Chilly Down is definitely the craziest and most nonsensical song in the film. It’s significance eludes me but it is striking that it comes at Sarah’s most vulnerable point in the movie. She is alone because she’s just lost Ludo and she is running out of time. The Firey Gang leaps out of the woods to cheer her up, to “chilly” her down, if you will. Needless to say, it doesn’t work and she ends up being rescued by Hoggle. This song makes no sense, but it sure makes you want to just strut your nasty stuff!
Chilly down features the vocals of Charles Augins, Danny John-Jules, Kevin Clash, and Richard Bodkin. Danny John-Jules is perhaps best known as “Cat,” from the English sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf!
Don’t have no problems…
No problems…
Ain’t got no suitcase…
No suitcase…
Ain’t got no clothes to worry about…
Ain’t got no real estate…
Or jewelry or gold mines to hang me up…
I just throw in my hand…
Throw in his hand…
With the chilliest bunch in the land…
They don’t look like much…
But they’re sure chilly chilly…
They’re positively glow glow huh!
Chilly down with fire…
Think small with fire!
Don’t lose your head…
When things get wild…
Chilly down, Chilly down with fire.
Hey, I’m a wild child!
Walk tall with fire…
Whoo! Walk tall!
Good times, Bad food.
Roll ‘em.
Snake Eyes!
So when things get too rough
Your skin is dragging on the ground
And even down looks up
Down look up
Bad luck
We can show you a good time
Show you a good time
And we don’t charge nothin’
Nothin’ at all
Just strut your nasty stuff
Wiggle in the middle, yeah
Get down talking, by god
Chilly down with
Think small with fire
Bad Hep with fire
Hey listen up!
When your things get fire, chilly down, chilly down
With fire
Shake your pretty little head.
Tap your pretty little feet.
Good times, bad food.
Come on, come on.
#1 by Sobriquet on March 26, 2011 - 4:11 pm
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I think this song makes perfect sense. The gang was there telling her not to worry, that there is no need. What better way to spend her time than just “chillin’” and having a good time with the “gang.” Losing her head, so to speak, by partying, forgetting her woes and by being carefree and setting her worry aside. Just in the same manner the trash lady tried to do the same thing only with possessions. This movie is riddled with life lessons. Beware materialism, hedonism, surface appearance, etc etc etc.
FYI, the full song lyrics includes a little rap section that wasn’t in the movie that encompasses the idea of the scene. It was probably cut for time and content. It mentions “sex appealin’.” In a Jim Henson movie? lol.
#2 by Ian Jones on August 8, 2011 - 4:08 am
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Sobriquet, you’re right that the movie is riddled with life lessons and I think that this is something true of many films as well as songs. This is why it’s so important to listen to and appreciate the lyrics; I don’t think you can appreciate all that there is to gain from a song simply by listening passively. This is the great joy of music though; the infinite potential that exists in exploring it. Regarding the cinema, it’s great that so many films are laced with moral sentiment. This is an effective way of combining popular culture with behavioural education and should ensure that such life lessons reach and affect mass audiences.