Faust (as sung by Paul Williams) (from Phantom of the Paradise)
There’s something very sly happening with this song throughout the movie. When we first hear it, William Finley, who plays Winslow Leach, sings the song himself; his voice is fine, but clearly imperfect.
Later, at a mass audition, Winslow hears Phoenix (Jessica Harper) singing the song, her voice rising above the group of hopeful singers, and he’s transfixed. At last, the music means something to him; he’s found the love for which he would sell his soul. The evil record producer Swan (Paul Williams) confirms that her voice is “perfect.” (Not a good thing for Phoenix, unfortunately. Swan abhors perfection in anyone but himself.)
The next time we hear “Faust,” it’s re-purposed into the Beach-Boys-esque number, “Upholstery.” The send-up is wickedly fun, mocking early surf tunes as brain dead music that’s more in love with cars and surfboards than anything else. While the Beach Bums sing the tune, Winslow (now the Phantom) plots his revenge; Brian DePalma shoots the scene with a quirky film trick so that the upbeat cheerfulness of “Upholstery” is undercut by horror. (Spoiler alert: all that upholstery is doomed.)
The next (and last) time we hear “Faust,” Winslow is about to make a deal with Swan. Winslow’s body and his voice are nearly destroyed – when he speaks, it sounds like a broken microphone – but Swan promises he can fix it. Swan takes him into his studio, plugs him into some top-notch production technology and at last… Winslow’s voice is not only restored, it’s better than before.
In fact, his voice now sounds like Paul Williams!
In fact, it is Paul Williams!! The actual writer of “Faust”!!
As if the voice, which was one step removed from the songwriter, becomes restored to the songwriter! But still through another performer’s body! Through the magic of the music studio… and the magic of the film studio… combined!