"Big Water" is a song originally from The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island. It is sung during the sequence in which the original five main characters realize that an earthquake has destroyed the path between the mainland and the island they are currently on, and are wondering how they may get back across the potentially dangerous sea. The song has since been used in the movie The Land Before Time IX: Journey to Big Water, and in the television episode "The Missing Fast-Water Adventure".
Description
In The Mysterious Island
In The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island, when Littlefoot, Cera, Ducky, Petrie, and Spike make it across the ocean (referred to as the "Big Water" by the characters) via a land path connecting the mainland to a small island abundant with vegetation, they almost immediately delve into the food, though they do comment on how strange the plants look, smell and taste. However, when they look out across the sea, they find that an earthquake (referred to as "earthshakes" by the characters) which occurred while they were crossing caused an enormous tsunami that washed away the land path. They then wonder how they will get back to their families. Littlefoot first suggests that Petrie fly back and tell them where they are, then he suggests that Ducky swim back, but both are too afraid to do so, and hide behind Spike's foot. When Cera questions their hesitation, they both break into song, singing the first verse which explaining their fear of the Big Water. The second verse begins and Littlefoot and Cera see the point and join in. During the bridge the gang imagines various sea creatures grabbing them; 5 that look like the gang themselves make a cameo. During the final verse the gang sings how they wish the sun (the word here is ironically used) would dry up the big water. As the song ends one of the sea creatures mentioned in the song pokes it's eye up out of the water and faces the gang on the cliff.
In Journey to Big Water
The gang are helping their new friend, the swimmer (Opthalmosaurus) Mo, get back to his home in the Big Water. Along the way, at one point, Ducky comments that Mama Swimmer tells her to sing to pass the time. Ducky begins singing the song, and the others join in. New lyrics are added to fit the film's situation. The first verse of the original version is also repeated.
In The Missing Fast-Water Adventure
While the gang is playing a game in the pond, an earthshake starts to rumble and destroys a waterfall's route, making it very hard for the gang's families to ration water. First, the gang meets Mo, the swimmer and a returning character from the ninth film "Journey to Big Water" to get his home back by removing pieces of rock that shook and crashed down during the earthshake after the song that helped out removing the rocks.
The song, "Big Water" is sung by the kids & Mo in the episode "The Missing Fast-Water Adventure" while they are helping out by removing rocks that blocked the waterhole, making it hard for families to ration water.
Lyrics
The Mysterious Island
Ducky & Petrie
- Big, big, big, big water
It's very big, big, big, big water
Ducky
- It's deep and dark and dangerous
Petrie
- It's scary and it's "strangerous"
Ducky & Petrie
- And things could "re-arrange-r-us"
In that big water
Liitlefoot & Cera
- Big, big, big, big water
It's awfully big, big, big, big water
Littlefoot
- It's nice on top, but down below
Cera
- What's hiding in the undertow
Liitlefoot & Cera
- You wonder, but you just don't know
In that big water
Cera
- Things could be swimming around under there
Way down deep
Petrie
- Very, very deep
Ducky
- Things with googly eyes under there
And sharp-e-ly teeth
Petrie
- Oh, those sharp-e-ly teeth
Cera
- Things that squish
Petrie
- And things that squirt
Littlefoot
- And squeeze you around your belly
Ducky
- Things with giant, jagged claws
- Together
- And things made out of jelly
Things that bite and things that never sleep!
In that
Littlefoot
- Big
Cera
- Big
Petrie
- Big
Ducky
- Big
Together
- Water
Cera
- We hate that big, big, big, big water
Littlefoot
- We wish the sun would fly up
Petrie
- And make the water dry up
Ducky
- We'd like to say goodbye, yup
Together
- To that big water
Big water...
Journey to Big Water
Ducky
- Big, big, big, big water
See? I am feeling so much "betterer" already.
Littlefoot
- We're looking for
Petrie
- Big, big, big, big water
Cera
- It's deep and dark and dangerous
Petrie
- It's scary and it's "stragerous"
Together
- And things could "re-arangerous"
in that big water
(laughing)
Petrie
- Sing it again, one more time!
Cera
- We went there once some time ago
Petrie
- And now we going back you know
Together
- And this time we are taking Mo
to that big water
(laughing)
Missing Fast-Water Adventure
Ducky & Petrie
- Big, big, big, big water
The very big, big, big, big water
Ducky
- It is deep and dark and dangerous
Petrie
- It's scary and it's "strangerous"
Cera
- And things could "re-arrangerous"
All three
- In that big water
Mo
- Mo likes swimming around
under there
Way down deep
Petrie
- Very, very deep.
Mo
- Mo see all sorts of things
under here
Like Swimming Sharpteeth
Petrie
- Oh, those Swimming Sharpteeth.
Kids together
- Big, big, big, big water
The very big, big, big, big water
Cera
- We went there once sometime ago
Ducky
- We went again when we met Mo
Littlefoot
- Now this Fast Water seems to flow
Kids together
- from that big water
Big Water
Reception
Richard Scheib on Moria: The Science Fiction, Horror and Fantasy Film Review Database said that "Big Water" was a "surprisingly listenable song", when he compared it to most of the other songs in The Land Before Time series up to then. He also described the lyrics as having "rather amusing rhyming schemes"; an opinion he gave on the other songs in the film as well.[1] John Hartl of the Seattle Times briefly described the music, including that for "Big Water" and the other songs, as "mild" in a 1997 article about the fifth Land Before Time installment and other videos.[2] The YouTube reviewer "MarzGurl" expressed dislike towards the "Journey to Big Water" version of the song, saying it was lazy to take a song from one of the previous moives and rewrite lyrics. She was pleased that the song was only one verse.[Citation Needed]
References
- ↑ Richard Scheib's review of The Mysterious Island on Moria.co.nz (2003) www.moria.co.nz Retrieved on April 22nd, 2008.
- ↑ John Hartl's review of The Land Before Time V: The Mysterious Island and other straight-to-video films. (December 11th, 1997) community.seattletimes.nwsource.com Retrieved on October 24th, 2008.