Iāve been meaning to write this for a long time because itās something that keeps me thinking. So many people talk about the fashion in The Nanny, but almost no one mentions the MUSIC. I consider it a key factor in the show as it doesn't feature a lot of music in general. Sure, there are the jingles between scene changes, but I mean actual songs with lyrics. While they arenāt used often, the few times they appear are super meaningful. I recall three (there mightāve been more) but these stand out the most. And two songs are like clues for us to follow, even if indirect, that were supposed to fulfill in few another seasons into the future.
Letās start with the most obvious one: the final episode and Barbra Streisandās Memories. I hardly need to explain why this song was so impactful, but I will anyway. The choice of Barbraās song is so smart as she was brought up in the show so many times as Franās muse and the lyrics match the storyline perfectly ā it was such a thoughtful decision by the creators. The song ties everything together in the finale, closing the chapter on Franās journey in a such beautiful, sentimental way.
Second song is from the Kindervelt Days episode when Fran is supposed to go to a reunion with Eric Estrada, but eventually Maxwell shows up and dances with her to Two Different Worlds. It took me some time to find the exact song, but I was determined to prove my point. Here we go with the lyrics:
Two different worlds
We live in two different worlds
For we've been told that a love like ours
Could never be
So far apart
They say we're so far apart
And that we haven't the right
To change our destiny
When will they learn
That a heart doesn't draw a line
Nothing matters if I am yours
And you are mine
Itās clear that the song choice wasnāt random. The song is a foreshadowing of Fran and Maxwell ending up together, even though this was only the second season. Despite the āwill-they-wonāt-theyā tension that ran through much of the show, the writers were suggesting that Fran and Maxwell were destined to be together, not only by the actions but also by the words in the background.
The third song, most important for me as a C.C. and Niles shipper, is from The Nose Knows episode. C.C. and Niles dance to Our Love is Here to Stay. Given how MEANINGFUL the songs in this show are, I believe this one was deliberately chosen to indicate where their relationship was heading. The title alone, Our Love is Here to Stay, tells us everything we need to know. Look at the lyrics:
It's very clear
Our love is here to stay;
Not for a year
But ever and a day
The radio and the telephone and the movies that we know
May just be passing fancies
And in time may go
But, oh my dear
Our love is here to stay
Together we're going a long, long way
In time the Rockies may crumble, Gibraltar may tumble
They're only made of clay
But our love is here to stay
It was CLEARLY a planned moment, and for anyone who claims their relationship came out of nowhere, I think this song proves otherwise. I believe with my whole little cold heart that the writers were signaling, even if indirectly, that C.C. and Niles were always meant to end up together. Their love was supposed to be just like the lyrics say ā Iāll defend that with my life.
And you know what I love most about The Nanny? How it seems to be a silly sitcom, but in reality there are so many layers to uncover if you take the time to look. I really believe the writers used these little details ā like the songs ā to communicate something deeper. As someone with a literary background, maybe Iām prone to analyzing things a bit more intensely than most people, but itās so exciting to find hidden gems like these in a 90s sitcom.
Of course, people can enjoy the show without digging into the hidden meanings, but for someone like me, bounded with words both professionally and personally, I canāt help but appreciate the writersā craft. Eighteen years after I first started watching, Iām still rediscovering new things, and thatās part of what makes the show so brilliant.
So yes, I really do think the music (which is three songs lol) is crucial to understanding the showās emotional depth. These tiny little details make the experience so much better.
PS. Professionally speaking: this essay sucks, cause there are too many points Iām debating about and there is no sensible conclusion. Thanks for reading anyway.
