SPOILER ALERT: This story mentions plot developments in Season 1, Episode 4 of “Agatha All Alongside,” at present streaming on Disney+.
Though “Agatha All Alongside” isn’t a musical per se, music serves because the present’s literal plot machine, when the coven led by Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) sings “The Ballad of the Witches’ Highway” collectively in Episode 2 with a view to conjure the titular mystical pathway, all within the hope of creating their needs come true. The significance of “The Ballad” resonates all through the present; every episode title comes from the track’s lyrics, and, as govt producer Mary Livanos explains to Selection, “the track will proceed taking part in an extremely vital function within the present.”
Living proof, Episode 4, titled “If I Can’t Attain You / Let My Track Educate You.” As soon as they attain the highway, the coven — comprised of Agatha, Teen (Joe Locke), Lilia Calderu (Patti LuPone), Rio Vidal (Aubrey Plaza), Jennifer Kale (Sasheer Zamata), and Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn) — face a sequence of life-or-death trials that take a look at their witchcraft data and talent, and in Episode 4, they’re compelled to sing “The Ballad of the Witches’ Highway” once more to free Alice from a curse that has had her household in its (fairly literal) clutches for generations. This model was first recorded by Alice’s mom, Lorna Wu, and have become a pop hit within the Seventies; over the course of the episode, Alice realizes that her mom’s model was, actually, a spell, designed to maintain the curse from destroying Alice’s life.
To create a track that would help so many various meanings and variations, Livanos and creator/showrunner Jac Schaeffer turned to the songwriting workforce Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez (“Frozen”), who received an Emmy for writing “Agatha All Alongside,” the track in Marvel’s 2021 sequence “WandaVision” that arguably spawned Hahn’s spin-off.
Schaeffer and Livanos spoke with Selection concerning the creation of “The Ballad of the Witches Highway,” whereas the forged of “Agatha All Alongside” mentioned how they shot their efficiency in Episode 4 and what it’s like signing alongside a Tony-winning Broadway legend like Patti LuPone.
How was this track initially developed?
Mary Livanos (Govt Producer): In the course of the writing of this present, Jac stored wrapping her head across the story and was decided to discover a technique to work with the Lopez’s once more. She created the thought of the “Ballad of the Witches Highway,” then the Lopez’s got here in and wrote off her unique idea. They wrote so many easter eggs and a lot element that it bloomed all through growth.
Jac Schaeffer (Showrunner): I used to be chasing the track so arduous, and it grew to become a factor of, like, the track is the factor. I had this notion of the track working as a spell that will get you, the viewers, to look at the present. I’m making an attempt to entice you in the way in which that leisure does, and to me, the track entranced me like a spell would. That then fed into the concept that the track could possibly be used as a literal spell within the present. I used to be actually drawn to the track’s multifaceted objective. After which, after all, I knew the Lopez’s can be up for that very particular problem.
We had form of a temp track for some time as a result of it had all these plot factors in it, nevertheless it had no melody. It was a guiding observe to the story. We gave that to them and mentioned, “Please, please, please take these concepts and switch them into the long-lasting earworm you’re able to producing.” They usually did simply that.
Writing a track that should serve each a thematic and a story objective inside the context of the story and to make it rhyme, catchy, and melodically rhythmic may be very difficult. However they actually loved the puzzle that got here with that problem.
What was it like singing with Patti LuPone?
Joe Locke (Teen): It bought to the purpose the place it was so intimidating, it wasn’t intimidating anymore. Once we have been recording the Episode 4 bit, Patti was going within the studio earlier than I used to be, so I used to be watching her do it, and there was a second the place I used to be like, “Oh my God, I’ve bought to go in and comply with Patti LuPone.” Then I used to be like, “Oh, there’s no method in hell I can ever beat that or prime that or get anyplace close to that. So it’s positive.” You’re not even in the identical area when somebody is a lot of an icon. So, like, it doesn’t matter. It’s positive.
Did you guys truly play your devices in the course of the Episode 4 efficiency?
Sasheer Zamata (Jennifer Kale): I did take bass classes, so I discovered to one of the best of my skills.
Ali Ahn (Alice Wu-Gulliver): I’m truly taking part in. It was a really cool second for me. I’m not within the recording, however I’m truly taking part in within the scene.
We heard the forged would sing collectively for enjoyable backstage. What are among the songs that Patti would make you all sing?
Ahn: She made us sing this Chuck Mangione track that I nonetheless play. It’s so good.
Locke: Loads of Broadway stuff. There was one track she by accident placed on. It was this actually outdated, actually sexist nation track about marrying up. She didn’t imply to place it on, however then she began listening to the lyrics and mentioned, “Oh, that’s terrible. I find it irresistible.”
This interview was edited and condensed for readability.