Bella's Lullaby

{{Infobox song | name = Bella's Lullaby | cover = | cover_size = | alt = | border = | caption = | type = Composition | artist = [[Carter Burwell]] | album = [[Twilight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]] | EP = | A-side = | B-side = | written = | published = | released = {{Start date|2008|11|4}} | recorded = September 2008 | studio = [[Air Lyndhurst Studios]] | genre =  | length = 2:20  | label = *[[Chop Shop Records|Chop Shop]] *[[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]] | composer = [[Carter Burwell]] | producer = | chronology = | prev_title =  | prev_year = | next_title = | next_year = | tracks =  | misc = {{Audio sample | type = song | file = Twilight Soundtrack - Bella's Lullaby.ogg | description = The theme as it was first featured in ''[[Twilight (2008 film)|Twilight]]'' }} }} "'''Bella's Lullaby'''" is a song composed by [[Carter Burwell]] for the 2008 movie ''[[Twilight (2008 film)|Twilight]]''. The song's [[motif (music)|motif]] features prominently throughout the [[The Twilight Saga (film series)|franchise]]. It is considered the main theme of the [[Twilight (soundtrack)|movie's soundtrack]].<ref name="vulture">{{cite news |last1=Ivie |first1=Devon |title=Carter Burwell Tells the Stories Behind 7 of His Film Scores, From Fargo to Being John Malkovich |url=https://www.vulture.com/2015/12/carter-burwell-on-his-film-scores-coens-spike-jonze.html |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=Vulture |date=29 December 2015 |language=en}}</ref>

==Background== "Bella's Lullaby" is mentioned in the novel ''[[Twilight (Meyer novel)|Twilight]]''. In the book, the song is composed on piano by [[Edward Cullen]] as a tribute of his love to [[Bella Swan]]. The song is referenced both throughout the book and in the sequel ''[[New Moon (Meyer novel)|New Moon]]''.<ref name=cbr>{{cite web |last1=Waxman |first1=Nicole |title=The Twilight Saga's Biggest Changes From Book to Screen |url=https://www.cbr.com/twilight-biggest-changes-book-to-screen/ |website=CBR |access-date=19 January 2025 |language=en |date=6 August 2021}}</ref>

==Composition and recording== The song that would become known as "Bella's Lullaby" was originally composed by Carter Burwell for his partner, [[Christine Sciulli]], when they were having relationship issues. It was written by Burwell after Sciulli had temporarily left him. According to Burwell, it was meant to "speak of love—ecstatic, tormented love". The two reconciled and later married.<ref name=nylon/>

The piece is composed of two different [[Subject (music)|themes]]. Burwell describes an "A" theme that "is a bit ambiguous, like two people trying to find a common ground, climbing to a high, then tumbling down", and a "B" theme that he considers "forthrightly joyful".<ref name="burwell"/>

When ''Twilight'' director [[Catherine Hardwicke]] approached Burwell about scoring the film, he understood that "Bella's Lullaby" would be an important part of the soundtrack. He believed the emotions behind his prior composition would be appropriate to use for the song.<ref name="tbg"/> Burwell and Hardwicke originally referred to the track as "Love Theme".<ref name="burwell"/>

Burwell recorded the song in September 2008 at [[Air Lyndhurst Studios]] in London. He utilized a 24-piece orchestra for the track.<ref name="burwell">{{cite web |last1=Burwell |first1=Carter |title=Twilight |url=https://www.carterburwell.com/projects/Twilight.shtml |website=www.carterburwell.com}}</ref>

==In the films== The song was not originally going to feature in the films. [[Summit Entertainment]] requested a piano scene to be added to the script in response to growing anticipation in the [[blogosphere]] about the soundtrack, as fans were curious about how "Bella's Lullaby" would be presented.<ref name=nylon/> [[Robert Pattinson]], the actor who played Edward, composed an original piece to use as the lullaby. The "Bella's Lullaby" scene in ''Twilight'' was originally shot using Pattinson's composition, but was later scrapped in favor of Burwell's.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Vineyard |first1=Jennifer |title='Twilight' Stars Robert Pattinson, Kellan Lutz Describe New Flashback Scenes|url=http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1594819/20080915/story.jhtml |website=MTV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918193003/http://www.mtv.com/movies/news/articles/1594819/20080915/story.jhtml |archive-date=18 September 2008 |language=en |date=15 September 2008}}</ref>

Unlike in the books, the song remains unnamed in the film. Edward is shown playing the song, but it is not specified that he composed it for Bella. In ''Twilight'', the melody occurs several times as a [[reprise]].<ref name=cbr/>

==Release and reception== The song was released as part of the ''Twilight: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' on November 4, 2008 through [[Chop Shop Records]] and [[Atlantic Records]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ginsberg |first1=Gab |title=The Oral History Of the First ‘Twilight’ Soundtrack, 10 Years Later |url=https://www.billboard.com/culture/tv-film/twilight-soundtrack-oral-history-8481427/ |access-date=20 January 2025 |work=Billboard |date=1 November 2018}}</ref> Summit Entertainment provided a free remix of "Bella's Lullaby" through [[iTunes]], with the purchase of a ''Twilight'' theatre ticket through online ticket services [[Fandango (ticket service)|Fandango]] or [[MovieTickets.com]].<ref>{{cite web | first1=Jennifer|last1=Vineyard | title='Twilight' Trick Or Treat - Ticket Presales To Begin On Halloween | url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/10/31/exclusive-twilight-trick-or-treat-ticket-presales-to-begin-on-halloween/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081106035512/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/10/31/exclusive-twilight-trick-or-treat-ticket-presales-to-begin-on-halloween/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=6 November 2008 | work=MTV | date=31 October 2008 | access-date=2008-11-29 }}</ref>

The track was well received, and became a popular song for beginners and fans of the franchise to learn on piano. Burwell received a large amount of [[fan mail]] in response.<ref name=nylon>{{cite news |last1=Bryant |first1=Taylor |title=The Secret Story Behind 'Twilight' Song “Bella’s Lullaby” |url=https://www.nylon.com/bellas-lullaby-twilight-anniversary |access-date=20 January 2025 |work=Nylon |date=21 November 2018 |language=en}}</ref> Despite this, he was not invited to score the [[The Twilight Saga: New Moon|next movie]] in the franchise. However, the song's popularity contributed to Burwell's return as composer for ''[[The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1|Breaking Dawn – Part 1]]'' and ''[[The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2|Breaking Dawn – Part 2]]''.<ref name="tbg"/>

Taylor Bryant of ''[[Nylon (magazine)|Nylon]]'' described the song as "instantly iconic".<ref name=nylon/> Meredith Goldstein of ''[[The Boston Globe]]'' praised the song for its "dissonant and longing melody that provokes the emotions one might experience when falling for one's prey."<ref name="tbg">{{cite news |last1=Goldstein |first1=Meredith |title=Lullaby Man: Carter Burwell’s return is the sound of ‘Breaking Dawn’|url=http://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/2011/11/13/lullaby-man-carter-burwell-return-sound-breaking-dawn/X5Y5Pfd27nXHa4mX37ZuhP/story.html |access-date=19 January 2025 |work=The Boston Globe |date=13 November 2011}}</ref> Nasya Blackshear of ''[[Static_Media|The List]]'' stated, "for a classical piece, the song is a certified banger."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Blackshear |first1=Nasya |title=How TikTok Fell In Love With The Twilight Saga |url=https://www.thelist.com/868299/how-tiktok-fell-in-love-with-the-twilight-saga/ |access-date=23 January 2025 |work=The List |date=19 May 2022}}</ref>

==In other media== In 2020, the song resurged in popularity as a [[TikTok]] trend. Videos featuring the melody were juxtaposed with scenes of aggressive [[twerking]] and [[fist pumping]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bell |first1=Esther |title=TikTokers are twerking and fist bumping to the ‘Twilight’ soundtrack |url=https://www.dailydot.com/unclick/tiktok-dance-bellas-lullaby-twilight/ |website=The Daily Dot |access-date=20 January 2025 |date=10 April 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Boren |first1=Jade |title=‘Twilight’ Fans Are Twerking To ‘Bella’s Lullaby’ On TikTok & The Videos Are Wild — Watch |url=https://hollywoodlife.com/2020/04/10/twilight-fans-twerking-bellas-lullaby-tiktok-videos/ |website=Hollywood Life |access-date=20 January 2025 |date=10 April 2020}}</ref> The trend was first popularized by [[Issa Twaimz]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Penn |first1=Farrah |last2=Emanuel |first2=Daniella |title=People Are Doing A Sexy Dance On TikTok To The Score Of "Twilight" And It's Getting Us Through Quarantine |url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/daniellaemanuel/sexy-dance-tiktok-twilight |website=BuzzFeed |access-date=23 January 2025 |language=en |date=9 April 2020}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== *{{cite news |last1=Reid |first1=Tara Catherine |title=On the 15th Anniversary of 'Twilight', Catherine Hardwicke and Carter Burwell Reflect on the Romantic Origin Story of 'Bella's Lullaby' |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-videos/15-year-anniversary-of-twilight-catherine-hardwicke-and-carter-burwell-reflect-on-romantic-origin-story-of-bellas-lullaby-1234890564/ |access-date=20 January 2025 |work=Rolling Stone |date=21 November 2023}} {{authority control}}

[[Category:2008 compositions]] [[Category:Film theme songs]]