Honestly and truly the theme song to Big Little Lies seems like it might be one of the high points of the show, despite the fact that the main actors are being lauded for putting in great performances. There’s no doubting those that are established, but when a theme song becomes the main focus of a show, or at least one of them, it kind of means that the show itself might drag on a little too much as it’s said of the opening to BLL. The tension and the suspense that’s built into this HBO show seems fit to burst at points and the song only accentuates that as it begins slowly before really getting into the thick of it. The story itself is one that’s been seen in many different ways and involves the three main actresses as women that their own set of emotional issues and eventually find themselves embroiled in a murder investigation. The series has actually been approved for a second season and should be coming in 2019 as production started earlier this year.
The theme song for any show however is an important element to building up intrigue and interest in the show it’s attached to since without it the whole thing feels kind of flat and gives the feeling of being thrust upon the audience in a kind of ‘take it or leave it’ kind of dynamic. If Big Little Lies had been given this kind of treatment it feels fair to state that it would have still been a hit with some folks but the resonance of it wouldn’t have been quite as great. Instead, including the song Cold Little Heart by British soul singer Michael Kiwanuka the show was given a little more ‘oomph’ in order to push it along. Yet for all that it does still start out kind of slow, both the show and the song.
Perhaps it was the buildup that the producers were wanting, the effort that had to be made by the audience to really listen in and get interested enough to sit and wait for the meat of the song to drop so that they could get into the show. It’s hard to know since without being able to really talk much about how producers, directors, and all those that work around and for them operate the whole gist of using a theme song becomes more feeling and less practical-minded expertise. But if you go by feeling then you definitely get the gist that this show is about those that are disturbed in ways that allow many people in this day and age to relate to the subject matter in a big way.
Think about it this way, so many people these days are heavily reliant on emotions, their meanings, the differences between people and the emotional quality of life that this show was bound to be something that would strike a chord with someone. It’s kind of like fishing in a barrel that’s near bursting, you’re bound to get a dozen bites so long as you’re using the right bait. Using the right song for this show was about the same way to be honest since without that it’s possible that many people might have turned the other way. In its entirety the song is about 10 minutes long, meaning that there’s no real way for the entire thing to be featured throughout the show, but what does get used is perfect since it sets the tone for the show and gets people to thinking about what they might have to expect next. It’s even worth noting that the song appears on the device used by a kid in the show, seeming to indicate that the kid has a seriously odd but impressive taste in music.
Overall the use of the song in the show is something that hearkens back to the idea that music can in fact make a show more popular, which is about as correct a statement as any that’s ever been made. Music is an equalizer that helps to affix certain meanings and attitudes to pretty much anything that it’s paired with, as the feeling that one gets when watching a favored show when paired with a piece of music that compliments it perfectly is a big part of why anyone remembers a show, a movie, or any particular moment in which music managed to play a pivotal role. Ever notice how you might remember something, or feel in some particular way about a show, a movie, or just a moment in time thanks to a piece of music? That quality alone is enough to use to bank on a show like this. Setting the tone with the right song is insurance that it will be loved and well remembered by at least a few people.
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