'Come What May' - LP Version
Performed by Nicole
Kidman and Ewan McGregor
Written by David Baerwald, Orchestral Production by Craig Armstrong
Produced by David Foster for Chartmaker Inc.
Come What May was released as a CD single around September 2001 with moderate success. This LP version is also featured on 'Volume 1' of the soundtrack.
This beautiful love song is what ultimately binds Christian and Satine together in the film. Christian comes up with the idea of a lovers 'secret song' to be included in the Spectacular Spectacular musical he is preparing for the Moulin Rouge. However, the secret song has double meaning, for not only does it symbolise the love between the courtesan and maharaja in the play, but more significantly it becomes the theme tune for the true love shared between Satine and Christian.
The romantic melody of Come What May was originally composed by David Baerwald for inclusion in Luhrmann's previous film, Romeo + Juliet. However, the song was saved for Moulin Rouge, and it is the only fully original song that is featured in the film. It is a wonderful tune that is effectively used to convey the emotions shared between Satine and Christian. The version featured here on the CD single is an uninterrupted duet sung by Nicole and Ewan, but Come What May was further altered for the two versions that are ultimately seen in the movie itself.
In the film, Come What May begins as a song of hope and happiness - it is sung as a duet on Christian's balcony and then continues to serve as a reminder of their relationship while the lovers rehearse the play. In the final reprise of Come What May, a version that is featured in the film but not on the soundtrack, the tune becomes full of sadness and longing as Satine sings to woo back Christian after her misguided betrayal. It is a great shame that this final reprise of the song was not included on the soundtrack, but my review of the original film version can be found here.
Lyrics:
Christian - Never knew I
could feel like this
Like I've never seen the sky before
Want to vanish inside your kiss
Every day I love you more and more
Listen to my heart, can you hear it sing?
Telling me to give you everything
Seasons may change, winter to spring
But I love you until the end of time
Come what may
Come what may
I will love you
Until my dying day
Satine - Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Suddenly it moves with such a perfect grace
Suddenly my life doesn't seem such a waste
It all revolves around you
Both - And there's no
mountain too high
No river too wide
Sing out this song and I'll be there by your side
Storm clouds may gather and stars may colide
Christian - But I love you
Satine - I love you
Christian - Until the end of time
Satine - Until the end of time
Both - Come what may
Come what may
I will love you
Until my dying day
Oh come what may
Come what may
I will love you
Satine - I will love you
Suddenly the world seems such a perfect place
Both - Come what may
Come what may
I will love you
Until my dying day