound effects presented by Skywalker Sound.
22. Up with Titles (composed by Michael Giacchino)
At the beginning of the movie and the soundtrack, (Up with Titles) starts off as a playful intro that featured a bit of 1920s style jazz that made the roaring twenties as fun-loving as it was portrayed by historians.
21. We’re in the Club Now (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(We’re in the Club Now) started the entire musical experience. This beautiful piece of music laid out the concept of a couple dancing through life together.
20. It’s Just a House (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(It’s Just a House) is a tune that states the obvious. As easy as it is to become attached to something, a true home isn’t simply some building that has walls and a roof. The home is where the heart is, which was one of the primary messages the entire movie of (Up) had been covering from its opening scene to the end.
19. The Ellie Badge (composed by Michael Giacchino)
With a promise fulfilled, along with the feel of bittersweet memories that overwhelm, (The Ellie Badge) signaled the end of a tale that was well told.
18. The Up with End Credits (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(The Up with End Credits) served as a cheerful ride that marked the end of a tale that had many ups and downs, ultimately seeing a happy ending come to pass.
17. The Small Mailman Returns (composed by Michael Giacchino)
The full-circle feel behind (The Small Mailman Returns) ran as a spur of excitement, giving off the feel a dramatic conclusion is about to happen.
16. He’s Got the Bird (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(He’s Got the Bird) was composed a dramatic run of music beautifully composed and orchestrated by Michael Giacchino as he established in this soundtrack why the music deserved to earn as many awards and accolades it did.
15. Stuff We Did (composed by Michael Giacchino)
The joyous feel of (Stuff We Did) was a celebratory-style song that felt like dancing through fond memories of a time that seemed to stand still.
14. Memories Can Weigh You Down (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Memories Can Weigh You Down) played out the perfect trip down memory lane feel that is later met with the dramatic reality that there are some memories that serve as anchors to stop a person from moving foward with their own life.
13. Escape from Muntz Mountain (composed by Michael Giacchino)
Exciting from start to finish, (Escape from Muntz Mountain) laid out that instrumental playout of adventure fraught with danger that brought about a sense of urgency brilliantly orchestrated by Giacchino’s composition.
12. Giving Muntz the Bird (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Giving Muntz the Bird) was a song of dramatic conflict that was met with the need to not fail at something that was so important. Together, they work off each other as a great high and low mix of how the best adventure music scores are known to go.
11. The Nickel Tour (composed by Michael Giacchino)
Fun-loving and adventurous, (The Nickel Tour) played out exactly as it was designed, giving the feel of exploration as one gets caught up in the music.
10. The Explorer Motel (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(The Explorer Motel) suggests the fun-loving and adventurous play of these two instrumental tunes lay out the thrill of exploration in a manner that allows the imagination to wander off and simply get caught up into the wave of the music.
9. Three Dog Dash (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Three Dog Dash) was a speed-rush instrumental that was also playful, hyping up the dramatics as if there was a dog sled running out of control.
8. Kevin Break’n (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Kevin Break’n) was a whimsical musical that sounded like a rush of activity, met with excitement and a hint of danger.
7. Canine Conundrum (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Canine Conundrum) was a music composition that playfully portrayed an image of a musical rush finally calming down after whatever crisis was going down was finally beginning to pass.
6. Walkin’ the House (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Walkin’ the House) was a track played immediately after the blissful (Paradise Found) as a sombering dose of reality about a couple growing old together that sooner or later sees death do them part. Giacchino’s brilliant instrumentals carrying out this heartfelt song serves as a try-not-to-cry moment.
5. Paradise Found (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Paradise Found) is met with the beauty of encountering an awesome moment that is truly breathtaking. From start to finish, the song sounds as a dream-come-true moment.
4. Carl Goes Up (composed by Michael Giacchino)
Just after (Married Life) finishes its run as a song, the soundtrack shifts focus to (Carl Goes Up) as he ascends to embark on his trek to South America to make good of a promise he made with his wife before she died. Designed as a flighty song ready to launch into adventure, the musical composition laid out by Michael Giacchino perfectly set the scene as it ventured into 52 Chachki Pickup.
3. 52 Chachki Pickup (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(52 Chachki Pickup) was a song that took the concept of chachki (otherwise known as tchotchke) as a buildup song. Tchotchke is Yiddish for knick-knacks that are often collected as souvenirs whenever visiting some given event or place of interest. The transition into this song from (Carl Goes Up) served as a puzzle-piecing style of music that laid out a rather dramatic feel to an adventurous journey before sombering out with (Paradise Found).
2. Seizing the Spirit of Adventure (composed by Michael Giacchino)
(Seizing the Spirit of Adventure) was blissfully and excitedly told in musical form as Michael Giacchino seemed to outdo himself with this instrumental joyride.
1. Married Life (composed by Michael Giacchino)
In the movie, (Married Life) served as a cultural milestone montage that was highlighted as the key element to the film’s success, as well as earning the amount of awards and accolades by the entertainment industry. The celebration of a happily married couple that enjoyed life together as a man and his wife should, was heartfelt without becoming sappy. There were also hints of sorrow upon the acknowledgement the couple were never blessed enough to have children of their own. So, as they grow old together, they’re doing so on their own. (Married Life) was the first assignment Giacchino had for the film. When he worked on this song it was meant to come across as something heard on an old music box
