Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Give Me Something To Sing About

DISCLAIMER:
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED!!!
I don't own anything.
Life's a show and we all play a part
And when the music starts,
We open up our hearts
It's all right if some things come out wrong.
We'll sing a happy song
And you can sing along.
Where's there's life,
There's hope.
Everyday's
A gift.
Wishes can
Come true.
Whistle while
You work.
So hard
All day.
To be like other girls
To fit in in this glittering world.
Don't give me songs.
Don't give me songs.
Give me something to sing about.
I need something to sing about.
Life's a song
You don't get to rehearse.
And every single verse
Can make it that much worse.
Still my friends
Don't know why I ignore
The million things or more
I should be dancing for.
All the joy
Life sends.
Family
And friends.
All the twists
And bends
Knowing that
It ends.
Well that
Depends...
On if they let you go,
On if they know enough to know
That when you bow
You leave the crowd.
There was no pain,
No fear, no doubt
Till they pulled me out
Of heaven.
So that's my refrain.
I live in hell
'Cause I've been expelled
From heaven.
I think I was in heaven.
So give me something to sing about.
Please give me something.
Life's not a song.
Life isn't bliss.
Life is just this.
It's living.
You'll get along.
The pain that you feel
Only can heal
By living.
You have to go on living.
So that one of us is living.

[@starkly9121]

"Tara, Anya, she needs backup." Kills me every time xD

[@racheld.3540]

+CrimsonGecko Me too! X)

[@christophershibles383]

Came here JUST TO SEE THAT HAPPEN! I've been listening to this song and the previous two (walk through the fire and Under Your Spell/Standing reprise) for over a week on repeat. I just love the songs! I also love hearing Tara's voice, I miss her after season six:(

[@starkly9121]

Ikr! And then after Tara died and Willow tried to destroy the world, she jumped right onto the first woman she could find (aka kennedy) ._. But you have no idea how many times I watch this ep on a daily basis XD

[@lancesawyer2302]

Right! Like come through with the new Destiny's Child. 😂😂😂

[@HonorWillow]

EmeraldGecko to be honest though I think they felt people didn't respect Willow's sexuality so they felt she needed another girlfriend to prove she's queer which is kind of ridiculous :P

[@moonbug5640]

Buffy, the only show where the main characters emotional trauma manifests itself in a solo dance routine suicide attempt.

[@andyventures6574]

Yeah. Not even farscape went there.

[@TheBurningBuddhist]

When the song ends people brake into dance. Hence why she is asking people to give her something to sing about. I guess it's a grey area but I really don't see the suicide attempt. Other people in this episode died too, but did they know they had to keep on singing? It seems to be that the spell thrives off true expression of the soul so the more you can sing about the better. I don't think Buffy wanted to sing about heaven but the spell compelled her too. Everyone shared their darkest secrets but Buffy was officially out. There was nothing more powerful for her to say...until Spike stepped in. I have no doubt she was feeling hopeless hence the end of her song but I don't believe it necessarily means she was going through with it. Wanting to die and actually attempting suicide are very different things.

[@deadpooldan9862]

@@TheBurningBuddhist true, but she did try to die, she tried to dance herself to death, knowing she would die

[@TheBurningBuddhist]

@@deadpooldan9862 So you say. Still waiting for the evidence. We don't know why people start dancing but it's clear that it brings out secrets. That much is said. Buffy's biggest secret is out. We don't know if she could have kept singing or not.

[@Cinephileofmany]

I can’t deal with Alyson crying or looking sad even. It’s too much 😢

[@DoggosintheHouse]

"I live in hell 'cause I've been expelled from heaven".... the look of absolute horror on Willow's face is heartbreaking.... to know that you did something so incredibly cruel to your closest friend. This is a fantastic episode, but Buffy's reveal to her friends hits like a battering ram. I think it's one of the most powerful moments in the series and it happened in a gimmick episode. Whedon is just a genius.

[@wfow1448]

Everyone she's told about Heaven had this look of absolute horror on their faces. The most horrifying though was Spike, and Anya, who would probably know, just by process of elimination, how excruciating Buffy's situation is. After all, if Earth seems like Hell to Buffy, how close to Heaven must Earth be for them?

[@valerienixon7275]

Akitas in the House Xander is guilty Too!

[@danielbutler8103]

It's kinda like the episode "Hush" using the no talking gimmick to have Buffy and Riley learn about each others secrets, Willow finding out Tara is a witch, Xander showing Ayna that he loves her because they couldn't talk there way out of it.

[@Finngrinder]

All that I see, absolute horror. I cannot live, I cannot die...

[@JonSmith-hk1bq]

@@wfow1448 Spike already knew (and wasn't in the scene yet). Buffy told him, and only him, just after she came back. Just a bit of a reminder of how awesome the show was that Spike could exist as such an outlet for Buffy when she could never tell the people closest to her. In so many ways, this show is still miles ahead of its time.

[@varied6902]

Joss Whedon took the premise of a demon who warps reality into a musical and causes people to dance until they spontaneously combust and turned it into the most emotionally charged discussion about depression and existentialism I’ve ever seen.

[@DigiDestined13]

Notice how all the best Buffy episodes were written by him? Hush, The Body...

[@Steef_Lee]

Exactly! It’s one of the best, if not the best, episodes of television and it hurts to watch but in a good way.

[@lindagramajo9528]

Joss is a real genius, I would like to see something from him in tv again, I mean besides Buffy and Angel

[@a.westenholz4032]

@@lindagramajo9528 Well he made Firefly which was brilliant, but not much appreciated by company CEO's so got canceled all too soon.

[@yestocilantro8660]

Who cried watching this episode again In 2020?

[@MatthewBlossoms]

"Life's not a song; life isn't bliss, life is just this, it's living." Damn that quote meant a lot to me for some reason.

[@leonkennedy1259]

Amber Lee Rose Also "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it." That speaks a lot to me as well.

[@kitcat9245]

Amber Lee Rose SPIKE IS THE BEST AHHH

[@notcreative1856]

I don't know if I were buffy I would stick to my friends and say go fuckyourself I'm out.

[@darkb4light06]

It's beautiful and deep. Just like when Dawn says, "The hardest thing in this world is to live in it."

[@wendita7]

spike has the best quotes of the show

[@dongilleo9743]

Ironically, it is Spike, the one with the most to fear from fire, who steps up to stop her at the last second before she burst into flames. It is also Spike, who is dead and a resurrected vampire, who tells and convinces her that life is worth living. Of all the gang, he is the only one who has died and been brought back to life, and thus has the most in common with Buffy in this regard.

[@Velo-vl3qj]

The bit about having the most to fear from fire is interesting and I hadn't thought of it before. It's also interesting that Spike is the only one to step in directly to stop Buffy from self-destructing in existential angst (her 'fast' dance at the end) which indicates that he's probably suffered the same angst before and recognizes it immediately. Her friends can only watch her helplessly, paralyzed by guilt. It's just one more part of what separates her gradually from her friends (a rift that she later partially mends, but she will always be apart from them by nature) and closer to Spike.

[@martinwithani]

Because humans can't be killed by fire?

[@Strangely_Sexy]

@@martinwithani spike is a vampire

[@martinwithani]

@@Strangely_Sexy Yep. Noticed that in the 20 years I've been watching this series...

[@mariasmith2198]

@@martinwithani Not as easily as vampires.

[@ArcanusEst]

"She needs back-up. Anya, Tara." *Anya and Tara give backup vocals and choreography.* Fucking brilliant.

[@filippaharboe1906]

I think her singing “give me something to sing about”, she really means “give me something to live for” and this breaks my heart every time

[@isphus]

Yup. "Give me something to live for" Silence "Pleeeeeeease, give me something" Silence Demon shakes his head, there's no reason to live *guess i'll commit death by dance then* Spike: Awww shut up and just live already. Wanker.

[@lukeevans5427]

Exactly “Don’t give me songs. Give me something to sing about.” “Don’t tell me to live. Give me something to live for.”

[@MrSoulgina]

Every. Single. Time.

[@paulkenfield4909]

That's the arc. She can't find meaning in friends, saving Dawn, or even being the Slayer (especially shown in season 7). I think her smile in the series finale is her accepting that she can just live.

[@damageplan3470]

You're on to it 🖒🙂

[@darkb4light06]

Really can't blame Buffy for being mad that they brought her back.

[@bluebubble229]

I don’t think she was ever mad at them. She was just miserable being alive at first because of what she lost

[@kevinb7649]

She isn't really, but you also can't blame the gang for doing what they did. Even if they had considered this option, if we assume they had no way of finding out the truth, then they are looking at 3 possibilities: Buffy is just dead, no afterlife; Buffy is in a hell dimension; Buffy is in heaven. Even if all 3 are equally likely, one of them is a hell dimension: if they pull her out of a hell dimension, it's a huge win. If they pull her out of heaven, the worst thing that'll happen is that she'll go back to heaven again when she dies later in life again.

[@stoplisteningtothestatic7078]

@@kevinb7649 A lot of fans call willow selfish and don't forgive her for bringing Buffy back but I think it's totally understandable to believe Buffy went to hell. After all she did jump into a portal from glory's homeland that was unleashing hell on earth and beasts were flying out of so it makes sense to think it's possible that Buffy didn't even die and was sent to glory's hell world when she jumped in. That was my first thought too because that's what happened to angel but I guess it was a different portal and Buffy was just killed instantly.

[@mohamedaminehadji6415]

@@stoplisteningtothestatic7078 I don't call Willow selfish for bringing Buffy back, I call Willow selfish because her first reactions afterwards was "let's erase her memory". She made a mistake, it happens, but she never wanted to deal with the consequence (Buffy's resentment and stuff)

[@cass9523]

Mohamed Amine Hadji maybe i’m biased because i love willow, but i think it makes her realistic,

[@georgie1214]

I will never forgive Giles for hearing Buffy sing this song and then leaving in the very next episode 😭

[@martineshamzin7535]

There are so many things I could never forgive Giles for.

[@graffitiwomen]

I know all of you aren't reading ALL of this long tl;dr comment so just stop already. I believe in supporting young people. I work with young people. So please, either read everything before commenting or just skip this, ok? But can we all agree that there's a time in every young adult's life where the supporting elder(be they parents, mentors, etc) have to step back so that young person can try and stand on their own two feet?(I'm not saying any of this was right, but a) it's a tv show and b) it's a tv show). When I was younger, I thought Giles was being mean by abandoning her as well. But as an adult, I can see he was enabling her, he didn't have the full picture of how bad off she was emotionally and I think he was TRYING to do the right thing by her. Young people, adults are fallible individuals who are really winging it themselves. One experiences life experience by living, but it's still confusing to be a human, no matter if you're 20 or 40 or 80. My parents backed away from me about 5 years after this episode. I hated them at the time, but they were giving me a lesson in owning my actions that I sorely needed in my later 20's. I'm not mad at them now, I learned valuable lessons from those experiences. And no, I don't think you should NOT support young people, but ffs, Giles is(for the sake of this argument) his own person and how do we know what other stuff he has going on in his life? We don't. Her friends that lived in her house should've been helping with bills, someone mentioned the Watchers should've paid her(but her struggle as a human young adult is what makes her relatable, in part, who wants to watch millionaire Buffy, it would be like...idk, Batman or something), and I mean, I guess they could've but it's not like you pick that job(being the chosen one) and it's supposed to be secret, so where is a 16-? old going to explain getting paychecks from a weird company? And what's the going rate going to be? I would never intentionally let any young person in my life down like this. All I'm saying is I think Giles didn't have the FULL picture on her mental state at the time and he's a human, and humans make mistakes. Like my original comments, *sigh*.

[@martineshamzin7535]

@@graffitiwomen But then Giles decides to show back up, and still thinks he knows better then Buffy.

[@Tsweeney12584]

@@graffitiwomen were you in heaven and pulled out against your will? Were you then asked without so much as a concern to hop right back into a hell scape… oh and essentially be a single mom to a bratty teenager?

[@kg4wwn]

@@graffitiwomen I am now close enough to 40 to spit at it. I absolutely do not support the "sink or swim" method of mentoring or parenting that states someone should simply withdraw and force their offspring to "stand on their own two feet." I now thing Giles was being worse than I ever did as a child. Once you step like this into someone's life. Once you are a parental figure, that is forever. You don't get to back off, you only get to take a break when you are not needed. People are stronger with support (heck, that's canonically what makes Buffy the strongest Slayer ever.) Leaving someone so that they will "grow up" or "get stronger" etc. does not lead to stronger people, it leads to people who loose their ability to trust. People who are in survival mode. People who do what it takes to survive. People like Faith. I have been the person who has chosen to pick up the pieces of more than one person who should have had support of their parents, and in more than one case the parents have thought that they were doing the (adult) child a favor by kicking them out, or withdrawing support. Or at least that is what they said. But in no case was it a positive for the person involved. You can support someone's independence far better by letting them stretch their wings knowing that there is safety if they fail, than you can by forcing them out of the nest.

[@TheZephyrStorm]

Her pretty much asking the demon for a reason to live and he shakes his head so she tries to kill herself through dancing embodies the entire song

[@YTEdy]

Or she was under the spell and couldn't prevent her death without help. People have different interpretations of that scene. The demon clearly says no to her. No help there.

[@mrspidey80]

1:25 Amber fucks up the choreography and immediately hides behind a support column because she can't help but laugh about it.

[@ellehirst136]

mrspidey80 Ik😂😂😂 That's my favourite bit

[@saar144]

I thought she fucked the choreography up bcz she hit the column.

[@enozmah6081]

mrspidey80 omg, how did I never notice it, thanks man.

[@eatmybutthairslittletinyman]

mrspidey80 now I can't unsee it 😂

[@isabelr3467]

Willow's face after she founds out Buffy was in heaven is the worst thing that has ever happened to me, personally

[@mattlane4761]

What about when Tara said, "Your shirt.."

[@adorbstotesadorbs.9371]

Naw, Spike burning on a cross, in a church, while trying to explain to Buffy he got his soul back... is the worst thing to happen to any of us. 31 years old, still make me cry like a little girl.

[@jacobmorris3664]

Are you still in utero?

[@aldendomino3523]

@Paul Orr Osiris in the show doesn't have the power to throw a bullet at her six months later

[@NeloBladeOfRanni]

It honestly makes me want to start crying

[@WilliamAfton-ok9dh]

Giles "Tara...Anya, she needs backup!" *they dance as back-up dancers* Giles: I..... why do i even bother?

[@anton4396]

Tara walks into pole Giles: more disappointment

[@jenni7626]

Kills me every time hahahahahahaha

[@whitedragoness23]

They are probably the best singers for the job

[@scottreading6544]

It’s 2020 and I am still here...and I always will be. So powerful.

[@MalarikFilms]

Agreed

[@nickattwater6703]

Same here.. I'm watching the whole series again.. Its just gets better..

[@lulubear9133]

2021 BOYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY

[@mskaylamichele92]

Still a top musical episode

[@fiorellamucha2008]

2022 here!

[@Cool70sfreak]

It's moments like these that really make me appreciate Spike so much, because he's always the most insightful character in the series, more than anyone else. Moments like this, that moment in Season 3 when he wants to get Drusilla back and tells Angel and Buffy that they'll never be friends and explains what love is, when he talks about the Native Americans and conquering nations, when he says there's consequences to magic and resurrecting her which is vindicated in this scene, and so many more great moments...Spike understands the truth of so many things and says it outright when people either don't know it or don't want to say it. I think that's part of what makes his presence in the show so important, especially from Season 4 onward.

[@tejalkhare8917]

You said everything I wanted to say....Spike is my favourite character Spike stands out alone and shines like a true star.

[@SynthApprentice]

Hell, he spends half his time in season 4 reminding everyone that he's a bad guy.

[@erikachavez4645]

kind of ironic how he was ridiculed for writing poetry in his past life and now becomes strangely poetic in this life.

[@jasonchurilla5176]

Where did he talk about the Native Americans?

[@Cool70sfreak]

@@jasonchurilla5176 "Pangs" Season 4 Episode 8

[@gadfageyar]

The look on Willow's face when she realises what she's done!

[@cariowen7140]

spike just saved her bloody life

[@TravioliRavioli]

It took me way too long to realize Dawns last sentence "The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it" is what Buffy told her, before she jumped into her death in the ending scene of "The Gift" for her in order to be strong for what lies ahead of her - God i love this Episode, this Show and Whedon!

[@scarletfokx1449]

I was actually MAD about that. Dawn irritated me most of the time anyway, but Buffy DID live, she lived a terribly difficult and short life, and she was already resurrected once...after all her suffering she deserved peace. Not another chance to suffer, which is basically what Dawn just faced her with, otherwise calling Buffy a hypocrite for saying that in the past. Of all people to give Buffy advice...

[@mione12gft71]

You still love whedon? Ahsuahah

[@cmm5542]

@@scarletfokx1449 But Buffy had also left Dawn to suffer alone in a hard world without any family or a Slayer any more. So in a way it was fair for Dawn to quote that back at her: she had had to suffer alone in a 'difficult and short life' too, just given another chance to suffer when Buffy saved her; she understood better than anyone what Buffy was going through and that sometimes you just have to deal with it. No one ever pitied Dawn for her existential sufferings; she wasn't going to pity Buffy for the same.

[@vaw796]

​​@@scarletfokx1449 Looking back Dawn was written to be the extremely annoying sibling, getting in Buffy's way from her Slayer duties to interrupting her with Riley, because they wanted her to make this impact of an irritating teenager. It made the reveal even more poignant that Dawn was the key made into a child, the last thing you'd expect to be the key, but here she was. It had to be that dynamic I think for viewers to think,why is she here, who is she and why does she have to be so obnoxious. Buffy was only 16 when she was first revived, wanted to live and wasn't buried to claw her way out of a coffin. 16yo Buffy knew the prophecy and didn't want to die.

[@FaultlineSurfer]

Even Sweet had nothing to say to that. No taunts, no laugh, even the demon was fucking speechless at what the Scoobies did to Buffy.

[@Beary_Fruity989]

The part at the end where Spike pulls her out of her self destructive dance broke me the most because its like pulling a loved one out of an unhealthy pattern and still knowing that they aren't going to recover without the support from you. The fact that everyone else just stood there it was like watching a car crash, you wouldn't know how to help in that instance either. This scene is the true embodiment of self destruction, where it starts off light and very quickly turns into dark in a millisecond. Even the demon couldn't give her a reason to keep on living. She has to find it on her own with the help and support from everyone else. I fucking loved this episode so much. Props to the demon too bro like he's probably my favorite out of all the villains she's gone up against. Even if he was there for one episode I still got hooked on how he went on with life and how he saw the world.

[@mistabook]

Christ, Gellar and Hannigan both KILL it in this bit. How do you even act something like this? And yet they both sell it 100%. This show was next level brilliant.

[@xXHanna84Xx]

YES! so amazing!

[@xXHanna84Xx]

well.... i can act like that just watching this... XD

[@jimnguyen8982]

MrBook 🔪👒🎩🎓🎓👖👗💵🐃⏳⏳以💮🗿💈🎳💀💇🔱时

[@kitcat9245]

As willow backs up, she hates herself. Such good actors. Such an incredible show! I'm only 14, but a I've watched the show since I was 3. Also spike at the end of this is the best

[@spikemarsters1161]

James Marsters topped off the awesome factor I never gave a shit about the Angel Spin off until I realised that Spike was resurrected from the dead after season 7 and made a character and subsequently STOLE the show again from Angel in Angel season 5 his character went through even more changes and even became MORE awesome!

[@sarahunchained6680]

Willows face at 2:43 kills me every time. I feel so bad for her since she was the one to do the magic to pull Buffy out of heaven.

[@sarahunchained6680]

+Cryer24597 Don't get me wrong I hate that she did it in the first place. Especially since she killed an innocent animal.

[@sarahunchained6680]

+Cryer24597 PS I know it was all fake

[@sarahunchained6680]

+Cryer24597 ok thank goodness because I was thinking "damn they brought animal rights into this!" Haha and yeah it wasn't her best season with the whole nearly killing dawn, memory spells all over the place, evil willow. But I am glad they did write it in because then we wouldn't have gotten one of the best speeches, in my opinion, the yellow crayon speech.

[@caraevans7733]

I know but like she said, for all she knew Buffy was going through torment so she thought she might be helping Buffy :(

[@Briansgate]

And then right after that, sara starts singing again, forceful, yet with empty looking eyes. Really powerful moment.

[@myjessiesgirl]

Who else cried when she said “I live in hell because I’ve been expelled from heaven”

[@kevinscott1547]

Each time I watch this episode.

[@Finngrinder]

I know exactly how she feels. I meet people I'm in heaven with and I lose them by arguments, misunderstandings or just because I don't have the great looks or voice very, very abruptly

[@flipclone]

i watch OMWF a few times a year, and i dont think i could ever NOT cry when i see the pain and sorrow in Willow's face.

[@sk70091]

Every damn single time. I always start singing along to the song and then at this point my voice just breaks.

[@PatrickRob82]

EEEEVVVEERRRYYYOOOOONE

[@rushofblood994]

"she needs backup" is such an underrated double entendre

[@aidacailar1126]

Buffy is so underrated. It's probably the greatest masterpiece TV has ever produced. It's so sad that people underestimate it because it's a show aimed for teenagers and young adults. The depth, insight and character development of this TV show has yet to be topped. It probably was the first TV series to explore the medium in an artistic way. Truly deserves so much more recognition than it already gets.

[@Cinephileofmany]

It’s true. In a post GOT’s, Breaking Bad world I would stand this toe to toe with any of the greatest. My favorite show of all time

[@calumsanderson6741]

Calling Buffy "underrated" is quite possibly the most idiotic and misinformed thing I've read online and I've read some goddamned doozys. You must be a zoomer. I grew up when the show was airing. It was the hottest shit ever. It was an event. It is still loved. The revelations about Whedon have forced us as fans to distance ourselves from the show, like we've been betrayed, to reevaluate our relationship with the show. But it remains loved and enjoyed. And please don't you dare say Firefly is underrated next.

[@juliettecarr2498]

@@calumsanderson6741 that was a pretty mean way to articulate your response.

[@MoonlarkSpirits]

Idk, maybe in your time, it was the hottest piece of shit to exist? But times change, shows change, the latest show trends changes all the time Me, I’m only 18, but I like to watch Buffy The Vampire Slayer. I mean, I’ve only lost like 5 laptops due to getting severe viruses…

[@Unsupervisedgoat]

​@@MoonlarkSpirits It's nice to know others my age watch Buffy lol. Literally no one i know has ever even heard of it.

[@loubo2]

James Marsers has a very beautiful voice

[@AndrewSmoot]

I believe that he, and Tony Head, were the only two cast members who had professional experience/education with singing at this point in their careers.

[@yumchickens5676]

@@AndrewSmoot amber didn’t?

[@lesliee6870]

James Marsters has a band, Ghost of the Robot.

[@Fates1Embrace]

“She needs back up; Anya, Tara.” Giles, now is not the time to be a music critic! 😆

[@RobinBeirne]

It's taken me like 100 times to realise that this is the Bronze.

[@WildWaver]

Wait FUCK

[@whitedragoness23]

Did the demon kick everyone out of the bronze?

[@WildWaver]

@@whitedragoness23 They're off dancing :)

[@echo8630]

Sammmme. I totally didn't realize it until about the 50th time I watched this episode lol

[@profchaos91]

@@echo8630 man did you even watch the episode? The puppet announces that his master was at the bronze. how can you watch it for 50 times and miss it

[@emilycrocker2592]

Can we all just acknowledge Buffy's face when she says "to be like other girls" at 0:37 She looks so broken.

[@catarinemarques231]

Emily Crocker Since season 1 her desire was to be a normal girl.

[@cmm5542]

It's sad she wanted that so much, since 'normal girls' are not necessarily satisfied with life and free from loneliness and depression either. If Buffy HAD become a normal girl, she would have been so disappointed.

[@mediaman834]

do you know how long it took me to realise Buffy literally attempted suicide by dancing too fast too long

[@rennyvargas4065]

MediaMan wow I didn't realize it til I saw your comment

[@mediaman834]

Renny Vargas legit the first time I saw it I was like "uh what's she doing" and I watched the episode like 2 more times and it clicked and I was like HOLY CRAP MAN

[@kurtbastelt]

in front of her friends. that is even more hardcore :( this season is a masterpiece

[@drmayeda1930]

Not really suicid,e but it was caused by the spell. They start dancing faster and faster till they burst into flame.

[@kurtbastelt]

sure but it seems like she WANTED to accept the dance / her death.

[@Ashtree28]

2:54 the way she delivers ‘so GIVE me something to sing about!’ is just goosebump-inducing. This episode is incredible... people should watch the entirety of Buffy just to see this masterpiece (and also because it’s frickin’ BUFFY but hey)

[@lilithhedwig5408]

The horror on Willow's face really sells it, shivers

[@dawsonedwards5859]

The sad fact is if you really listen to lyrics it’s a sad song about her being dead and coming back with nothing left. But it’s covered by a somewhat happy beat. Which could be how she puts on a front.

[@bluebubble229]

The song wasn’t about having nothing left. She had a sister and friends. She was just miserable because she found peace and it was taken away

[@ambrosiacanelo9014]

It was a little of both. It was what she should be happy about but couldn't be, because she was ripped from heaven

[@hrishiv27]

It’s about depression, and how people suffering from it have trouble relating to the good things in life, because of a lack of happiness, or sometimes emotion in general. It is a dull pain that stops you from being able to appreciate that which is good in life.

[@whitedragoness23]

Life is a dance

[@izabella7174]

@@hrishiv27 and it takes time to heal from that. Spike is right, you have to go on living

[@aaronjones6892]

I do like that it is Spike who saves Buffy; I know there are aspects of the Spike/Buffy storyline that wouldn't pass muster nowadays, but, I do think that Spike's character showed the most development in, possibly, any television programme ever; and, in the end, there was genuine affection between the two characters

[@thegrimmretails3777]

Nowadays nothing. There are aspects of that arc that never passed muster, period.

[@aaronjones6892]

@@thegrimmretails3777 Of course, everyone is entitled to their opinion, however, I do respectfully disagree; if, for no other reason than, the Buffy/Spike storyline was broadcast and so it did indeed 'pass muster', whether or not you think it should have been

[@kingmespeaks6839]

God, just every time she says heaven and it goes slightly off-key and my heart breaks a little.

[@JanAside]

Anna King yeah really ruins the whole song but i like to believe thats on purpose cause heaven technicaly ruined her "beautiful life"

[@jiraiyaaddams7592]

... and then Spike does the same with "living"'''... these are not accidents...

[@cirrustate8674]

Joss wrote it that way intentionally, to go into a minor at those points, specifically for the contrast.

[@cirrustate8674]

I was not quite correct. It wasn't a minor, it was a diminished.

[@captaincassbag7813]

It was intentional

[@Biwabik223]

I'm 71 and just started watching Buffy last May. I bought the complete series DVD's and I'm watching them now for the second time. Hannigan is probably my favorite character, I have liked her since she was the Band Camp Girl on the American Pie movies.

[@RhaegarTargaryen1st]

Welcome to the fandom!

[@danielhaire6677]

I'd had my suspicions about the heaven angle before this episode, but nothing prepared me for how heartrendingly Gellar delivered the lines starting with "There was no pain." By the end of that portion I was literally in tears.

[@Beagslie76]

Were your "suspicions" from 2 or 3 episodes before when she TOLD Spike she thought she was in heaven? Or was it something else?

[@Jackerys]

The look of terror on willows face gives me chills to this day

[@Daniela-ji9ip]

4:21 can we appreciate for a moment how even after realizing that Willow used a spell on her, Tara is still there comforting Willow when she needs it

[@GLockPizzleMan]

"She needs backup..." Classic! I risk coming off like a drooling fanboy but Joss Whedon is an genius at insane levels.... fact!

[@camilla8029]

GLockPizzleMan holy shit this was 9 years ago......I think he’s great for making Buffy but the way he treated Black Widow and her relationships in Age of Ultron makes me....very mad.

[@marandacoutu3480]

GLockPizzleManl

[@alooncnej4696]

This episode, Restless, The Body, Hush, and a lot of others, god this show is the best I've seen

[@Tricker-the-licker]

Life's not a song, life isn't bliss life is just this it's living. Your get along, the pain that you feel it only can heal by living. You have to go on living, most inspiring word's ever.

[@bgcyclops]

In the DVD comentaries Joss Whedon says that this song says everything about his show :)

[@MrBigbenny23]

the look on buffy's face at 2:59 is heartbreaking,i should know i've seen that look of hopelessness on my face more than once,spectacular acting on SMG's part, the look just says "somebody please help me"

[@noahwelburn8835]

I fucking adore this episode. Are they great singers? God no. But the lyrics. The lyrics are a part of the story. They are the motife. They are the inner working of the characters conflicts. It was webbed into the manifesto of the buffy universe. Not just a camp musical with nothing to say. Again. LOVE IT

[@LongandWeirdName]

They may not be great singers, but they are great vocal actors. They make you feel it. Text to speech Brian(most popular/default StreamLabs tts voice you can hear all over Twitch streams, reading donation messages) would not have the impact, even with those lyrics.

[@joehaas6129]

Yes, Willow, you were the big bad of season six.

[@CG-ik9hh]

Anyone else who thought, that Spike’s and Buffy‘s outfits were matching. The black leather coat she sheds in the beginning and the red shirt. It’s like when you meet up with someone and realize both of you chose a similar outfit by chance. I always liked when that happened with good friends.

[@ricardosanchez1276]

2:29 always make me wanna cry. Sarah Michelle is an amazing drama actress

[@anyaaaa5455]

My name is Anya because of this TV show😂❤😍🔥

[@matthewdante2809]

My favorite character!!

[@whitedragoness23]

How do you like the name?

[@jasonhenderson1944]

Wow!

[@anyaaaa5455]

Ametyst I love it and I love the show too ❤️

[@schattentaenzerin]

Hi Anya. How's your money? ;)

[@zedsdeadbaby4386]

Life's not a song, life isn't bliss, life is just this..... it's liviiiinggg. I love this change.. Watching the show for the 1st time in 2021

[@tlewisisdope]

Alyson's reaction always totally guts me. She was so magnificent in that role

[@ellielindsey7454]

The musical arrangement of this song is genius. For me, this is how fighting to find meaning in life feels when you are depressed/suicidal.

[@lilyredmoon7267]

Everyone's faces when she said she was expelled from heaven. Was heartbreaking. Then when dawn quoted her last words back to her. tears man tears.

[@Brizercheze]

I won't deny that Joss was a genius, Hush, and The Body.... but he's icky now.

[@joshfactor1]

rumor has it she was vehemently against a musical episode because she didn't think she'd be any good but i think she did well

[@701983]

Interesting. I was really impressed by the singing of them all, you wouldn't expect that from such a group of actors, who didn't sing before in the show (except Giles). Of course, Buffy had not a voice like Tara, but I agree, she did very well in my view. Normally, I don't like musicals very much. But this episode is one of my favorites. So absurd (this kind of demon), so funny (bunny song, "she needs backup"), so emotional ("I live in hell...")!

[@leonkennedy1259]

"The hardest thing in this world is to live in it." You can't get anymore real than that and it gets more and more relevant every year. Buffy is one awesome show. One of the reasons why is because it's so real. Joyce's death The Body everything. It knows how to be real and hit all the emotions. ❤ 😭 ❤

[@oliviamackenzie9725]

Me: enjoying the song Dawn: speaks Me: dawn, I swear to god.

[@martineshamzin7535]

What? Im not sure I even understand that. Its n to like she interrupts the song. She speaks after the song is OVER. Also, not everything needs to be Me; blah blah blah format.

[@oliviamackenzie9725]

@@martineshamzin7535 you know what? If you don't like the joke you can just scroll past. You don't have to be such a twat.

[@StephiiWingz617]

Haha shut up Dawn

[@spriteluver]

dawn is a sweet little gal and you guys are too hard on her! if anything it's because joss doesnt know how to write little sisters lol

[@okboomer3834]

this is so petty lol

[@kingofthorns203]

"The hardest thing in this world, is to live in it." Gets me EVERY time

[@DarkFoxV]

I believe, a call back to fighting Glory!

[@helencarames2774]

What gets me is the look in her eyes when she's fighting the puppet boys. It's so obvious there how much she is suffering "to be like other girls" that's where my heart broke. It still breaks all these years later because the more I live the more I feel the truth of that moment.

[@zizi33girlpanini87]

God. When she says "pleeeease give me something!!-" and looks at the demon. Shes half asking "give me something to live for" and half asking "give me something to kill myself with" and the demon shakes his head cuz he thinks shes asking for something to live for. Then u see his face change as he realizes and gestures to the floor. Buffy realizes hes giving her a way to commit suicide and bam. She tries. And god...willows face at the very end

[@martinthomas1293]

You could tell from her fighting in this part of the show she is literally fighting on auto pilot she did this so well

[@animemanXLK]

You know what gets me is Buffy was like one second away from bursting into flames and all her friends just stood there and watched before Spike is eventually the one to stop her dancing herself to death.

[@jenniferboddie3768]

I remember the promos for this, and thinking how this was going to suck. I think many of us tuned to see just how much this episode was going to suck, and then, while watching this thinking, wow, this doesn't suck, it's actually pretty good, and then, as the episode continued, thinking, wow, this is awesome!

[@drmayeda1930]

The people who saw the original broadcast were lucky. We got 7 minutes of extra content that didn't make it to subsequent airings. I'm not sure which version is in the DVD or Amazon. I should look. running time 1:07 is the uncut version.

[@jiraiyaaddams7592]

I remember all that... but I was a believer about halfway through "Going Through The Motions"... :)

[@ButterFly-zh8ho]

" The hardest thing in this world is to live in it " it's so true.

[@AngelLestat2]

I always hate musicals, but this episode was my favorite episode from almost of all series that I saw, which says a lot of how good it was.

[@LefevreCharlie]

Best episode of the best season of the entire show, the look of horror and realization on willow's face... so much despair in Buffy's voice... I can so relay to that....

[@senordan810]

Still gives me chills every time I watch this

[@trollingisasport]

yeah agree pretty cringe

[@FerretJohn]

My mom loved the series but was not liking Buffy in season 6 at all, feeling she was too "Poor me" and just down and depressed all the time. I kept telling her "Well the season started out with her getting pulled out of Heaven and back into Sunnydale, aka Hell's Playground, and things kept not getting any better." She kind of had reason to be

[@Beanworth]

I love it when Giles says that she needs backup :) BUFFY ROCKS!!!

[@MegaAshWilliams]

Not only did this episode jump the shark, it rode the shark, made the shark it's bitch and closed out the day with shark soup. In a good way.

[@fRo0tLo0p]

MegaAshWilliams All your taste is in your mouth.

[@GeneralG1810]

Wash your mouth out, this was the best episode of the entire series

[@kimmy123763]

this episode was one of the best. but the body is still the best

[@nursejoed]

@@GeneralG1810 You realize this was a compliment...?

[@GeneralG1810]

@@nursejoed LOL kinda hard to see it that way, I took it as an EXTREME jump the shark metaphor But if they meant it was a great ep then I totally agree

[@kayleeharlow1285]

I just freaking realized buffy tired to commit suicide and spike stopped her.

[@viniciusbarreto2084]

Lifes a show And we all play our parts And when the music starts We open up our hearts Its alright If some things come out wrong We'll sing a happy song And you can sing along Where theres life, theres hope Everydays a gift Wishes can, come true Whistle while, you work So hard, all day To be like other girls To fit in, in this glittering world Don't give me songs Don't give me songs Give me something to sing about I need something to sing about Lifes a song You don't get to rehearse And every single verse Can make it that much worse Still my friends don't know why I ignore The million things or more I should be dancing for All the joy life sends Family and friends All the twists and bends Knowing that it ends Well that depends On if they let you go On if they know enough to know That when you bowed You leave the crowed There was no pain No fear no doubt Til they pulled me out Of heaven So that's my refrain I live in hell Cause ive been expelled from heaven I think I was in heaven So give me something to sing about Please give me something Lifes not a song Life isn't bliss Life is just this Its living You'll get along The pain that you feel You only can heal by living You have to go on living So one of us is living The hardest thing in this world is to live in it

[@fangsabre]

God this song is so beautiful. And so true. Depression and trying to hide it, that's exactly what it is

[@thegreenmanofnorwich]

This song and this episode were bittersweet for me. I'd had undiagnosed depression for about 7 years when this came out, and thought "aha! Someone gets it", but then a little bitter, as recovery is much harder and more time consuming than it looks

[@chrispeplinski7306]

Love how spike is the one to convince buffy to keep living

[@geoffreyforbes2227]

2:09 You can tell Giles is just got an idea that Buffy's about to annonce something heartbreaking. I love the little touches.

[@caterinadc5567]

I feel like that might also be his fatherhood character. I feel like he's jolting free of the demon magic enough to manifest his disgust that a demon is forcing Buffy to sing about her death. (Her death being something he'd already have awful feelings about, but then a demon making her bring it up in song.. yeah, that's the character choice I see the actor making. The fatherly watcher managing to turn his head (despite the magic) at that.)

[@DarkFoxV]

I feel, Giles had his suspicions from the beginning, even when he scolded Willow.

[@adrianabrinpodcast]

It’s crazy how after all these years this show is still touching people. I was 7 when it came on air. It was amazing then, but watching it as an adult it’s even more amazing because I understand and can relate so much more to it.

[@morgaineraven]

Amber Benson hitting the pole is the funniest thing ever ^_^ She's cute enough any way but then to see her all giggly from it makes your heart warm. Thanks for posting!

[@iminthecornerofyourroom]

Fac

[@elliotmay]

Fave song in the musical by a mile. Sarah totally rocks it.

[@scottt6267]

I love the little head shake the demon does after Buffy so desperately sings “give me something” after singing about her death.

[@justmyopinion1795]

This scene and song always get me. Buffy is truly looking for reasons to live. She has none. I love that look of absolute horror on willows face. The way they all realise what theyve done. Beautiful acting on behalf of the cast

[@aphillyate1]

There are no words for how powerful this was and remains over two decades later. Life isn't bliss; life is just this; it's living; the pain that you feel; you only can heal; by livinnnnng; you have to go on livinnnng.

[@RandallHallKaizenReiki]

This is one of the beautiful things about this show. Consequences. Events matter past the episode they happen in. In many other shows, this would be brought up and resolved in the same episode. But in Buffy, this lasted for the rest of the show. While it may not have haunted her the whole time, Buffy was most definitely changed by this and no longer the same person. So many shows are afraid to do this.

[@LongandWeirdName]

After than comment. I just have to say something. You might enjoy Person of Interest.

[@farnazdarjani8238]

The reaction of Giles on "That when you bowed" part was lije a hurt father remembering all the pains his daughter went through

[@therealbologna2]

This was such a sad moment

[@charlesbeck5511]

Ok, I feel a little silly because everyone is giving a great analysis of this scene and it is truly one of the best but when I first saw this scene and Giles said "She needs backup" despite the musical episode I didn't expect them to become backup singers. So that part just forever amuses me. Partly because of my own stupidity and of the play on words. I love the bits of dry humor that still get sprinkled in despite a serious situation.

[@cutepiku]

This is easily my favourite season, always has been. This episode, plus the shit storm that follows right down to the season finale... just a masterful allegory on depression and existentialism. I loved this season before I even understood it, and growing up and realizing I was suffering with depression for so long probably explains why.

[@1-ZombieMad]

This Serie is the best ever. and the beginer of manny more. the 90-s is just the best!

[@CATTYNESS1]

Classic series, still worth watching and this episode is Amazing!!

[@bibchr]

"She needs backup. Anya! Willow!" Priceless.

[@mariasmith2198]

I always took it to show how LITTLE the "friends" backed her up.

[@DupreeBlosch]

Tara*

[@brookeroy9697]

This song makes so much sense to me because I attempted suicide awhile back and when I was in a coma I had a dream like I was in some paradise but then my family brought me back and it was a whole lot worst and they just expected me to be okay with life and that isn’t what I wanted. But I’ll be okay.

[@Tanya07709]

You would have gone to Hell after you officially died dear, so you have to go on living and earn the place in Paradise by living life to the fullest! Blessed be and namaste dear heart!

[@sarificacionable]

Same for me

[@kubraozyrt]

I guess you have proof of that?

[@Dee8Bee]

Brooke Roy I can imagine. Haven’t attempted anything, but was very close. Especially when I had my burnout and depression in 2011. Only thing that’s kept me going were my cats. Who will take care of them? So I stay.. practice Law of Attraction, try and keep thinking positive. But it’s hard. Sometimes I dream I’m somewhere else. Very painful when I wake up and realise it’s a dream. I just try to stay here so I won’t reincarnated again to this realm/dimension if I miss any life lessons.

[@Velo-vl3qj]

Tania R, what kind of bastard conflagration of religions are you following that you came out with a statement that encompasses Christian damnation and both a Wiccan and Hindu greeting? Keep your "dear"s to yourself.

[@no-ns7lx]

"She needs backup" Anya and Tara become her *BACKUP SINGERS*

[@calvinramirez218]

my gosh this song brings back so many memories.she's so beautiful and her voice calms me. Also this show changed my life.

[@KatiesArabVision]

This was incredibly ahead of it’s time. The way it looks, the songs…hard to believe it was probably filmed in 2001…wow I love this show so much.

[@ossenaar40]

Just watched this scene for the first time and I got goosebumps everywhere. One of the best moments of this show so far. I don't want it to end but I'm getting there sadly

[@jasonhelquist9282]

The hardest thing to do in this world is to live in it

[@facundogonza5740]

"Spike: Death is your art. You make it with your hands day after day. That final gasp, that look of peace. And part of you is desperate to know: What's it like? Where does it lead you? And now you see, that's the secret. Not the punch you didn't throw or the kicks you didn't land. She really wanted it. Every Slayer has a death wish. Even you. Sooner or later, you're gonna want it. And the second - the second - that happens, you know I'll be there. I'll slip in, have myself a real good day." From Fool for Love. Season 5 And he did not lie. He WAS there.... to save her.

[@Marzellus1991]

That episode is Spike's best one

[@evercurious9873]

I feel like this whole episode is so powerful it can never be overlooked..... Buffy literally helped me become who I am as an adult, and I am so proud of that... It made me a better person growing up and I'll never forget it and always be grateful!

[@lvis11tj7]

That was the first time that I ever heard Dawn speak during that.......that was so awesome, it tied in the speech and made the turn around in the next episode make a little more sense...thanks for posting that version......I must have missed that, because I was obsessed with this show...