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Giants in the Sky discussion
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actor
Broadway Legend / MdN Veteran
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 7:58 am Posts: 2956 Location: England
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 Giants in the Sky discussion
So I'm doing this song and I'm having a bit of trouble with it. Could we all have a bit of a debate/analysis on what we think the song is about?
I've just read through the lyrics a few times and it's kinda like what I Know Things Now is for Little Red. Obviously it is about him physically going up into the sky and seeing scary but wonderful things there and missing his home on the ground, but then there is the hidden meanings/metaphors. I think it's about Jack growing up, experiencing the real world, seeing scary but wonderful things and missing his childhood innocence.
This is my theory but I've heard some people mention there are lots of sexual metaphors/innuendos...
What do you guys think?
_________________ Past Roles: Marius in Les Miserables, Doody in Grease Dream Roles: Jack in Into the Woods, Anthony in Sweeney Todd
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Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:37 am |
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livemodernx3
Fresh Face
Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 9:30 am Posts: 15 Location: Missouri
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This whole show is filled to the brim with sexual innuendos. I can't keep track anymore.
You are definitely on the right track with the "growing up" of Jack. I could be incredibly wrong, but I think that there isn't a whole lot more than that.
Giants in the Sky is my second favorite song from ItW. Stay With Me still beats it...  But musically my favorite line is "in the skyyyy!" My high school is performing this show currently and our Jack is an amazingly strong singer / actor, so it's turned into one of my favorite roles.
_________________ Currently: Assistant Directing Pippin!
Upcoming: College auditions!!!
if only because dust is what we come to... ♥
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Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:16 am |
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ConverseSneaker
Broadway Legend
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2006 4:33 pm Posts: 1531 Location: A Dull Provincal Town
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Well, at the time of the show, Jack is being forced by his mother to "grow up" quicker than he wants too, sell his best friend, etc. He goes into the sky and gets to be both a kid and a man with the Giantess I think. Then obviously, by stealing the gold, he provides for his family, becoming a man.
That's my non-sexual referencing of that song anyways.
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Wed Oct 21, 2009 4:12 pm |
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actor
Broadway Legend / MdN Veteran
Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2003 7:58 am Posts: 2956 Location: England
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So I just got this email:
 |  |  |  | Quote: You are on the right track with the song being about growing up and loosing innocence. It's basically a rite-of-passage song, especially sexually. The beanstalk represents an extremely phallic symbol that when it "grows" takes Jack to a wonderful new place full of wealth, as symbolised by the golden eggs, and culture (the harp), and also new sexual experiences - as represented by the female giant (or a female adult or fantasy). Here Freud's Oedipal complex (a son killing their father to marry their mother) comes into it - Jack killing the giantess' husband and having a relationship with the female giant. Okay, so these are the lyrics to 'Giants in the Sky', allow me to break them down: There are giants in the sky There are big tall terrible giants in the sky
When you're way up high and you look below At the world you left and the things you know Little more than a glance is enough to show you Just how small you are - An obvious reference to being in a new and unfamiliar place experiencing adult things. Leaving childhood and infancy behind.
When you're way up high and you're on your own In a world like none that you've ever known Where the sky is lead and the earth is stone You're free to do whatever pleases you Exploring things you'd never dare - Sexual references to masturbating and exploring sexual experiences. 'Cause you don't care When suddenly there's A big tall terrible giant at the door A big tall lady giant sweeping the floor And she gives you food and she gives you rest And she draws you close to her giant breast And you know things now that you never knew before Not 'till the sky - Again, more sexual references. The female giant teaching Jack about sexuality.
Only just when you've made a friend and all And you know she's big but you don't feel small Someone bigger than her comes along the hall To swallow you for lunch - Here the Oedipus Complex comes into it - the other masculine presence becoming a threat for Jack and his growing maturity, both physically and sexually. It's also a reference to be caught masturbating by your parents (eww). And your heart is lead and your stomach stone And you're really scared being all alone And it's then that you miss all the things you've known And the world you've left and the little you own The fun is done You steal what you can and run And you scramble down and you look below And the world you know begins to grow - "The world begins to grow" this can be taken literally and metaphorically. Because of Jack's encounter with sexuality, wealth, and culture in an adult world, he know sees his own world as having so many more possibilities now. The roof, the house, and your mother at the door The roof, the house, and the world you never thought to explore And you think of all of the things you've seen And you wish that you could live in between And you're back again only different than before After the sky
There are giants in the sky There are big tall terrible, awesome, scary, wonderful giants in the sky - This last bit just reinforces that even though he has learnt a lot about himself, he is still too young to make it on his own just yet. He still desires the love and safety of his mother, especially when a larger masculine presence is after him. And even though he has returned home, his experience has changed him significantly - he has grown up and reached maturity, both mentally and sexually. The song is basically Jack telling the audience about the lessons he has learned. |  |  |  |  |
Agree? Disagree?
_________________ Past Roles: Marius in Les Miserables, Doody in Grease Dream Roles: Jack in Into the Woods, Anthony in Sweeney Todd
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Thu Oct 29, 2009 9:02 am |
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Bway2be
Supporting Player
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 9:46 am Posts: 128 Location: Arizona
Current Obsession: The Current Bway Season; A Little Night Music
Main Role: Performer
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Well, personally, I can think you can take it either way; about Jack's sexual awakenings or just growing up in general. Though there's no doubt implied sexuality is a part of Into the Woods, I do think that analysis is taking it just a little bit too far with the Oedipus complex and all. I do like the less sexually suggestive version better, but I also believe in bringing to the table what you want
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Tue Dec 01, 2009 4:54 pm |
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WickedlyMiserables
Fresh Face
Joined: Thu May 23, 2013 1:56 pm Posts: 1
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 Re: Giants in the Sky discussion
This song can be taken so many ways. Yes there's the sexual innuendo's that have been established previously. However, when I played Jack, we took the route of a young boy who has just seen the most amazing thing that a 10 year old boy could see and he wants to tell the whole world about it but no one would listen to him. As the song progresses, he starts to realise how important the little things in life are to him and by the end, he's more mature.
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Thu May 23, 2013 2:29 pm |
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