FantasMic (Song)
Encyclopedia
"FantasMic" is a song by the Finnish power metal
band Nightwish
from their album Wishmaster
.
It was written by Tuomas Holopainen
, the keyboardist
and main songwriter of the band, and it is considered a tribute to Walt Disney
and the movies and characters of the Walt Disney Studios
. The song features a flute solo by Esa Lehtinen.
The song's title and part of its main chorus are both references to the water-and-lights show entitled Fantasmic!
that is shown at Disney's Hollywood Studios
in Orlando, Florida and at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The lines "Where the Warrior's heart is pure. Where the stories will come true" reference the theme of Fantasmic!, which takes place in Mickey's
dreamworld.
References to Walt Disney are heard in the lines "Wishmaster's will - Join him in the quest for dream", "The realm of the king of fantasy", and "the master of the tale-like lore". Further, the line "The way to kingdom I adore" is a reference to the castle that leads into Fantasyland at the Disney theme parks.
The chorus line "Wish upon a star" is taken from a song from Pinocchio
while referring to the star as "the second star to the right" is a reference to Peter Pan
.
Other films that are referenced are:
The references to famous Disney comic characters include:
On Nightwish's second full-length DVD End of Innocence, Holopainen can be seen talking in a room in his home entirely staffed with Disney toys, among them many of Donald Duck. On Nightwish's third full-length DVD End of an Era
, Holopainen can be also seen reading Donald Duck comics while traveling on tour.
. The performances of this song, while brief, have generally been very spectacular. During instrumental parts, Holopainen was known to jump out from behind the keyboards and play "air guitar" while headbanging alongside singer Tarja Turunen
and the rest of the bandmates, to much applause and cheering from fans. This is the only time he would leave his post.
"FantasMic" was not performed on subsequent tours. It has not been, as yet, sung by current Nightwish singer Anette Olzon
.
Power metal
Power metal is a style of heavy metal combining characteristics of traditional metal with speed metal, often within symphonic context. The term refers to two different but related styles: the first pioneered and largely practiced in North America with a harder sound similar to speed metal, and a...
band Nightwish
Nightwish
Nightwish is a Finnish symphonic metal band from Kitee, Finland. Formed in 1996 by songwriter and keyboardist Tuomas Holopainen, guitarist Emppu Vuorinen, and former vocalist Tarja Turunen, Nightwish's current line-up has five members, although Tarja has been replaced by Anette Olzon and the...
from their album Wishmaster
Wishmaster (album)
Wishmaster is the third album of Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish, released on May 19, 2000 by Spinefarm Records.Wishmaster's sound continues the bombastic symphonic power metal approach originally featured on Oceanborn, albeit with more emphasis on atmosphere and melody versus powerful speed...
.
It was written by Tuomas Holopainen
Tuomas Holopainen
Tuomas Lauri Johannes Holopainen is a Finnish composer known best for symphonic metal music. He has also studied jazz and classical styles, but prefers to be influenced by harmonic film music....
, the keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
and main songwriter of the band, and it is considered a tribute to Walt Disney
Walt Disney
Walter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
and the movies and characters of the Walt Disney Studios
The Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
. The song features a flute solo by Esa Lehtinen.
Disney references
The entire song is a dedication to Walt Disney himself, to his iconic characters, and to various Disney animated feature films.The song's title and part of its main chorus are both references to the water-and-lights show entitled Fantasmic!
Fantasmic!
Fantasmic! is a Disney nighttime show at Disneyland in the Disneyland Resort, Disney's Hollywood Studios in Walt Disney World and Tokyo DisneySea in Tokyo Disney Resort. The show features fireworks, live actors, water effects, fire, music, several boats, decorated rafts and projections onto large...
that is shown at Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios
Disney's Hollywood Studios is a theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort. Spanning 135 acres in size, its theme is show business, drawing inspiration from the heyday of Hollywood in the 1930s and 1940s...
in Orlando, Florida and at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. The lines "Where the Warrior's heart is pure. Where the stories will come true" reference the theme of Fantasmic!, which takes place in Mickey's
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
dreamworld.
References to Walt Disney are heard in the lines "Wishmaster's will - Join him in the quest for dream", "The realm of the king of fantasy", and "the master of the tale-like lore". Further, the line "The way to kingdom I adore" is a reference to the castle that leads into Fantasyland at the Disney theme parks.
The chorus line "Wish upon a star" is taken from a song from Pinocchio
Pinocchio (1940 film)
Pinocchio is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the story The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi. It is the second film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics, and it was made after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and was released to theaters by...
while referring to the star as "the second star to the right" is a reference to Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
.
Other films that are referenced are:
- "The beauties sleeping awaiting deep in a dream for true love's first kiss" references both Snow WhiteSnow White (Disney)Snow White is a fictional character and the main protagonist from Walt Disney's first animated feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,...
and Princess AuroraAurora (Disney)Princess Aurora is a fictional character and the title character from Disney's 1959 animated film Sleeping Beauty , as well as an official Disney Princess.The Disney version of the character was based on the French version of the tale by Charles Perrault, written in 1634 in Histoires ou Contes du...
from Snow White and the Seven DwarfsSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
and Sleeping Beauty, respectively. - FantasiaFantasia (film)Fantasia is a 1940 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and released by Walt Disney Productions. The third feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film consists of eight animated segments set to pieces of classical music conducted by Leopold Stokowski, seven of which are...
- The song mentions Chernabog and Yen Sid from the animation shorts Night on Bald Mountain/Ave Maria and The Sorcerer's Apprentice, respectively. Just before the first chorus is also the line "Blossom ballet in the great wide somewhere". The "blossom ballet" is a Fantasia reference to the segment Nutcracker Suite, while "in the great wide somewhere" is a Beauty and the Beast reference to a song Belle sings. - Sleeping BeautySleeping Beauty (1959 film)Sleeping Beauty is a 1959 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "La Belle au bois dormant" by Charles Perrault...
- "A Dragonslayer, The Awakener" is a reference to Prince Philip, "Maleficent's fury/The spindle so luring" references the villain MaleficentMaleficentMaleficent is a fictional character and the main antagonist in Walt Disney's 1959 adaptation of Sleeping Beauty. She is the self-proclaimed "Mistress of All Evil" who, after not being invited to the baby's christening, curses the infant Princess Aurora to "prick her finger on the spindle of a...
and the spindle that Aurora pricks her finger on, and "Dragon fight, dying night, dooming might" is referring to Philip's battle with Maleficent. - The Black CauldronThe Black Cauldron (film)The Black Cauldron is a 1985 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and originally released to theatres on July 24, 1985...
- "Black Cauldron born, Gurgi's heart forlorn. Pig keeper or hero on a quest of augury." - The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid (1989 film)The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and based on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale of the same name. Distributed by Walt Disney Pictures, the film was originally released to theaters on November 14, 1989 and is the twenty-eighth film in...
and Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (1991 film)Beauty and the Beast is a 1991 American animated fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures. The thirtieth film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series and the third film of the Disney Renaissance period...
- "Enchantress, A mermaid in a tale as old as time." Both "Enchantress" and "a tale as old as time" are references to Beauty and the Beast while the "mermaid" refers to Ariel from The Little Mermaid. Even further, the line "Belle, the last sight for the dying gruesome" is another direct reference to Beauty and the Beast. The song also has a moment where a line of dialogue from the Beast, "...because, I love her," is heard. - Mulan - "A girl in the rain swearing to her father's name", referring to Mulan's decision to take her father's place in the Chinese army.
- The Lion KingThe Lion KingThe Lion King is a 1994 American animated film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series...
- "A cub of the king betrayed by the usurper". This refers to Simba and Mufasa, the latter of whom is murdered by his brother Scar in order to become king.
The references to famous Disney comic characters include:
- Scrooge McDuckScrooge McDuckScrooge McDuck is a cartoon character created in 1947 by Carl Barks and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Scrooge is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a red or blue frock coat, top hat, pince-nez glasses, and spats...
- "The Phoenix of White Agony Creek" refers to White Agony Creek where Scrooge McDuck found gold in his youth. - Mickey MouseMickey MouseMickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
- The title takes the name of the performance Fantasmic!, and capitalizes the "m" for "Mic", short for "Mickey". There is also a reference to Mickey in the lines "Apprentice of Yen Sid conducting the galaxy. Dreamer on mountaintop, spellbound masquerade." This refers to his iconic role as the title character in The Sorcerer's Apprentice. - Donald DuckDonald DuckDonald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
- "The Sailor an idol for the six-year-old in me" refers to Donald Duck with his famous sailor uniform, who is supposed to be Holopainen's favorite Disney character.
On Nightwish's second full-length DVD End of Innocence, Holopainen can be seen talking in a room in his home entirely staffed with Disney toys, among them many of Donald Duck. On Nightwish's third full-length DVD End of an Era
End of an Era
End of an Era is a DVD and double CD from Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. Nuclear Blast recorded their live performance at the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland on October 21, 2005, the final concert of a long worldwide tour for their album Once...
, Holopainen can be also seen reading Donald Duck comics while traveling on tour.
Live performances
The song has never been played in full live. Only the third, final part (starting from the flute solo until the end) of this song was performed during the band's Wishmaster tour in 2000/2001. It is also included on Nightwish's first DVD From Wishes to EternityFrom Wishes to Eternity
From Wishes to Eternity - Live is a live DVD/VHS/CD by Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish. It was recorded in Tampere, Finland on 29 December 2000. The CD was released as a limited edition of 10.000 copies, available only in Finland. In the late 2005, Spinefarm managed to release it in Europe...
. The performances of this song, while brief, have generally been very spectacular. During instrumental parts, Holopainen was known to jump out from behind the keyboards and play "air guitar" while headbanging alongside singer Tarja Turunen
Tarja Turunen
Tarja Soile Susanna Turunen Cabuli is a Finnish singer-songwriter and composer. She is a full lyric soprano and has a vocal range of three octaves....
and the rest of the bandmates, to much applause and cheering from fans. This is the only time he would leave his post.
"FantasMic" was not performed on subsequent tours. It has not been, as yet, sung by current Nightwish singer Anette Olzon
Anette Olzon
Anette Ingegerd Olsson , known by the stage name Anette Olzon, is a Swedish singer from Helsingborg, best known as the second lead vocalist of Finnish symphonic power metal band Nightwish. Olzon was formerly the vocalist in the Swedish AOR band Alyson Avenue...
.