Tracy is played by Nikki Blonsky. Tracy is joined by her best friend, Penny Pingleton (Amanda Bynes), and semi-supportive parents (Christopher Walken and John Travolta).
Once Tracy earns her spot on the show, she goes head to head with Velma Von Tussle (Michelle Pfeiffer), manager of the TV station that produces The Corny Collins Show. Velma likes her dancers thin and white. Tracy joins together with some new friends, (Queen Latifah and Elijah Kelley), to give Velma Von Tussle and Baltimore a “Miss Teenage Hairspray” pageant like they had never seen.
In the end, Tracy integrates the show and wins the man of her dreams, Link Larkin (Zac Efron), all with perfect hair. The music in Hairspray centers on 1960’s pop and R&B. Two of my favorite songs are “I Can Hear the Bells,” sung by Tracy Turnblad, and “Ladies’ Choice,” sung by Link Larkin. “I Can Hear the Bells” is written in 4/4 meter. Dynamically, the song starts softly, piano, played by upper strings and woodwinds, and builds as Tracy gains self-confidence in her plan to woo Link. Different percussion instruments play a big part of this song, portraying the ‘bells’ Tracy keeps hearing.
Nikki Blonsky’s mezzo-soprano voice is perfect for this heartfelt song. “Ladies Choice” is a 60’s style pop-rock song written for the movie. This song gives Zac Efron a perfect showcase for his mellow tenor voice and rock star style. Link sings the song at the ‘hop’ he invited Tracy to dance at. The allegro tempo of the song is perfect for dancing–this is where Tracy wins her spot on The Corny Collins Show. One memorable part of this song is the harmony played by the double bass. The groovy bass sound is the perfect undertone for the upbeat melody.
The Essay on Song Comparisons
People find their inspiration from their elders. I find this to be true in many cases. When celebrities accept an award, they thank their mom, dad or mentors. What is it about our parents that inspire us to dedicate songs, books, or poetry to them? Is it because of the way that they raise us? Is it the morals that they have instilled in to our minds? Or is it the simple "mother- daughter" or " ...
Aside from the music, I also thoroughly enjoy the setting of Hairspray. As I said before, it is set in 1960’s Baltimore. The show pokes fun at a lot of ‘normal’ 1960 ideals. One scene portrays Tracy and her mother, Edna, watching a group of pregnant mothers in a bar drinking and smoking. Tracy and Edna think the mothers are “so glamorous. ” At one point, Tracy hides from the authorities in Penny’s family’s bomb shelter. Penny doesn’t know why they have the shelter, but it has “…food, water, …gas masks and Russian language books. The way the writers make fun of the era brings a lot of laughter to the movie. Personally, I love Hairspray—for many reasons. The music is fun and easy to enjoy. No matter how many times I watch it, I can count on it to cheer me up. Also, Hairspray is the only musical film my family enjoys as much as I do. As soon as Tracy starts singing “Good Morning Baltimore,” the boys start singing along and my girls start dancing. Besides birthday cake, nothing brings my family together like Tracy Turnblad and Hairspray.
