Before It's Too Late (Sam and Mikaela's Theme)

Album: Transformers soundtrack (2007)
Charted: 86
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Songfacts®:

  • This song was made for the Transformers movie to symbolize the love and connection between the main characters Sam (Shia LaBeouf) and Mikaela (Megan Fox). Lead Goo Goo Doll Johnny Rzeznik tried to get into the heads of the characters when he wrote the song." >>
    Suggestion credit:
    Don - Buffalo, NY
  • The Goo Goo Dolls aren't strangers to writing songs for soundtracks. Their signature hit, "Iris," was written for the movie City Of Angels, starring Nicolas Cage and Meg Ryan. In an interview with City Beat, Rzeznik explained the difference between writing for a movie and writing for an album: "I think the biggest difference is when writing the songs for a film, you sort of have your subject matter in front of you and the concepts right in front of you. The emotional aspects of whatever part of the film you are writing for are laid out in front of you. It gives me a bit of a format to work under, you know to work with. When you are writing songs strictly for yourself, sometimes you're pulling stuff out of your hat. You're sort of making up stories or reflecting on conversations you had with someone. I think it’s easier to write songs for film because you have that road map in front of you and put the pieces together."
  • In a 2013 Songfacts interview, Rzeznik spoke further about his role in creating film music: "I like it because it puts me in the role of supporting cast member. I have my subject matter in front of me and I'll read the script, I'll see the movie.

    I'll try to talk to the director, if that's possible. I'll talk to the music supervisor and ask them what kinds of things they want. To me, it's a really great exercise for songwriting because you have to fit what you're doing in a very supporting role. It's not the main thing. You're there to support the vision of the director, and support the story. And enhance whatever part of the movie you're asked to put the music into."
  • Filming the music video, which features the band performing on top of a tall building, was a wild experience. Bassist Robby Takac told Pocono Record: "Dude, it was nuts. We shot it on top of a 20-story building in Hollywood. They had a bunch of huge costumes and banners hanging behind us to promote the movie. There were helicopters whizzing around our heads. I was looking at all this stuff thinking, 'This is more dangerous than anything they did in the movie.' Then I realized when people see the video, they're just gonna think they CG'ed us on top of that building, which kinda sucks. That's really us up there. And, dude, let me tell you, OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) was nowhere to be found."

Comments: 1

  • Clubber Lange from Ocean Gate, Nj"Hiding myself in your eyes" is a brilliant lyric...
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