High School Musical

Album: High School Musical 3 (2008)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This ensemble number closes out the popular High School Musical trilogy during the graduation ceremony scene on the football field. It was written by Canadian producer and songwriter Matthew Gerrard and Robbie Nevil, a producer and songwriter who landed the solo hit "C'est La Vie" in 1986.
  • Director/choreographer Kenny Ortega was insistent that the song be called "High School Musical," which made Nevil and Gerrard squirm. Nevil explained in a Songfacts interview: "It's just not one of those titles that make you go, 'Oh, I know, that's a hook line.'"

    He continued: "But I feel like we sat down with that one and ended up writing a really wonderful song that incorporated that title. I'm not going to say it was my favorite, but I just remember that one feeling like one of the biggest challenges just based upon the title. Kenny really wanted that title to wrap it up, and looking back I totally see why. It sounds like it's supposed to be the title there."
  • Big cast numbers were always tricky to demo with just a couple guys in a studio. Nevil said: "I can't tell you how many times I was creating cheerleading sections... and I'd be lying down in the back of the studio and screaming, because you're trying to make a couple of people sound as big as you can. It was pretty funny, actually. Matt's wife, Ashley, would do some of the characters, like Sharpay, on some of the stuff.

    Then you always, for the actual record, add choir and all the cast and it gets bigger and bigger and bigger. But even for the demos, you have to sell the idea."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

George Clinton

George ClintonSongwriter Interviews

When you free your mind, your ass may follow, but you have to make sure someone else doesn't program it while it's wide open.

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired Men

David Bowie Leads the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Long-Haired MenSong Writing

Bowie's "activist" days of 1964 led to Ziggy Stardust.

Gary Numan

Gary NumanSongwriter Interviews

An Electronic music pioneer with Asperger's Syndrome. This could be interesting.

How The Beatles Crafted Killer Choruses

How The Beatles Crafted Killer ChorusesSong Writing

The author of Help! 100 Songwriting, Recording And Career Tips Used By The Beatles, explains how the group crafted their choruses so effectively.

Ian Astbury of The Cult

Ian Astbury of The CultSongwriter Interviews

The Cult frontman tells who the "Fire Woman" is, and talks about performing with the new version of The Doors.

Dennis DeYoung

Dennis DeYoungSongwriter Interviews

Dennis DeYoung explains why "Mr. Roboto" is the defining Styx song, and what the "gathering of angels" represents in "Come Sail Away."