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.
Spider-Man
Danny Elfman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Does whatever a spider can
Spins a web, any size,
Catches thieves just like flies
Look Out!
Here comes the Spiderman.
Is he strong?
He's got radioactive blood.
Can he swing from a thread
Take a look overhead
Hey, there
There goes the Spider-man.
In the chill of night
At the scene of a crime
Like a streak of light
He arrives just in time.
Spider-man, Spider-man
Friendly neighborhood Spiderman
Wealth and fame
He's ignored
Action is his reward.
To him, life is a great big bang up
Wherever there's a hang up
You'll find the Spider man.
Danny Elfman's iconic song "Spider-Man" is an ode to the web-slinging superhero, encapsulating the essence of the character within its lyrics. The opening lines "Spider-man, Spider-man, does whatever a spider can" highlights the breadth of Spider-Man's abilities, which includes spinning a web of any size and catching thieves. The phrase "here comes the Spider-man" is an indication of Spider-Man's arrival, which marks the sudden end for evil-doers.
The second stanza delves deeper into Spider-Man's powers, asking the rhetorical question "Is he strong? Listen bud, he's got radioactive blood." The lines imply that Spider-Man's powers come from a radioactive spider bite, making him stronger than the average person. The phrase "take a look overhead, hey there, there goes the Spider-man" is an acknowledgment of his ability to swing from web strands and travel the city in ways that are impossible for ordinary people.
The third stanza reveals that Spider-Man is known as the "friendly neighborhood Spiderman" and is often ignored in spite of his remarkable abilities. The final line, "action is his reward," emphasizes that Spider-Man isn't motivated by materialistic or social gains, but rather by a desire to protect the people around him.
Line by Line Meaning
Spider-man, Spider-man,
The singer is introducing the superhero, Spider-man.
Does whatever a spider can
Spider-Man's abilities are being compared to that of a spider, emphasizing his agility and nimbleness.
Spins a web, any size,
Spider-Man can produce webs of varying sizes.
Catches thieves just like flies
Spider-Man uses his web to catch villains, just like swatting flies.
Look Out!
The tone of the song becomes urgent, indicating a heightened sense of danger.
Here comes the Spiderman.
Spider-Man is approaching the scene of the crime.
Is he strong?
The singer is questioning Spider-Man's strength.
Listen bud,
The artist is addressing someone directly and perhaps warning them to be careful.
He's got radioactive blood.
Spider-Man's superhuman abilities are a result of his radioactive blood.
Can he swing from a thread
Spider-Man uses his web as a form of transportation, swinging from place to place.
Take a look overhead
Spider-Man is often seen swinging overhead in the city.
Hey, there
The artist is addressing someone who has just noticed Spider-Man.
There goes the Spider-man.
Spider-Man is departing from the scene.
In the chill of night
The scene takes place at night, which highlights Spider-Man's mysterious and vigilant nature.
At the scene of a crime
Spider-Man is frequently shown fighting crime in the city.
Like a streak of light
Spider-Man is quick and sneaky, so he moves like a flash of light.
He arrives just in time.
Spider-Man is a timely hero who seems to always arrive when he's needed most.
Spider-man, Spider-man
The singer is repeating the superhero's name.
Friendly neighborhood Spiderman
Spider-Man is a friendly and approachable hero who really cares about his community.
Wealth and fame
Although Spider-Man has the potential to be wealthy and famous due to his powers, he doesn't seek it out.
He's ignored
Spider-Man is often unnoticed and undervalued by society despite his heroics.
Action is his reward.
Spider-Man continues to help people because it's morally right, not for any tangible reward.
To him, life is a great big bang up
Spider-Man sees life as an exciting adventure filled with ups and downs.
Wherever there's a hang up
Spider-Man is always on the lookout for people in trouble or situations that need his attention.
You'll find the Spider man.
Spider-Man is a hero who is always willing to help those in need.
Writer(s): Danny Elfman
Contributed by Noah A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@SonySoundtracksVEVO
Listen to the official Spider-Man soundtrack here: https://soundtracks.lnk.to/spidermanAY
@leonidusroberts
The sound of the 2000s 😌
@mechamart960
Yeah I'm I'm literally crying 😭😭😭😭🔥
@Kabu01.
Our childhood
@britspa8022
🥹🥹🥹🥹❤❤❤
@MAXIMUMVOL
Lets be honest, the 2:50 - 3:08 part is absolutely iconic. Everyone knows it.
@gonzalovillarrealsanchez9447
Lets be honest, the 0:00 -3:34 part is absolutly iconic.
@Spida_Chapplliinn
The power of the sun…in the palm of our hands
@user-ce6eg3wo8h
Mf don’t try and tell me you didn’t used to pretend to be Spider-Man running to the rescue when this part would play as a kid😂(1:45)
@ChilBirt
Complete agreement bro
It symbolizes his sufferings and sacrifices❤