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Wunderkind (song)
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Wikipedia article
"'Wunderkind'" is a song written and recorded by Alanis Morissette and produced by Mike Elizondo for the soundtrack of the 2005 film 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'.
Background
Morissette was inspired to write the song after watching a rough cut of the film; according to her, the song seemed to flow from her and "really touches me deeply". She wrote it on a Friday, recorded it on Saturday, and handed it in on Sunday. After the release of "Wunderkind", Morissette enlisted producer Mike Elizondo to co-produce her tenth album.Baltin, Steve. [https://web.archive.org/web/20070428013208/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/alanismorissette/articles/story/9147093/alanis_writing_memoir_album "Alanis Writing Memoir, Album"]. 'Rolling Stone'. January 13, 2006. Retrieved April 9, 2007. The protagonist of the song, which is written from the point of view of the character of Lucy Pevensie,Brennan, Mike. [http://www.soundtrack.net/features/article/?id=169 "Exclusive - The Chronicles of Narnia - First Listen"]. SoundtrackNet. November 14, 2005. Retrieved April 9, 2007. describes herself as "a magnet for all kinds of deeper wonderment", "a wunderkind" and "a princess on the way to [her] throne" during the chorus. The string arrangements were in charge of Harry Gregson-Williams, the movie's composer.
Release and reception
IGN Music wrote that it was "equally captivating" as Imogen Heap's soundtrack contribution "Can't Take It In", with Morissette "letting her warble drip delicately over a piano driven lament. It's one of the best things she's done in a long time."D., Spence. [https://web.archive.org/web/20110713004946/http://uk.music.ign.com/articles/678/678133p1.html "The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe Original Soundtrack"]. IGN Music. December 23, 2005. Retrieved April 9, 2007. 'Sci Fi Weekly' also described it as "captivating", writing "Morissette delivers [it] with a depth of feeling that makes one sit up and take notice."Sirois, A.L. [http://www.scifi.com/sfw/sound/sfw14694.html "The Chronicles of Narnia Soundtrack"]. 'Sci Fi Weekly'. January 18, 2007. Retrieved April 9, 2007. Movie Music UK called the song "wholly unremarkable ... it doesn't help that Alanis Morissette can't pronounce the word 'wunderkind' properly - it comes out as "wander" (as in walk around aimlessly) and "kind" (as in being nice to someone)."[http://www.moviemusicuk.us/narniacd.htm "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"] . Movie Music UK. Retrieved April 9, 2007. Similarly, Christian Clemmensen of Filmtracks.com wrote "wait until you hear Alanis Morissette belt out her classless pronunciation of '[w]underkind'", and compared it to Annie Lennox's "Into the West", a song on the soundtrack for the 2003 film 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King'.[http://www.filmtracks.com/titles/chronicles_narnia.html "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"]. Filmtracks.com. Retrieved April 9, 2007.
"Wunderkind" was nominated for the 2006 Golden Globe for "Best Original Song" (see 63rd Golden Globe Awards nominees). After the nominations were announced, Morissette's home was inundated with phone calls, leading her to assume that "something must be wrong, somebody must be hurt"; she later said she was "excited that some light is being shone on [the song]."
The song was premiered on AOL Music on November 18, 2005 (see 2005 in music),[http://www.narniaweb.com/news.asp?id=606 "Hear Alanis Morissette's 'Wunderkind' on AOL"]. NarniaWeb.com. November 18, 2005. Retrieved April 9, 2007. ahead of the December release of the film and of the soundtrack album 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', on which it is featured. It was subsequently released as a radio single in some parts of Asia in early 2006 (see 2006 in music).
On February 28, 2010, Morissette performed the song at the closing ceremonies of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. Because of that, the song charted at #4 on iTunes Canada.
References
Category:Alanis Morissette songs
Category:2005 songs
Category:2006 singles
Category:Songs written by Alanis Morissette
Category:The Chronicles of Narnia music
Category:Song recordings produced by Mike Elizondo
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