MovieChat Forums > The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1990) Discussion > The boy singer and his music

The boy singer and his music

posted 15 years ago by bernie-81
6 replies | jump to latest

Can anyone shed light on the significance of his high-alto singing, the words and is this composed by Nymann or is it something else??

I couldn't catch the words but definately picked up ".....my iniquity...." which is oldspeak ... so I assume that its pre 19c?

I'm usually quite good on Early Music but if this is then I'm beaten on this one!!

Help somebody!!

PS: And why was another of the cooks holding a gun to his head in the background in one of the earlier kitchen scenes?

[–] Shaza123 15 years ago

Hey bernie,

Pup sings,

"Have mercy upon me,
have mercy upon me.
Blot out my transgressions,
blot out my transgressions.
Purge me with hyssop, and i shall be clean.
Wash me, and i shall be whiter than snow"

he later sings

"Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and clean..." before Spicca cuts him off.

Hope this helps

"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!"

[–] bernie-81 15 years ago

Thanks Shaza....

Do you know the origin of the words and music?

The words must be pre 20c but the music is original by Nyman...or not??

Still curious about this.

[–] Shaza123 15 years ago

I'm pretty sure they are from a passage in the bible.
Psalm 51.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+51&version=NIV

The music was composed and conducted by Nyman (mentioned in the credits). I am not sure how original it is.
Hope this has helped

"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!"

[–] bernie-81 15 years ago

Thanks for that...I get it now!

The English, probably coming from the King James Bible, is therefore likely to be from the Tyndal transaltion (mid 16c?).

[–] tonymurphylee 15 years ago

I know that this has been mentioned a lot, but this is the only real conclusion I can really come to. It's what I thought when I first watched it.

The cook is supposed to be a representation of God, but a more sort of naturist god who is surrounded by the color of green which is the color most associated with nature. The staff is full of the people that he is in charge of as far as the plot is concerned. The young boy is supposed to be a representation of an angel. Kind of like a cherub. The cook has this angel on his staff who sings this angelic and beautiful music, yet when the thief comes close to him he can no longer sing. The appearance of the boy is partially intended to further drive home the idea that the thief is the ultimate symbol of evil that exists in the presence of god, meaning the cook.

http://cuddercityfilmchronicles.blogspot.com/

[–] aysegul-kiratli 14 years ago

I have this song with the name "Miserere" by the way.

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