Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman (born May 29, 1953 in Los Angeles, CA) is an A… Read Full Bio ↴Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman (born May 29, 1953 in Los Angeles, CA) is an American composer, best known as the lead singer and songwriter for the rock band Oingo Boingo, from 1976 to 1995 and later for scoring music for television and film and creating The Simpsons main title theme as well as the 1989 Batman movie theme. He has scored the majority of the films for his long-time friend Tim Burton.
Born in Los Angeles, he entered the film industry in 1976, initially as an actor. He made his film scoring debut in 1980 for the film Forbidden Zone directed by his older brother Richard Elfman. He has since been nominated for four Academy Awards and won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for Tim Burton's Batman and an Emmy Award for his Desperate Housewives theme. Elfman was honored with the prestigious Richard Kirk award at the 2002 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.
He is the son of novelist Blossom Elfman and the brother of director Richard Elfman.
Elfman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Blossom Elfman (née Bernstein), a writer and teacher, and Milton Elfman, a community in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles. He spent much of his time in the local movie theatre, adoring the music of such film composers as Bernard Herrmann and Franz Waxman.
Stating that he hung out with the "band nerds" in high school, he started a ska band. After dropping out of high school, he followed his brother Richard to France, where he performed with Le Grand Magic Circus, an avant-garde musical theater group. Violin in tow, Elfman next journeyed to Africa where he traveled through Ghana, Mali, and Upper Volta, absorbing new musical styles, including the Ghanaian highlife genre which would eventually influence his own music. Elfman contracted malaria during his one-year stay and was often sick. Eventually he returned home to the United States, where he began to take Balinese music lessons at the CalArts. He was never officially a student at the institute, nonetheless, the instructor encouraged him to continue learning. Elfman stated, "He just laughed, and said, 'Sit. Play.' I continued to sit and play for a couple years." At this time, his brother was forming a new musical theater group, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. The group performed the music for Richard's debut feature film, Forbidden Zone. Danny Elfman composed his first score for the film and played the role of Satan. By the time the movie was completed, they had taken the name Oingo Boingo and begun recording and touring as a rock group.
In 1985, Tim Burton and Paul Reubens invited Elfman to write the score for their first feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Elfman was apprehensive at first because of his lack of formal training, but with orchestration assistance from Oingo Boingo guitarist and arranger Steve Bartek, he achieved his goal of emulating the mood of such composers as Nino Rota and Bernard Herrmann. In the booklet for the first volume of Music for a Darkened Theatre, Elfman described the first time he heard his music played by a full orchestra as one of the most thrilling experiences of his life.[citation needed] Elfman immediately developed a rapport with Burton and has gone on to score all but two of Burton's major studio releases: Ed Wood, scored by Howard Shore, which was under production while Elfman and Burton were having a fight, and Sweeney Todd, an adaptation of the 1979 Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical. He also, more recently, accompanied Tim Burton in the composition of music for "Almost Alice", the soundtrack for Alice in Wonderland.
Burton has said of his relationship with Elfman: "We don't even have to talk about the music. We don't even have to intellectualize – which is good for both of us, we're both similar that way. We're very lucky to connect" (Breskin, 1997).
In 2021 he released "Big Mess", his first non-soundtrack album since 1984's "So-Lo", which is often considered to rather be an Oingo Boingo album due to the presence of many other band members.
Elfman has three children: Lola, born in 1979; Mali, born in 1984; and Oliver, born in 2005. On November 29, 2003, Elfman married film actress Bridget Fonda. In 1997 he scored A Simple Plan – his only score for one of her films to date (although he did compose a cue for the film Army of Darkness, in which Fonda has a cameo). He is the uncle of actor Bodhi Elfman who is married to actress Jenna Elfman, known most notably in her role as Dharma in the TV series Dharma and Greg.
Born in Los Angeles, he entered the film industry in 1976, initially as an actor. He made his film scoring debut in 1980 for the film Forbidden Zone directed by his older brother Richard Elfman. He has since been nominated for four Academy Awards and won a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for Tim Burton's Batman and an Emmy Award for his Desperate Housewives theme. Elfman was honored with the prestigious Richard Kirk award at the 2002 BMI Film and TV Awards. The award is given annually to a composer who has made significant contributions to film and television music.
He is the son of novelist Blossom Elfman and the brother of director Richard Elfman.
Elfman was born in Los Angeles, California, the son of Blossom Elfman (née Bernstein), a writer and teacher, and Milton Elfman, a community in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles. He spent much of his time in the local movie theatre, adoring the music of such film composers as Bernard Herrmann and Franz Waxman.
Stating that he hung out with the "band nerds" in high school, he started a ska band. After dropping out of high school, he followed his brother Richard to France, where he performed with Le Grand Magic Circus, an avant-garde musical theater group. Violin in tow, Elfman next journeyed to Africa where he traveled through Ghana, Mali, and Upper Volta, absorbing new musical styles, including the Ghanaian highlife genre which would eventually influence his own music. Elfman contracted malaria during his one-year stay and was often sick. Eventually he returned home to the United States, where he began to take Balinese music lessons at the CalArts. He was never officially a student at the institute, nonetheless, the instructor encouraged him to continue learning. Elfman stated, "He just laughed, and said, 'Sit. Play.' I continued to sit and play for a couple years." At this time, his brother was forming a new musical theater group, The Mystic Knights of the Oingo Boingo. The group performed the music for Richard's debut feature film, Forbidden Zone. Danny Elfman composed his first score for the film and played the role of Satan. By the time the movie was completed, they had taken the name Oingo Boingo and begun recording and touring as a rock group.
In 1985, Tim Burton and Paul Reubens invited Elfman to write the score for their first feature film, Pee-wee's Big Adventure. Elfman was apprehensive at first because of his lack of formal training, but with orchestration assistance from Oingo Boingo guitarist and arranger Steve Bartek, he achieved his goal of emulating the mood of such composers as Nino Rota and Bernard Herrmann. In the booklet for the first volume of Music for a Darkened Theatre, Elfman described the first time he heard his music played by a full orchestra as one of the most thrilling experiences of his life.[citation needed] Elfman immediately developed a rapport with Burton and has gone on to score all but two of Burton's major studio releases: Ed Wood, scored by Howard Shore, which was under production while Elfman and Burton were having a fight, and Sweeney Todd, an adaptation of the 1979 Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical. He also, more recently, accompanied Tim Burton in the composition of music for "Almost Alice", the soundtrack for Alice in Wonderland.
Burton has said of his relationship with Elfman: "We don't even have to talk about the music. We don't even have to intellectualize – which is good for both of us, we're both similar that way. We're very lucky to connect" (Breskin, 1997).
In 2021 he released "Big Mess", his first non-soundtrack album since 1984's "So-Lo", which is often considered to rather be an Oingo Boingo album due to the presence of many other band members.
Elfman has three children: Lola, born in 1979; Mali, born in 1984; and Oliver, born in 2005. On November 29, 2003, Elfman married film actress Bridget Fonda. In 1997 he scored A Simple Plan – his only score for one of her films to date (although he did compose a cue for the film Army of Darkness, in which Fonda has a cameo). He is the uncle of actor Bodhi Elfman who is married to actress Jenna Elfman, known most notably in her role as Dharma in the TV series Dharma and Greg.
Idea
Danny Elfman Lyrics
We have lyrics for 'Idea' by these artists:
1PiES Biegnę za pomysłem, zwiedzam myśli przyszłe Wyszukuję wzdłuż…
AKMU (악뮤) 요새 마음만큼 생각이 안 따라줘 의욕은 넘치는데 소재가 다 떨어졌네요 oh…
Bee Gees I been thinking sitting on a pole. I'm getting sick…
Bun E. Carlos Ahora Por Idea, Me Paseo Por Estos Barrios Ahora Por Idea,…
Camila Moreno Ya la lluvia cederá Nadie se duerme en la espera Recogí todo…
D.I.D. Yea A whole lot of chit chat You know what I'm saying Yappit…
Deasonika Tocca, morde e fugge via Sembra che devasti l'argine ma è…
Dr. Cha Növesszünk szárnyat, Az ad majd vágyat. A hitből…
eufonius 銀色の空を （果てしない空） 君と眺めた （何も言わずに） 背中に触れて （震える指で） 静かに思う （横顔見上げ…
Half-Life 静寂に触れた感触 不安定な間隔を空けた 衝動を確かめる様に 正確な鼓動をリピート 肌伝う 空を冷やす 温い雨の跡 息を止…
Josh And Zac All through the day I'm Seeing your face on replay Like a…
Josh And Zac Farro My, oh my, how long it's been You look just like…
Kan Somos esos de apariencia criminal Andamos con los delincuent…
Kiyoshiro Imawano さびれた街角 くずれかけたビルの谷間 光がさした......かと思った 凍えそうな背中 Woo,ささやく声かじかんだ耳に…
Lil.y No air to breathe Nowhere to go Nobody's happy anymore The w…
M..M. No es nada nuevo si te digo La razón escapa sin…
Mejibray ホラ きっとキミにも聴こえてくる あの日見た青い鼻のピエロだったり 赤い瞳のヒポポタマス 朝起きたら雨の降ってた日曜日 …
Mike Gordon Sliding down that final stretch of highway I pass beside yo…
Nucksal 약간의 행운으로 허락 없이 태어났네 내 인생의 여권 도장 받고 난…
Over the Rhine Idea #21 (Not Too Late) words and music: Detweiler recording…
Perfectparachutepicture Don′t put that on me, talking 'bout the future I′m feeling…
Randy Newman 銀色の空を（果てしない空） 君と眺めた（何も言わずに） 背中に触れて（震える指で） 静かに思う（横顔見上げ） 確かめたい…
Replay I've got an idea Why don't we get mad Let's d…
Roger Sellers What’s the point of even swimming back up to the…
Sixteen Deluxe Ugly boy, where you going to Friday night? Oh yeah, sit…
SMAP 何でなんだろう 一番目に 出たアイデアが さえているのは ふとんに入って考えこんでも まくらもとにそっと 残るもの それ…
Taemin 이성이 만든 작은 투영 (투영) 본능을 타고 자라 깊은 곳에 핀 꿈이여…
The O'my's My hands were eyes Were closed and tied They always told me…
The Residents The New Machine: Idea/Construction/Ugly Rumours/Failure - Re…
vistlip "貯めても貯めても足んない" この難問に答えられますか? あげてもあげても湧いちゃう この感情こそが既にanswerなん…
内田雄馬 I don't care about it 一日中 頭に残る四六時中 気持ち抑え 雨に唄えば my town, yeah…
神谷浩史 come across ティエリア・アーデ 空が明けなくとも 海が枯れようとも 鳥が地を這っても 人が絶望しても ブレのない世界で ズレのないリズムで 信じられるま…
We have lyrics for these tracks by Danny Elfman:
01-Alice's theme Oh, Alice, dear where have you been So near, so far…
03. Violet Beauregarde Listen close, and listen hard, The tale of Violet Beauregar…
A Gift Mary belongs to the words of a song I try to…
According to Plan It's a beautiful day It's a rather nice day A day for…
Alice Oh, Alice, dear where have you been So near, so far…
Alice in Wonderland Theme Oh, Alice, dear where have you been So near, so far…
Alice's Theme Oh, Alice, dear where have you been So near, so far…
Alice`s Theme Oh, Alice, dear where have you been So near, so far…
All Shook Up A well'a bless my soul What'sa wrong with me? I'm itchin' …
Another Believer Hello I've got something to tell you But it's crazy I've got…
Assemblea cittadina Delle cose così strane, come non ho visto mai non saprei,…
Augustus Gloop Augustus Gloop, Augustus Gloop The great big greedy nincompo…
Batman Batman, Batman, Batman Batman, Batman, Batman, Batman B…
Black Suits Comin' Come-come on Come on, come-come on-on (MIB) {The black suits…
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Violet Beauregarde Yeah Yeaaaaah! Escuchen bien esta historia De Violet Beaure…
choose your side It′s a great thing that's happening for our country It′s a…
Christmas Eve Montage instrumental…
closing Narration by Patrick Stewart And finally, everything worked…
Cos'è? Cos'è? Cos'è? Ma che colore è? Cos'è? Quel bianco intorno a …
Cruel Compensation I′m resistant now to change Feeling different can be very st…
Dinah Dinah Is there anyone finer In the state of Carolina? If…
Everybody Knows Everybody knows that the dice are loaded Everybody rolls wi…
Everybody Needs I'm gonna bet you that heartaches and true love and feeble…
Everyday Everyday, it's a gettin' closer, Goin' faster than a roller …
Face To Face Face to face My lovely foe Mouth to mouth Raining heaven's b…
Finale CHORUS La, la, la, (etc.) Jack’s OK, and he’s back, OK CHIL…
Finale / Reprise [CHORUS] La, la, la (etc) Jack's OK, and he's back, OK [COR…
Finale-Reprise La, la, la (etc) Jack's OK, and he's back, OK He's all…
Finale/Reprise CHORUS La, la, la, (etc.) Jack's OK, and he's back, OK CHIL…
Five O'Clock World (Up!) (Up!) Up every morning just to keep a job (up!) I g…
Forbidden Zone Living in the sixth dimension Things get rough Living in…
Get Over It The jury′s out, hung it up, couldn't decide What′s wrong, or…
Give Me The Simple Life One two, a one two three four I don't believe in…
Go Away Every time I see you now it makes me feel…
Gratitude Ooohhhh... Life's been so good to me, Has it been good t…
Halloween Boys and girls of every age Wouldn't you like to see…
Happy I'm so happy Happy! I'm so happy Happy! I'm so happy Happy! …
Icky Thump Ya he, icky thump Who'd a thunk? Sittin' drunk On a wagon to…
Indian Love Call Oo-oo-oo-oo, oo-oo-oo-oo When I'm calling you Oo-oo-oo-oo,…
insects Tiny insects in my hair Tiny insects everywhere Tiny insects…
Into the Garden Preparing the pretty garden!!!Would you like to have some te…
Introduction Jump back, what's that sound Here she comes, full blast…
It's Not Unusual It's not unusual to be loved by anyone It's not unusual…
Jack There are few who'd deny, at what I do I…
Jack and Sally Montage ''Jack:'' My dearest friend, if you don't mind I'd like to j…
Jack's Lament There are few who'd deny, at what I do I…
Jack's Lament (Tim Burtons Th There are few who deny at what I do I…
Jack's Lament {From the Nightmare Before Christmas} There are few who'd deny, at what I do I…
Jack's Obsession [CITIZENS OF HALLOWEEN] Something's up with Jack Something's…
Jacks Lament There are few who'd deny, at what I do I…
Jack’s Obsession [CITIZENS OF HALLOWEEN] Something's up with Jack Something…
Just A Human Burn the house and sell the kids We′re full of nothing…
Kick Me Kick me, I′m a celebrity Kick me, I'm a celebrity Kick me,…
Kidnap the Sandy Claws Kidnap Mr. Sandy Claws? I wanna do it Let's draw straws Jack…
Let's Work Together Together we'll stand Divided we'll fall Come on now people…
love in the time of covid Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, y…
Lullaby/Escape Go to sleep my little one The sun has said goodbye…
Making Christmas [CLOWN] This time, this time [GROUP] Making Christmas [CLO…
Man of the Hour Tidal waves don't beg forgiveness Crashed and on their way F…
Men in Black 3 Come-come on Come on, come-come on-on (MIB) {The black suits…
Mike Teavee The most important thing That we've ever learned The most im…
native intelligence Native intelligence, hard to find Animal eloquence, sometime…
Oogie Boogie's Song Well, well, well, what have we here Sandy Claws, huh Oh, I'm…
Opening 'Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems In…
Ordinary Miracle It's not that unusual When everything is beautiful It's just…
Poor Jack What have I done? What have I done? How could I be…
Promise INSTRUMENTAL…
Questo è Halloween Bimbi e bimbe di ogni età, ecco qualcosa che vi stupirà! Su,…
Raindrops Keep Fallin' on My Head Raindrops are falling on my head And just like the guy…
Re del blu, re del mai Re del blu, re del mai, non ho più dentro…
Remains of the Day Hey! Give me a listen you corpses of cheer At least…
Rooster Ain't found a way to kill me yet Eyes burn with…
Sally's Song I sense there's something in the wind That feels like traged…
Serious Ground It′s just a magic trick, with the flick of a…
Some of These Days Some of these days you're gonna be so lonely, Some of…
Sorry (Sorry) (I'm so, I'm so sorry) (Sorry, sorry) (I'm so, I'm s…
Spider-Man Spider-man, Spider-man, Does whatever a spider can Spins a w…
Tears to Shed What does that wispy little brat have That you don't have…
The Future Has Arrived The future has arrived The future's arrived Nobody can doub…
The Last Time Ooh, ooh, yeah Now it's the last time to remember what…
The Light The lights are out in the city tonight So close your…
The Moon There's a nail in the door And there's glass on the…
The Motion Waltz Waiting to cross the rubicon Wondering what side I'm on What…
The Wedding Song (All) A wedding, a wedding, we’re going to have a wedding. A…
The White Queen To play the deck of cards....Then you'll find out oneday,one…
There's A Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow There's a great, big, beautiful tomorrow Shining at the end …
This is Halloween Boys and girls of every age Wouldn't you like to see…
This Is Halloween (demo) SHADOW Boys and girls of every age Wouldn't you like to see…
Tim Burton What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere What's th…
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride: Remains of the Day Hey! Give me a listen you corpses of cheer at least those…
Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride: Tears to Shed What does that whispy little brat have that you don't…
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: Closing What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere What's th…
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: This Is Halloween Boys and girls of every age wouldn't you like to see…
Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas: This Time What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere What's th…
Time Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Yeah, yeah, yeah, y…
To Die For Before you landed I had a will, but didn't know what…
To The Future! The future is arrived The future is arrived today The futu…
To the Rescue instrumental…
Town Meeting Song [JACK] Listen, there were objects so peculiar They were not …
true True just like me to think You need my energy I just…
V. ''I Forget'' I Forget SOLO I had a thought that rapidly I lost, I …
Veruca Salt Veruca Salt The little brute Has just gone down the garbage …
Victor's Piano Solo [instrumental]…
Violet Beauregarde Listen close, and listen hard The tale of Violet Beauregarde…
Way Back When There's alway time for living, Can we just do it again. One…
What What's this? What's this? There's color everywhere What's th…
Where Is Your Heart At You asked me over, and over and over Have you seen…
Wonka Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka The Amazing Chocolatier Willy Won…
Wonka's Welcome Song Willy Wonka, Willy Wonka The Amazing Chocolatier Willy Wonka…
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