JUKEBOX: “Everything is Awesome” from The Lego Movie

A picture of Emmett with an expression that itself just screams, "EVERYTHING IS AWESOME!"

Hi everybody! It’s Kimberly here for my twenty-third post for the genre “Children’s Music.”

With the movie/television adaptations of popular toys like Transformers and My Little Pony, it’s only natural for there to be a movie centering around one of the most popular toys: LEGOs. Today, I will be reviewing the most memorable song from The Lego Movie: “Everything is Awesome.” There are many different versions, so I’m going to comment on 3 different versions of this song.

*SPOILER ALERT* (In order to explain “Everything is Awesome” I have to explain part of the plot of The Lego Movie, which may or may not ruin the movie for those who haven’t watched it yet. Please feel free to continue on in the review if you have already watched the movie or aren’t concerned of spoilers.)

Jo Li is the main singer for the version of “Everything is Awesome” that is in the actual movie, but I haven’t been able to find out much about Jo Li so to get an idea of her sound the only thing I have to offer you is her work in “Everything is Awesome.” According to All Music, Tegan and Sara (who are the main voices in the remix version of “Everything is Awesome”) are “Canadian twin sisters who present a blend of punk pop and acoustic folk.” I would recommend listening to their song “You Wouldn’t Like Me,” which was featured in a Grey’s Anatomy episode. The remix version with Tegan and Sara also features The Lonely Island, which is “a comedy trio” that some may know from Saturday Night Live. Lastly, there’s an unplugged version of the song that can be heard during the credits, which is performed by Sammy Allen and Shawn Patterson, who is actually one of the composers of “Everything is Awesome.”

The main conflict in The Lego Movie is between the villain, Lord Business, and the Master builders. Basically, Lord Business wants the Lego world to be uniform and strict to the manual at all times, whereas the Master builders fight for the right to creativity and individuality. Because of Lord Business’s influence, many of the Legos lose their individuality by sharing favorite things, including their favorite song. “Everything is Awesome” is more satirical than anything. It purposefully has over-the-top lyrics, such as “Everything is cool when you’re part of a team.” The lyrics are strange, but at the same time are insanely catchy. All 3 versions have something that makes them special. Both the Jo Li version and the Tegan and Sara versions have a fun part with The Lonely Island, which combines hilarious lyrics with a club-like sounding breakdown. The unplugged version is also cool because it is melodramatic and reminds me of something that you could sing at the top of your lungs when you’re acting crazy with your friends. In terms of the genre “Children’s Music”, I’m giving “Everything is Awesome” 4 records because it’s lighthearted and doesn’t take itself too seriously, but its satirical nature will probably be funnier for older audiences than kids.

Thank you for reading my review and I hope that “Everything is Awesome” for you! J

Here is the audio for Jo Li’s version.