Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Into The Open Air – From “Brave”/Soundtrack” by Julie Fowlis
The song “Into the Open Air” originally featured in the Disney movie Brave as a duet between the main character Merida and her mother Elinor and has since become one of the most iconic songs of the movie. With soft, Celtic acoustic instruments and mellow yet powerful vocals, “Into the Open Air” encapsulates the struggle between two conflicting worlds, as Merida and her mother come to terms with their relationship.
The song starts out calm, with sweeping string instruments and soft ad-libs as a background to Julie Fowlis’s beautiful vocals. This calm opening unexpectedly takes a darker turn in the first chorus, as she sings “Only now the story’s broken, can we find our way back home”. This statement hints at the divide in the relationship between Merida and her mother that has led them each to seek their own independent paths, and this theme runs through the whole of the song.
The song builds with energy and power, as the acoustic Celtic instruments layer layer in. Julie’s vocals slowly become more passionate and forceful as the chorus intensifies, representing the gradual reconciliation at the heart of the story. Here, the lyrics “give it all to worlds apart, can we make it feel like home?” become particularly poignant, as Merida and Elinor take a leap of faith and try to make their estranged relationship whole again.
Although there are metaphorical statements throughout the song, the bridge contains a particularly sweet spoken word duet, in which Merida and Elinor finally come to an understanding with each other. This short section paints a much better picture of a new and closer relationship, and the peaceful and gentle sound of the instruments as the song ends represents this newly grown bond and understanding in the family.
Overall, “Into the Open Air” is a beautiful and powerful song that, despite being a modern classic, still captivates listeners young and old. It is an incredibly expressive reminder that, however challenging relationship issues can be, with understanding and courage, even the worst of feuds can be overcome.