Why our hearts still go on for 'My Heart Will Go On'
Celine Dion's hit song is still synonymous with the movie Titanic, 25 years later
When you think of the word "Titanic," what comes to mind?
There's a strong chance it's the tin whistle solo at the start of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On."
The classic theme turns 25 this year. Simon Franglen, the producer behind the track, stopped by Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud to share the story of how the iconic tune came to be.
This excerpt has been edited for length and clarity. For the full story, listen and subscribe to Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud wherever you get your podcasts.
"I ended up connecting with James Horner because there was no money for the Titanic soundtrack, and they needed to somehow use synthesizers and samplers, as we called them at the time, to create the sound of the orchestra and some of the other textures in a way that they thought I could help them with.
"James Cameron, he'd said, 'you know, thousands of people have just died.' And he didn't feel that a song was going to be the appropriate way of finishing this film that was very much based in the time and place. He felt it would take people out, and I think the wonder of 'My Heart Will Go On' is that it doesn't, it just carries so naturally out of where we were.
"'My Heart Will Go On' has a special place, I think, in film history because effectively it is a four-minute summation of everything you've seen before over the 3 hours. And I think that's what makes it so special. I think nobody can hear this song without thinking of the film. Nobody can see the film without thinking of Celine. I think the two are going to be forever connected."
The full story is available now on our podcast. Listen and subscribe to Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud wherever you get your podcasts.