Man or Muppet facts for kids
Quick facts for kids "Man or Muppet" |
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Gary and Walter, singing alongside their respective counterparts.
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| Song by Jason Segel and Walter (Peter Linz) | |
| from the album The Muppets | |
| Published | Fuzzy Muppet Songs |
| Released | November 22, 2011 |
| Length | 2:58 |
| Label | Walt Disney |
| Songwriter(s) | Bret McKenzie |
| Producer(s) |
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"Man or Muppet" is a famous song from Disney's 2011 movie The Muppets. It was written by the talented singer-songwriter Bret McKenzie. The song is sung by the movie's main characters, Gary (Jason Segel) and Walter (Peter Linz).
Other actors, Bill Barretta and Jim Parsons, also appear in the song. They play different versions of Gary and Walter. The song was released by Walt Disney Records on November 22, 2011. It was part of the movie's official music album, called the soundtrack.
"Man or Muppet" won a special award called the Academy Award for Best Original Song. This happened at the 84th Academy Awards. It also won the Sierra Award for Best Song. The song was nominated for other big awards too. These included the Grammy Award and the Satellite Award.
Contents
What the Song Is About
In The Muppets movie, the song "Man or Muppet" is performed by Gary and Walter. It also features a Muppet version of Gary and a human version of Walter.
The song helps Gary and Walter think about who they really are. Gary is a human who loves his girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams). But he also wants to help the Muppets become famous again. This makes Mary sad, and she goes home.
Meanwhile, Walter is Gary's younger brother. He loves the Muppets very much. But he is confused about his own identity. He has to choose between joining the Muppets, which is his dream, or staying with Gary and Mary.
During the song, Gary and Walter see different versions of themselves. Gary sees himself as a Muppet in a shop window. Walter sees himself as a human in a room full of mirrors.
Later, Gary and Walter, along with their other selves, meet in a special musical scene. They wear white tuxedos and play pianos. By the end of the song, both characters understand who they are. Gary says he is a "Man" (but "a Muppet of a man"). Walter says he is a "Muppet" (but "a very manly Muppet").
How the Song Was Made
I think everyone has had that crisis at some point, trying to figure out whether they are a man or a Muppet ... I like the idea of people having that crisis, driving around, trying to figure it out.
The movie's writers, Nicholas Stoller and Jason Segel, gave Bret McKenzie a rule. He could not use the word "puppet" in the song. This is because the Muppets see themselves as real people, not puppets.
McKenzie said that "power ballads" by artists like Eric Carmen helped inspire the song's style. He also said the song was important for the movie. It helped the characters accept who they truly are.
Actors Michael Cera and Paul Rudd were thought of for the role of Walter's human self. But the part went to Jim Parsons. He called it "the role of a lifetime."
Awards and Nominations
| Awards | |||
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| Award | Category | Result | |
| 84th Academy Awards | Best Original Song | Won | |
| Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Georgia Film Critics Association Awards | Best Original Song | Won | |
| 55th Annual Grammy Awards | Best Song Written for Visual Media | Nominated | |
| Houston Film Critics Society | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Phoenix Film Critics Society | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Satellite Awards 2011 | Best Original Song | Nominated | |
| Sierra Awards 2011 | Best Song | Won | |
Where Did It Chart?
| Chart (2012) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company) | 121 |
The Music Video
On December 20, 2011, Walt Disney Records released a music video for the song. It was put on their Disney Music YouTube channel. The video looks a lot like the scene from the movie.
However, it also includes a few other scenes from the film. This music video was shown on Disney Channel and Disney XD. Later, on February 24, 2012, Walt Disney Records put out a high-definition version. This was on The Muppets Studio' official YouTube channel.
See also
In Spanish: Man or Muppet para niños
