5.6.1

Music & Lyrics

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Music: A Method of Revealing Inner Thoughts

The songs are points in the play where characters express their inner thoughts and feelings, often revealing things they would be too shy or embarrassed to say through dialogue.

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Mickey's sense of injustice

  • Early on in Act One, a seven year old Mickey sings about how he feels that he is unfairly treated by his mother, and how he longs to grow up and have more responsibility:
    • “I wish I was our Sammy / Our Sammy’s nearly ten.” (Act One).
    • The irony of this song is that, although Mickey longs for the freedom he believes he will get as he grows up, he actually has no idea about just how little freedom he will actually have in adulthood.
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Edward and Mickey's duet

  • Another good example of characters singing about feelings which remain unspoken can be seen in Mickey and Edward’s duet towards the beginning of Act Two, where the two teenagers express their admiration for one another:
    • "Mickey: If I was like him / I’d know all the right words".
    • "Edward: If I was like… him / I’d know some real birds".

Mrs. Johnstone's songs

Mrs. Johnstone has a particularly musical part in the play, and her songs have a number of different purposes.

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Mrs. Johnstone's love of music

  • First of all, Mrs. Johnstone has a playful side to her personality. She loves to “go dancing” (Act One), and she admires the glamour of “Marilyn Monroe” (Act One).
  • By giving her lots of songs, Russell is emphasising this playful side of her character.
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Framing the play

  • Mrs. Johnstone’s singing also plays a crucial role in joining the beginning and the end of the play together.
  • The first line of the play is Mrs. Johnstone singing:
    • “Tell me it’s not true. Say it’s just a story.” (Act One).
    • This is from the same song she sings at the very end of the play.
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Mrs. Johnstone as a narrator

  • Sometimes Mrs. Johnstone’s songs are used to narrate key parts of the story, for example, she sings in the background while we see the affair between Edward and Linda unfold:
    • “It’s just a light romance, / It’s nothing cruel.” (Act Two).
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Setting the atmosphere

  • Similarly, her songs are also used to set the mood and atmosphere of the play.
    • For example, the end of Act One, when the Johnstone’s find out they will be moving to the countryside, is one of the most optimistic points in the story. Mrs. Johnstone’s singing adds to this optimistic atmosphere:
    • “Oh, bright new day, / We’re movin’ away.” (Act One)

The Narrator

The Narrator also has a very musical role in the play.

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Is Blood Brothers a musical?

  • Blood Brothers is often referred to as a musical, but is also sometimes called a play with music.
  • The latter recognises the fact that most of the drama and action is played out through the dialogue rather than through the songs.
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The Narrator

  • Russell has used the Narrator’s songs to create a threatening atmosphere of impending doom, particularly through his repeated song about superstition and the devil:
    • “Oh y’know the devil’s got your number / He’s never far behind you.” (Act Two).

Jump to other topics

1Context & Author

1.1Context

1.1.1Setting

1.1.2Political Background

1.1.3Education & Work

1.1.4Marilyn Monroe & Pop Culture

1.1.5Family

1.2Author

1.2.1Willy Russell

1.2.2End of Topic Test - Context & Author

2Plot

2.1Act One

2.1.1Overview: Introduction to Mrs Johnstone & Lyons

2.1.2Analysis: Introduction to Mrs. Johnston and Lyons

2.1.3Overview: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.4Analysis: The Birth of Mickey & Edward

2.1.5Overview: Mickey Playing at Home

2.1.6Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.7Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds

2.1.8Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.9Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 2

2.1.10End of Topic Test - Act One

2.1.11End of Topic Test - Act One 2

2.2Act Two

2.2.1Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.2Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers

2.2.3Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.4Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 2

2.2.5Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.6Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 3

2.2.7Overview: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.8Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Adults

2.2.9End of Topic Test - Act Two

2.2.10End of Topic Test - Act Two 2

3Characters

3.1Mickey

3.1.1Mickey

3.1.2Mickey as a Damaged Adult

3.2Edward

3.2.1Edward

3.2.2Edward 2

3.2.3End of Topic Test - Mickey & Edward

3.3Linda

3.3.1Linda

3.3.2Linda 2

3.4Mrs Johnstone

3.4.1Mrs Johnstone

3.4.2Mrs Johnstone 2

3.5Mrs Lyons

3.5.1Mrs Lyons

3.5.2Mrs Lyons 2

3.5.3End of Topic Test - Linda & Mothers

3.6Mr Lyons

3.6.1Mr Lyons

3.7Sammy

3.7.1Sammy

3.8The Narrator

3.8.1The Narrator

3.9Minor

3.9.1Minor Characters

3.9.2End of Topic Test - Other Characters

3.10End of Topic Sessions

3.10.1Grade 9 - Key Characters

4Themes

4.1Parents & Children

4.1.1Parents & Children

4.2Growing Up

4.2.1Growing Up

4.3Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.1Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.2End of Topic Test - Parents, Growing Up, Friends

4.4Fate & Superstition

4.4.1Fate & Superstition

4.5Nature vs. Nurture

4.5.1Nature vs. Nurture

4.6Social Class

4.6.1Social Class

4.6.2End of Topic Test - Fate, Upbringing & Class

5Literary Techniques

5.1Structure

5.1.1Structure

5.2Tragedy

5.2.1Tragedy

5.3Dramatic Irony

5.3.1Dramatic Irony

5.4Imagery

5.4.1Imagery

5.5Character & Voice

5.5.1Character

5.6Music & Lyrics

5.6.1Music & Lyrics

5.7Accent & Dialect

5.7.1Accent & Dialect

5.7.2End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques

5.7.3End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques 2

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Character

Accent & Dialect