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.
The Motion Waltz
Danny Elfman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wondering what side I'm on
What are these visions of me as a young man?
With one arm pointed, and the other arm holding your hand
Needing a plan to keep you near
Blowing a horn, so you can hear
If it was only my love and devotion
Emotional commotion, emotional commotion
Emotional commotion, emotional motion
I never get around under the sun and the stars
And I may be always frowning
But wonder you will see, under the sun and the stars
You will turn around and I'll be emotion
Emotional commotion, emotional commotion
Emotional commotion, emotional commotion
Emotional commotion, emotional motion
"The Motion Waltz" by Danny Elfman is a song that explores themes of self-reflection, uncertainty, and the power of love. The opening lines, "Waiting to cross the rubicon, Wondering what side I'm on," suggest a moment of contemplation and decision-making. The rubicon refers to a point of no return, a decision that will have significant consequences. This sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the singer's identity and purpose.
The lyrics then move to a reflection on the singer's past, with the phrase "What are these visions of me as a young man?" This line suggests a sense of introspection and nostalgia, perhaps questioning how the singer's past self and experiences have shaped their current understanding of themselves. The reference to one arm pointed and the other arm holding someone's hand represents a balance between being focused and determined while also being connected to someone or something meaningful in their life.
The song then shifts to a yearning for a plan to keep this person close, with the singer blowing a horn so they can hear. This signifies a desire to communicate and express their love and devotion. The lines "If it was only my love and devotion, This world would suddenly be in a state of commotion" convey the belief that their love alone has the power to create significant change and impact in the world.
The chorus, repeating the phrase "Emotional commotion, emotional motion," conveys the intense emotions and turmoil that the singer is experiencing. It suggests a whirlwind of feelings, uncertainty, and introspection. The following verses express a sense of longing and a recognition that the singer may not always appear happy or content but assures that their true emotions and devotion will be revealed under the sun and the stars.
Overall, "The Motion Waltz" is a complex and introspective song that delves into themes of identity, reflection, love, and the power of emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Waiting to cross the rubicon
Feeling uncertain and at a crossroads in life, unsure of which direction to take
Wondering what side I'm on
Questioning one's beliefs and values, unsure of where one stands
What are these visions of me as a young man?
Reflecting on past memories and trying to understand the impact they have on one's current identity
With one arm pointed, and the other arm holding your hand
Symbolizing the balance between independence and connection, striving to maintain both simultaneously
Needing a plan to keep you near
Desiring a strategy or means to maintain closeness and intimacy with the person addressed
Blowing a horn, so you can hear
Using one's voice and expressing oneself openly to ensure that the person addressed understands their feelings
If it was only my love and devotion
Recognizing that if their love and dedication alone were enough, it would elicit a strong reaction from the world
This world would suddenly be in a state of commotion
Imagining that the impact of their love and devotion would cause a significant disturbance or reaction in the world
Emotional commotion, emotional commotion
Repeating the phrase to emphasize the intense emotional upheaval or turmoil being experienced
Emotional commotion, emotional motion
Linking the emotional turmoil to movement, suggesting that these strong emotions drive the individual forward
I never get around under the sun and the stars
Feeling stuck or unable to fully experience the beauty and wonder of life
And I may be always frowning
Acknowledging that they often appear sad or unhappy, possibly due to their internal struggles
But wonder you will see, under the sun and the stars
Promising that if the person addressed pays attention, they will witness a transformation or revelation
You will turn around and I'll be emotion
Suggesting that once the person addressed realizes the depth of their emotions, they will understand the singer better and their emotional state
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RUFUS WAINWRIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind