Music and the Fictive Dream
"I'll Make a Man Out of You" has been running laps around my head for weeks and I just can't get it to stop! It is one of my go-to work out songs and it always gets me excited to do whatever task I have at hand. This is the song in the movie sung by Li Shang, the commander of the group of soldiers Mulan is a part of, while he is training his troops for war. Of course, every movie with any kind of fighting has to have a training montage and this is up there with the best of them partly because of this song. Though mildly insulting to women, this song shows us the transformation of Mulan from a simple girl to a strong woman ready for battle and it is meant to empower not only her but her fellow soldier as well. Mulan also during the song has a line saying "Hope he doesn't see right through me" which is referring to her not wanting Li Shang to find out she is a woman.
This song is the embodiment of hard work pays off no matter who you are. Just a little bit of elbow grease and you can be whoever you want to and do whatever you want to! this is why it is the perfect song to turn the civilians into soldiers and why I listen to it every time I need to do something I find hard (ex. burpees!). It is also meant to empower women and young girls and tell them that they can do whatever a man can do. While sexism is certainly less prevalent today there is still a lot of untrue and harmful information out there and this gives children a good look at what they should and shouldn't do at a young age.
Mulan is not my favorite Disney movie but this is my favorite song. I love it and it makes me happy every single time I hear it. It is a lovely story about hard work and how far it gets you. So whenever you're struggling through a paper or slogging your way through a workout, listen to this song because it will give you the motivation to keep going and work hard!
Mulan is such a powerful, classic movie. I love this song as well. I agree with your statement that it is a motivational song! The way the song starts with the drums and the continuous beat of the drum I believe helps to create the powerful vibe that the song gives off. I would have liked to see a little more about where the song originates from.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post!
I have never seen Mulan, but after listening to the song, I can see why it motivates you! The instrumentation is definitely invigorating. I found out this was no simple band the song turned into a huge production with an over 100-piece orchestra and a male choir all overseen by rock arrangement legend Paul Buckmaster. I feel like the lyrics are meant to be ironic but I do wish they hadn't sent the message that you must pretend to be a man in order to be great or a fierce warrior.
ReplyDeleteMulan is defiantly one of my top ten favorite Disney movies and that has to do with the songs and "dance" numbers that go along with them. The song "I'll Make a Man Out of You" has to be one best Disney songs that make you want to get up a do something to help get you motivated. With the song it is easy to see how Mulan want to be like a man and needs to act like one if she is going to stay in the army and make her father proud, but it is a good turn around later when Yao, Ling, and Chien Po dresses up like women in order to get in to the place to help save the Emperor. Since the song "I'll Make a Man Out of You" is showing that even a women can do anything a man can do later when the soldiers have to dress up as women is also showing that sometimes it takes women to get the job done. An article from the New York Times talks about the earlier more original telling of Mulan from "the “Ballad of Mulan,” the poem from the fifth or sixth century that started it all.".(https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/03/movies/mulan-history.html) This poem was pretty short but played a big part in the making of the movie and helping to shape it.
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