Name: Brianne Madeline Sy Date: October 20, 2021

Strand/Block: ABM 11-C Instructor: Sir Japhet Villeta

TOA: Song Analysis and Reflection on “Audition” Course Code: PHILO 01

Audition (The Fools Who Dream)

by Emma Stone

My aunt used to live in Paris She told me

I remember, she used to come home and tell us "A bit of madness is key
these stories about being abroad To give us new colors to see
And I remember she told us that she jumped Who knows where it will lead us?
into the river once, barefoot And that's why they need us"

She smiled So bring on the rebels

The ripples from pebbles
Leapt, without looking The painters, and poets, and plays
And tumbled into the Seine
The water was freezing And here's to the fools who dream
She spent a month sneezing Crazy as they may seem
But said she would do it again Here's to the hearts that break
Here's to the mess we make
Here's to the ones who dream
Foolish as they may seem I trace it all back to then
Here's to the hearts that ache Her, and the snow, and the Seine
Here's to the mess we make Smiling through it
She said she'd do it again
She captured a feeling
Sky with no ceiling
The sunset inside a frame

She lived in her liquor

And died with a flicker
I'll always remember the flame

Here's to the ones who dream

Foolish as they may seem
Here's to the hearts that ache
Here's to the mess we make
 I. Analysis

“Audition” is one of the many songs found in Damien Chazelle’s dreamy yet heart-wrenching, Oscar-

nominated film “La La Land”. It is sung in a pivotal scene where Mia, an aspiring actress, joins an audition

and is asked to share any story. At that moment, Mia remembers her aunt, who was also an actress, so she

tells her aunt’s story. One by one, as the words slowly tumble out, Mia finally finds the courage within before

fully releasing herself in a musical monologue about people just like her – the artists - the fools who dream.

What’s so powerful about this song isn’t just in its musicality. Not in its body of melancholy piano escalating

to a grand orchestral symphony, for the very heart of the song, lies within none other than its masterfully

crafted lyrics. It is evident that these lines hold even the subtlest of philosophical meaning, as it finds its ties

within the teachings of Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, and the many aesthetical ideologies of life. With this in mind,

let us now take a deeper delve into the beauty and philosophy of “Audition.”

Leapt, without looking. This single line alone already provides a glimpse into the very person of Mia's

aunt. Here, we picture a woman engaged in reckless spontaneity as she jumps into the river barefoot and as

a result, gets sick. What is important to note is that she was fully aware and conscious when she chose to do

this deed, therefore this makes it an aesthetical, human action. If we view this scene in Kierkegaard’s

perception, it is clear that Mia’s aunt was living out what’s known as the aesthetic stage of life, or more

specifically what he calls “the phase wherein a person behaves according to his/her impulse or emotions,

disregarding ethical or religious standards.” Her jumping into the river, though not necessarily unethical, was

a product of the aesthetic stage because it was done out of an impulse to satisfy her emotional desires.

Though no one knows why she did it, we can perhaps assume that at that moment, she just longed to

experience a spark of excitement in her life.

As the succeeding lines play out, we also see that Mia’s aunt had already accepted the

consequences that have arisen from her deed, to the point that even upon experiencing all the trouble

firsthand, she still said that she would do it again. After all, the actions she did were by her free will and
consciousness and were what caused her to fully exist as a human being. This is where Kierkegaard’s idea

of existence comes in, for according to him, existence is not just the act of existing. It is the conscious

participation of the individual in that act itself. This, therefore, births the concept of human living. Man is not

simply a spectator, but an actor who can make decisions that may or may not hold consequences but will

surely affect his life. Since it was her choice to jump into the river, we can see that Mia’s aunt, through making

this decision, was only fulfilling her predetermined role of being man - an actor in her existence.

Reaching its climax, the song slightly shifts its focus towards a broader, more generalized thought

which is “A bit of madness is key, to give us new colors to see”. Madness in this sense isn’t strictly referring

to insanity, instead, it could be used as an exaggeration for fun, enjoyment, or exploring outside the

monotonous norms that dull our world. As observed, all these concepts are related to Nietzsche’s Dionysus

principle. The Dionysus principle, as defined by Nietzsche, is the dynamic stream of life, which knows no

restraints or barriers and defies all limitations. While we know that too much enjoyment can also create

instability, too little of this could also make life lose its meaning. It becomes too routinary, too systematic. To

strike a balance, Nietzsche shows how the Dionysus principle is also essential for us, humans, so we may

learn to seek and enjoy all the raw possibilities that life also has to offer. This, in the words of the song, is” to

give us new colors to see”. To not be afraid to live a little, to laugh more, and to experience life at its fullest -

that, itself, is the madness that we need in our world today.

And finally, in the heat of the song, amidst the clashing of strings and harmonies, we have come to

acknowledge the protagonists of the song - the rebels, the ripples from pebbles, the painters and poets and

plays. These are the fools who dream. As they say, each artist is an embodiment of his art and through this,

he is able to express his human identity. Upon reading this, the philosophy that can first come to mind is

none other than Nietzsche’s philosophy. This is because Nietzsche himself believes that art drives man to

action, therefore in art, we will be able to determine man’s true values. By enjoying art, we are also learning

what being human is actually like. With this in mind, it is evident that the song is asserting the significance of
artists and dreamers in this world, not just for their creativity and idealism, but even for their mere existence,

for, without artists, there is no art. It is through their expressive outlets that we are provided a window into

the minds and values of our own beings. Examples of this can even be seen in our day to day lives, simply

as how actresses choose to portray their roles in films, how writers project themselves into the personalities

of their characters, or even how painters interpret the world around them with each flick of their brushes -

creating masterpieces - puzzle pieces of the entire picture. Until one day, once we have finally pieced all the

little fragments together, will we be able to truly understand the mystery that is man.

II. Reflection

Though it was years ago, I can still vividly remember that moment when I watched “La La Land” for

the very first time, and as an artist myself, I can say that it was an incredibly moving experience. Especially

when the audition scene played out in all its grandiose, there was just this engulfing feeling of finally being

understood and spoken for. The song took this feeling I had a lack of words for and translated it in the form

of a beautiful melody for everyone to hear. In the entirety of my life, there has always been that someone, be

it a teacher, a new acquaintance, or even a friend who would ask me this one question. How would you

describe yourself? Well, if I think about it, I am a student, a daughter, and hopefully not a terror to my two

younger brothers, a dog lover, a multi-fandom enthusiast, or just another teenage girl trying to get through

life and all its Goliaths. But somehow among all the possible choices I choose to identify with, I always find

myself uttering the same words time and time again. “I’m a dreamer. I do it for a living.”

Personally, as someone who tends to have her head in the clouds, I have always believed that

possibilities and ambitions hold such immense power, for they have the ability to both motivate people or

crush people even to the point of irreversible brokenness. I myself have had my own share of impossible

dreams but truly, they have played a significant part in shaping the very person I am today.
As I continue in my pursuit of my dreams, I am always reminded that I would’ve not come this far if my life to

start with, was just a rigid cycle of “all work with no play” or in other words, driven by pure apollonian living.

Sometimes, I also make sure to listen to the Dionysus inside me by occasionally enjoying life in a free and

aesthetic sense. Therefore, whenever I can, I travel, I read novels, listen to music, watch plays, movies. I

immerse myself in art - in creating the very extensions of my soul, because I know that through these simple

joys, I can be able to fully realize my life purposes, passions, and aspirations. If not now, then hopefully soon

as I continue to tread along this arduous journey of existence. Like the lyrics say, who knows where this

madness will lead me? Perhaps to my long-awaited goals, or to even more failures and disappointments.

Maybe because that’s just what we humans are bound to experience - the heartbreaks, heartaches,

and trials of all sorts that come with dreaming because these are what add color to our lives. For what is life

if not a canvas for dreamers like me? Every day, my eyes gaze upon this unfinished piece, not knowing

where my imagination would take me this time, nor how everything will turn out in the end. But still, I choose

to continue on this journey, brandishing my weapon in a bloodbath of paint, and watching as it bleeds into

the rough, ivory surface. Not a single crevice should be left bare. That is until the days turn to months, months

turn to years, and decades pass me by when I realize the palette has run dry, and my hands have now

become glass. Thus, I put down my brush, untie my apron and step away from my easel to take in the entirety

of my existence standing there in its splendor. From the smears of blue and burgundy to its overlaying blacks

and grays. From the clusters of daffodil yellows to the accidental inkblots that splattered about the space.

From the spiraling streaks of lavender to the gray smudges I always tried to erase. And in the end, as I take

one last look amid the chaos, all I see is a beautiful, broken masterpiece of dreams and reality. To me, this,

is the art of living.