Throughout his prolific career, James Newton Howard has scored films of all scales and genres, earning multiple award nominations for his work. Howard began studying music as a young child and went on to attend the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California and then majored in piano performance at the University of Southern California. After Howard left college, he toured with Elton John and Toto as a keyboardist during the late 1970s and early 1980s before moving into film music in the mid-1980s.
By the 1990s, Howard truly hit his career stride, scoring the surprise blockbuster romantic comedy Pretty Woman (1990) and receiving his first Academy Award nomination for his score for Barbra Streisand's drama The Prince of Tides (1991). Setting the musical mood for numerous films throughout the decade, Howard's skills encompassed a plethora of genres, including two more best original score Oscar nominations, the Harrison Ford actioner The Fugitive (1993) and the Julia Roberts romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding. In addition, Howard scored the Western epic Wyatt Earp (1994), the legal drama Primal Fear (1996), and the blockbuster M. Night Shyamalan suspense thrillers The Sixth Sense (1999), Unbreakable (2000), Signs (2002), and The Village (2004). His collaborations on tunes for One Fine Day (1996) and Junior (1994) garnered Best Song nods. Along with scoring such smaller, character-driven films as Five Corners (1988), Glengarry Glen Ross (1992), and American Heart (1993), Howard proved equally skilled at composing for big-budget Hollywood spectacles, including Space Jam (1996), Dante's Peak (1997), Dinosaur (2000), and Collateral (2004). Although for Dante's Peak he only composed the main theme only, the score itself was composed by John Frizzell. Though he concentrated primarily on films, Howard has also contributed music for TV series, earning an Emmy nomination in 1995 for his theme to NBC's ratings smash ER.
Howard is now one of the most recognized composers for film. His work in 2004 on The Village, with violin solos by Hilary Hahn, earned him an Oscar nomination. Since, he has composed for several major motion pictures, notably the score for Batman Begins which he co-wrote with Hans Zimmer. On October 14, 2005, it was officially announced that Howard would replace Howard Shore as composer for King Kong, due to "differing creative aspirations for the score" between Shore and director Peter Jackson. The resultant score earned Howard his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Original Score.
Since then he has been nominated for Best Original Score for the legal thriller Michael Clayton in 2008 and the war film Defiance in 2009. Since then he has composed music for blockbuster franchises and solo films including I Am Legend,The Dark Knight with Hans Zimmer, all of The Hunger Games films and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. He was nominated for another Academy Award nomination in 2021 for his work on News of the World
Breath of Life
James Newton Howard Lyrics
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I was looking for a breath of life
A little touch of heavenly light
But all the choirs in my head sang "no"
To get a dream of life again
A little of vision of the start and the end
But all the choirs in my head sang "no".
But I only needed one more touch
Another taste of heavenly rush
And I believe, I believe it so
And I only needed one more touch
Another taste of devouring rush
And I believe, I believe it so
Whose side am I on, whose side am I?
Whose side am I on, whose side am I?
And the fever began to spread
From my heart down to my legs
But the room was so quiet oh
And although I wasn't losing my mind
It was a chorus so sublime
But the room is too quiet (Oh, the fever)
I was looking for a breath of life,
A little touch of heavenly light
But all the choirs in my head sang "no" (I believe it)
To get a dream of life again
A little vision of the start and the end
But all the choirs in my head sang "no".
Ha oh
Ha oh
And it's come to claim her
And I always say
We should be together
I can see below
'Cause there's something in here
And if you are gone
I will not belong here
And I started to hear it again
But this time it wasn't the end
And the room was so quiet, oh
And my heart is a hollow plain
For the devil to dance again
And the room was too quiet, oh
I was looking for a breath of life
A little touch of heavenly light
But all the choirs in my head sang "no"
The lyrics of James Newton Howard's 'Breath of Life' describe a search for something that seems elusive and unobtainable. The singer is looking for a 'breath of life', a 'little touch of heavenly light', and a 'dream of life again', but all the choirs in their head sing 'no'. This suggests a feeling of hopelessness and being trapped in one's own thoughts. Despite this, the singer believes that they only need one more touch, one more taste of something wonderful to make them believe again. The lyrics are somewhat ambiguous, but they suggest a longing for connection and something greater than oneself.
The chorus of the song is particularly interesting, as it asks the question, 'Whose side am I on, whose side am I?'. This suggests a conflict within the singer's mind, perhaps between different aspects of their personality or different sets of beliefs. The repetition of this question lends a sense of urgency to the lyrics and emphasises the singer's internal struggle. Later in the song, the lyrics become more surreal and abstract, describing 'something in here' and a 'hollow plain for the devil to dance again'. This adds to the overall feeling of confusion and introspection.
Overall, 'Breath of Life' is a song that explores themes of hopelessness, longing, and internal conflict. The lyrics are poetic and meaningful, and the music is haunting and beautiful. It is a song that encourages introspection and contemplation, and it offers a sense of comfort to those who feel lost or trapped.
Line by Line Meaning
Ha oh
Exclamation expressing a sudden realization or moment of insight
I was looking for a breath of life
Searching for a rejuvenating force to bring vitality back into life
A little touch of heavenly light
Seeking divine inspiration and guidance
But all the choirs in my head sang "no"
Internal doubts and negative thoughts blocking the way forward
To get a dream of life again
Yearning to regain motivation and purpose in life
A little of vision of the start and the end
Desiring clarity and direction for goals and aspirations
But all the choirs in my head sang "no".
Lack of self-belief and confidence holding back progress
But I only needed one more touch
A small push or sign of encouragement was all that was necessary
Another taste of heavenly rush
More divine inspiration and motivation
And I believe, I believe it so
Deep conviction and faith in oneself and one's path
Whose side am I on, whose side am I?
Questioning loyalties and values during a moment of uncertainty
And the fever began to spread
The excitement and passion for life intensifying
From my heart down to my legs
Feeling a physical sensation of inspiration and energy
But the room was so quiet oh
Amidst the chaos of emotions, everything else around was still
And although I wasn't losing my mind
Despite the overwhelming thoughts and feelings, sanity is retained
It was a chorus so sublime
The internal chorus of doubts and fears had a beautiful melody
But the room is too quiet (Oh, the fever)
Sense of restlessness and eagerness for the next chapter
It's a harder way
The journey ahead will not be easy
And it's come to claim her
Having to face and overcome challenges in life
And I always say
A reminder to stay committed and determined through the hard times
We should be together
Support and companionship is needed to tackle the obstacles ahead
I can see below
Having a deep understanding and insight into oneself and the situation
'Cause there's something in here
The source of inspiration and motivation is within oneself
And if you are gone
Losing people who provide support and encouragement will make things harder
I will not belong here
Without a sense of purpose and community, life becomes meaningless
And I started to hear it again
The internal chorus of doubts and fears resurfaced
But this time it wasn't the end
A recognition that these negative thoughts will always resurface, but it is not the end
And the room was so quiet, oh
Amidst the chaos of thoughts and emotions, everything else around was still and calm
And my heart is a hollow plain
Feeling a sense of emptiness and lack of direction
For the devil to dance again
Internal fears and doubts resurfacing, hindering progress
And the room was too quiet, oh
Intense feeling of restlessness and frustration
I was looking for a breath of life
Continued search for inspiration and motivation
A little touch of heavenly light
Desiring divine guidance and wisdom
But all the choirs in my head sang "no" (I believe it)
Despite the doubts, there is a strong sense of conviction and determination to succeed
Ha oh
Expressive exhalation, like a sigh of relief or resignation
Ha oh
Repetition of expressive exhalation, emphasizing the rollercoaster of emotions
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: FLORENCE LEONTINE MARY WELCH, ISABELLA JANET FLORENTINA SUMMERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind