THE ROBINSONS MUSIC:
DANNY ELFMAN, RUFUS WAINWRIGHT AND ROB THOMAS JOIN THE FUN

Among the many surprises and delights of MEET THE ROBINSONS is the film’s original music – including a pop-driven soundtrack, songs by acclaimed singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright and mega-hit pop star Rob Thomas and an inventive symphonic score from two-time Academy Award® nominee Danny Elfman.  The soundtrack album, which features 8 songs and 8 score selections and almost as much joyful diversity as the Robinson family itself, features the lead single “Little Wonders” from Rob Thomas as well as songs from the new runaway hit rock/pop ensemble The All-American Rejects, the dynamic British singer-songwriter and pianist Jamie Cullum, plus bonus tracks from the teenaged, hyper-energized trio, Jonas Brothers, and the ever-innovative pop group They Might Be Giants. 

 “I am so excited by the music in the movie,” says director Steve Anderson, “because it adds even more energy and emotion.” 

Rufus Wainwright, the Canadian-American who has been lauded as one of the most extraordinary songwriters of his generation, jumped at his chance to become part of the Walt Disney legacy by contributing key songs.  “So many great many people have written for Disney movies, from Randy Newman to Elton John and Phil Collins,” he notes, “it’s become something very coveted and respected.  I was honored to be thought about in that way.” 
Wainwright would ultimately write three songs for the film including Wilbur’s theme “Another Believer” (written with Marius de Vries), the Big Band tune “Where Is Your Heart At?” which is sung by Grammy-nominated jazz and pop star Jamie Cullum and the romantic “Motion Waltz (Emotional Commotion).”  Wainwright’s inspiration came throughout from trying to put himself in the audience’s position.  “I wanted songs that would be immediately sustaining and really keep their attention,” he says.                    

Jamie Cullum was thrilled to perform Wainwright’s song “Where Is Your Heart At?” which hearkens back to the Swing influence of Franny Robinson’s frog band.  “I love this kind of music that has real roots but also has the flavor of modern pop music,” says Cullum. 

Also contributing the song "Little Wonders" to MEET THE ROBINSONS is Rob Thomas, the Grammy Award® winning singer/songwriter and lead singer for Matchbox Twenty.  Thomas only needed to see a few clips of the early animation for the film to know he wanted to be a part of the project. “I never thought I would get the chance to do something like this,” he says.  “After seeing a few bits and pieces of the film I was really excited.”            
  
It was all he needed for inspiration.  “The story itself inspired me, with this orphan trying to figure out who he is through this magical fantasy,” Thomas explains.  “There was a melody in my head and it all kind of started to flow together.  The song is about how people sometimes can get stuck in a bad moment when something is bringing you down and lose sight of the idea that something else will come along to make them happy. Y’know life has its ups and downs but it’s all about making the most of those great little moments.” 

For Steve Anderson, the songs added even more hues and shadings to Lewis’ story. “We have the really fun stuff with the Frog Band but I also wanted a couple of songs to really take you into Lewis’ inner world and struggles,” says the director.  “Rufus Wainwright writes about the search for family and then Rob Thomas writes about Lewis finding a family in a completely different way than he ever could have dreamed.  The songs become a great part of the journey.”

Meanwhile Danny Elfman was crafting a score that matches the Robinson’s mix of high-speed hilarity and heart.  Elfman, who has created dozens upon dozens of truly distinctive feature film scores – ranging from “Batman” and “Spiderman” to “Good Will Hunting” and “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “Men in Black” and, on the animation side, from “Nightmare Before Christmas” to “Charlotte’s Web”—found that MEET THE ROBINSONS still managed to offer something completely different.  He saw the chance to flash back to the kind of kaleidoscopic score one heard back in the days of Looney Tunes and Merry Melodies, filled with surprising and entertaining shifts in tempo, tone and style, matching the jazzy energy of the Robinsons, while at the same time providing a lush, romantic background to Lewis’ transformational journey. 

Elfman comments:  “I’ve always somewhat avoided animation because the music can get kind of silly and spoofy but MEET THE ROBINSONS not only struck me as very creative and crazy in the best sense, but also as very emotional.  It meant that, I could, on the one hand do some stuff like Carl Stalling, who composed for the classic Warner Bros. cartoons, while on the other also write big melodic themes that relate to story and character.” 

Elfman eventually developed distinct themes for each of the film’s major characters – a sweeter, yearning theme for the starry-eyed orphan Lewis, a chaotic Latin-inspired theme for the magnificently manic Robinsons and a more mischievous theme for Doris, the evil bowler hat.  He was especially inspired by the spirit of the Robinsons.  “This family’s so over the top and what really sparked me is that their movements are so quick and sudden.  They zip around in that classic Golden Age of animation style, so I’d pick a character’s movement and just follow them with the music, go right with what they were doing,” he explains.  “There’s also a funny retro attitude to a lot of the music because Steve and the gang gave a distinct retro-futuristic feel to the visuals when we’re in the Robinson’s world.” 

Elfman’s score was eventually performed and recorded by a 90-piece orchestra, including not only strings but a sizable horn section and even a full choir.  “The choral music adds more color, another element.  They can do things no other instrument can do,” notes Elfman. 

In addition to scoring the film, Elfman collaborated with alt-rockers Nick Wheeler and Tyson Ritter of The All-American Rejects to craft the buoyant track "The Future Has Arrived."  Performed by The All-American Rejects, the song blends the "funny retro attitude" of Elfman's score with AAR's finely crafted rock/pop sound.
Creating the score and "The Future Has Arrived" turned out to be a total pleasure.  “I’ve done nearly 60 films, but I can only think of maybe 6 that went this smoothly,” he confesses.  “Working with Steve Anderson and the whole creative team on MEET THE ROBINSONS was just easy and wonderful.  It was really the exception to the rule and it was nice to be reminded that movie-making can still be such a joy.”   

Anderson was equally excited by Elfman’s contributions. He comments: “I remember the first time Danny played me a demo.  It was for the Future City fly-through scene and I was just glued to every note and my eyes misted up because I thought ‘this is so perfect.  This is everything I’ve dreamed about.’  Danny just has that ability to know exactly the right thing to do musically to make any moment richer.  The comedy is funnier, the tears fall faster, the scary moments are scarier and everything is deeper because of Danny’s music.”