Tyler Brooks
5000 Candles in the Wind is a song by the fictional band Mouse Rat from the TV show Parks and Recreation. It appeared in the season 3 finale Li'l Sebastian, which aired on May 19, 2011. The song is a memorial for the character Li'l Sebastian, a miniature horse who died in the show. The song is written by Andy Dwyer, a character on the show, and performed by Mouse Rat. It draws inspiration from Elton John's Candle in the Wind, which was originally written in 1973 as a tribute to Marilyn Monroe.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Song | Candle in the Wind |
| Singer | Elton John |
| Lyricist | Bernie Taupin |
| Year | 1973 |
| Tribute | Marilyn Monroe |
| Tribute | Diana, Princess of Wales |
| Tribute | Ryan White |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
The song's origins in the TV show Parks and Recreation
"5000 Candles in the Wind" is a song from the band Mouse Rat that appeared in the Parks and Recreation episode "Li'l Sebastian". The song is a memorial for Li'l Sebastian, a miniature horse who recently died. It was written by Andy Dwyer, who sought to write a song that was 5000 times better than Elton John's "Candle in the Wind".
In the episode, the parks department prepares a funeral for Pawnee's famous miniature horse, Li'l Sebastian. During the episode, Leslie and Ben struggle to keep their workplace romance a secret. At a party afterward, Andy receives praise for his tribute song, "5000 Candles in the Wind". April sells many Mouse Rat CDs at an inflated price, which spurs Andy to ask her to become the group's manager.
The song draws inspiration from Elton John's "Candle in the Wind", which was written by Bernie Taupin and performed by John. "Candle in the Wind" was originally written in 1973 in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier. Taupin has stated that the song is about "the idea of fame or youth or somebody being cut short in their prime".
The lyrics of "5000 Candles in the Wind" include:
> [Verse 1]
> Up in horsey heaven here's the thing
> You trade your legs for angel's wings
> And once we've all said goodbye
> You take a running leap and you learn to fly
>
> [Chorus]
> Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian
> Miss you in the saddest fashion
> Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian
> You're 5000 candles in the wind
>
> [Verse 2]
> And though we all miss you every day
> We know you're up there eating heaven's hay
> And here's the part that hurts the most
> Humans cannot ride a ghost
>
> [Chorus]
> Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian
> Miss you in the saddest fashion
> Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian
> You're 5000 candles in the wind
> Everybody sing it now!
> Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian
> Miss you in the saddest fashion
> Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian
>
> [Outro]
> You're 5000 candles in the wind
> Maybe someday we'll saddle up again
> And I know I'll always miss my horsiest friend
> Spread your wings and fly
> Spread your wings and fly
Beeswax Candles: Natural Air Purifiers?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
![A Mighty Wind [VHS]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51S25GEAPGL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
![A Mighty Wind [DVD] [2003]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61DkKhdixCL._AC_UY218_.jpg)
The band Mouse Rat
Mouse Rat is a fictional band from the TV show Parks and Recreation. The band is fronted by shoeshine employee Andy Dwyer, played by Chris Pratt. The band's other members include Mark Rivers on drums, Andrew Burlinson on guitar, and Parks screenwriter Alan Yang on bass guitar.
Mouse Rat's debut album, The Awesome Album, was released in 2021 and included the song "5000 Candles in the Wind (Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian)." The song is a memorial for Li'l Sebastian, Pawnee's beloved celebrity miniature horse who died in the episode "Li'l Sebastian." The song draws inspiration from Elton John's "Candle in the Wind," with Andy's character aiming to write a song that is 5000 times better.
The song's lyrics include references to Li'l Sebastian being in "horsey heaven" and the sadness of those left behind. The chorus includes the lines "Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian / Miss you in the saddest fashion / Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian / You're 5000 candles in the wind."
The song and the band play a significant role in the episode's plot, with Andy receiving praise for his tribute song and April selling Mouse Rat CDs at an inflated price, leading to her being asked to become the group's manager.
The Magical Night of a Thousand Candles: Where to Experience It
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The episode's plot
"5000 Candles in the Wind" is a song from the band Mouse Rat that appeared in the sixteenth episode of the third season of the American comedy television series Parks and Recreation. The episode, titled "Li'l Sebastian", was written by Daniel J. Goor and directed by Dean Holland. It originally aired on NBC in the United States on May 19, 2011.
In the episode, the parks department prepares a funeral for Pawnee's famous miniature horse, Li'l Sebastian. Leslie and Ben struggle to keep their workplace romance a secret. At one point, they accidentally pocket dial Ron while sexually role-playing with political figures. This leads to Ron discovering their affair.
Andy Dwyer, a character in the series, writes a tribute song for Li'l Sebastian, "5000 Candles in the Wind." The song is inspired by Elton John's "Candle in the Wind", which was written by Bernie Taupin and performed by John. Andy's goal is to create a song that is 5000 times better than "Candle in the Wind." The lyrics of Mouse Rat's song include:
> Up in horsey heaven here's the thing
> You trade your legs for angels' wings
> And once we've all said goodbye
> You take a running leap and you learn to fly
The episode "Li'l Sebastian" ends with several major developments. Leslie is approached to run for political office, and Tom decides to quit his job to join an entertainment company. April sells many Mouse Rat CDs at an inflated price, which prompts Andy to ask her to become the group's manager.
Unscented Candles: Are They Safe or Toxic?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
The song's inspiration from Elton John's Candle in the Wind
"5000 Candles in the Wind" is a song by the fictional band Mouse Rat from the popular sitcom Parks and Recreation. It appeared in the season finale of the show's third season, "Li'l Sebastian". The song serves as a memorial for the character of the same name, a miniature horse who had recently passed away.
The song is directly inspired by Elton John's "Candle in the Wind". In the episode, Andy Dwyer, the writer of "5000 Candles in the Wind", specifically mentions that his song is meant to be 5000 times better than Elton John's original. This is reflected in the lyrics, which state that Li'l Sebastian is "5000 candles in the wind", signifying that he is 5000 times more memorable than the subject of John's song.
Elton John's "Candle in the Wind" was written in 1973 by John and lyricist Bernie Taupin. It was originally written in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier, and the song sympathetically portrays her life. In 1997, John performed a rewritten version of the song as a tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales.
Taupin has stated that the song is about "the idea of fame, youth, or somebody being cut short in their prime". He also noted that the song could have been about other famous figures who died young, such as James Dean, Jim Morrison, Kurt Cobain, Sylvia Plath, or Virginia Woolf. According to Taupin, the subject of the song is a metaphor for "fame and dying young".
Thus, "5000 Candles in the Wind" draws on the structure and themes of Elton John's "Candle in the Wind", adapting it to suit the context of the show and the character of Li'l Sebastian.
Preventing Memory Rings: Tips for a Perfect Candle Burn
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Comparisons to other songs
"5000 Candles in the Wind" is a song by the fictional band Mouse Rat from the TV show Parks and Recreation. It was written by the character Andy Dwyer as a tribute to Li'l Sebastian, Pawnee's famous miniature horse, who had recently died. The song is meant to be 5000 times better and sadder than Elton John's "Candle in the Wind", which was originally written in honour of Marilyn Monroe, who died in 1962, and later rewritten in tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales.
While "5000 Candles in the Wind" is meant to be a play on "Candle in the Wind", some listeners have noted similarities to other songs. One person suggested that the start of the song sounds like "Come Back... Be Here" by Taylor Swift. Another commenter noted that the line "You're 5000 candles in the wind" sounds like "I'm loving angels instead" from "Angels" by Robbie Williams. A third person thought the song resembled "Goodnight Irene", an old folk song.
Some commenters also noted that the song reminded them of other artists, such as Creedence Clearwater Revival and Creed, rather than specific songs. One person even thought it sounded like a commercial jingle.
Despite these comparisons, one commenter insisted that there was nothing in this song that sounds like Candle in the Wind.
Creative Ways to Reuse Old Candles
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The song is a memorial for Li'l Sebastian, a miniature horse from Pawnee who passed away.
The song was featured in the season finale of the third season of the TV show Parks and Recreation.
The song is based on Elton John's "Candle in the Wind", which was written by Bernie Taupin in honour of Marilyn Monroe.
The song was written by Andy Dwyer and performed by Mouse Rat.
The lyrics to the song include: "Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian / Miss you in the saddest fashion / Bye Bye Li'l Sebastian / You're 5000 candles in the wind".
