I'll eat you up, I love you so

I heard a song on the radio this weekend that made me think of Maurice Sendak's classic picture book Where the Wild Things Are. It's actually been about a year since he passed away (it's hard to believe). The songs used in this post show the far-reaching legacy of Sendak and his work.

"Breezeblocks" - Alt-J

This is the song that I heard this weekend. I find the song itself and the official music video kind of disturbing (a woman gets drowned in a bathtub). The lyrics allude to Where the Wild Things Are in the lines "Do you know where the wild things go?/ They go along to take your honey." There are also the lines "Please don't go, please don't go/ I love you so, I love you so." Later, it changes to "Please don't go, I'll eat you whole/ I love you so, I love you so." These lines refer to the famous line "I'll eat you up I love you so," which the Wild Things say to Max when he tries to leave. This saying from the book might be seen by some as loving, but it's also creepy. I think the song takes on the creepy meaning in its use of the line, coupled with the other lyrics and the music video.

"Where the Wild Things Are" - Metallica

I found this song through a search for more songs that referenced Where the Wild Things Are. The title is an obvious reference. The song itself alludes to childhood throughout. It starts with the lines "So wake up sleepy one,/ It's time to save your world." It also mentions "toy soldiers off to war," hand puppets, clowns, and slingshots.

Where the Wild Things Are film soundtrack
(Note: I've embedded a playlist of the soundtrack that I found, but songs 3-7 have been blocked by the publisher so they will have to be found elsewhere.)
Spike Jonze's film adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are included a soundtrack mostly created by Karen O (the lead singer of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs). I haven't listened to the whole soundtrack, but I haven't heard many lyrics that allude to the storyline. However, the sound fits well with the film (at least what I remember of it, since it has been several years since I saw it) and the book in some ways. The titles of some tracks reference some things from the book/movie ("Rumpus" and "The Food is Still Hot").

Where the Wild Things Are opera
I had heard of the opera based on the book, but I had never seen a clip of it before. This part is Max's journey to the place where the Wild Things are. Many of the lyrics come from the book's text. It's pretty cool to see the book brought to life in a way that attempts to exactly replicate Sendak's iconic illustrations. It looks like the book has literally come to life! Check out the first half of this clip to see the Wild Things (which I find a little creepy, but it's still cool that they made them resemble the book).

Really Rosie

I was going to just make this post about Where the Wild Things Are, but then I remembered Really Rosie! It's based on Maurice Sendak's Nutshell Library, taking the kids and stories and making them into a made-for-TV musical with music from Carole King. It's really cute! We watched it in class one day, and I still remember some of the songs. Of course I had to re-watch it once I remembered it. Now I'll have the songs stuck in my head again! But they're pretty good so that's not so bad.


It's not surprising that a children's literature legend such as Maurice Sendak has an influence not only in literature but in other art forms as well. I'm getting away from music for a minute, but I can't finish this post without including my admiration for Sendak. Not only did he write some of the most recognizable and celebrated works in children's literature, he also shaped the field in many ways. I've learned a lot about him in my classes, and what I love most about him is that he never dumbed anything down for children. He held a great respect for children and childhood; through his books, he treated them like equals instead of inferiors. He has left a mark on the world, and his images and words have helped countless people.