How does everyone know the lyrics and melody do all the songs?

[Tetrakemy 221]

Something that puzzles me quite often! Do cartoon characters KNOW they are performing? Like do they sit around in a back room somewhere reading over a script and rehearse the songs for every episode?

 

If not and their world is not some 4th wall thing. How come everytime someone starts to sing. It is a brilliantly corriographed song that is well written and somehow when they start singing. Everyone else joins in already knows the song and brilliantly corriographs themselves flawlessly to the song.

 

Also where does the music come from?

 

I know the "its just a cartoon" excuse is there but Lets have some fun and pretend they are real and in an actual real world lol.

 

How do they know the song already and where DOES that music come from?

 

This also applies to all cartoons btw.

[Scootalove 10,692]

They wait for their signal to start singing, and days before a new episode they rehearse the lyrics and lines so that they remember it when the new episode comes on. But, that's just me.

[Ribbonfree 2,384]

My personal headcanon is that it's a innate thing for ponies to do. Like one of the magics that suffuses Equestria is the magic of song and making people spontaneously burst into it for no discernible reason. Back when I was a prolific RPer it was one of my more subtle headcanons that I expressed through my OCs, as they'd made off hand references to random musical numbers they were part of in their pasts.

[Andaasonsan 3,205]

Ponies can see into the future, and they've learned that determinism is the truth and that they ultimately cannot change their destinies.

 

But rather than get all grim and depressed about that, they choreograph songs for these upcoming events so that they can bring a modicum of joy to their ultimately bleak existence with no free will.

[Blue Moon 6,345]

I like 's explanation for this. I find it unlikely that they just get together every once in a while to plan a whole musical sequence for whenever said musical sequence comes in handy. It seems more likely to be just some perk to citizens of Equestria.

[Scootaloodle 1,623]

I seem to recall Rainbow Dash making a comment about how weird it was in musicals ponies randomly burst into song, right before the song of the episode started in the Rarity Takes Manehatten episode.

 

Are we talking realistically here or are we joking around and coming up with silly explanations?

 

Realisticly: song's just sound good and are fun, in there world I'd sort of wondered if maybe they just make it up as they go along and it's all acapella but we the audiance get the full blown music included version

 

Fun silly version, the mane 6 are all actors who live in Manehatten, and Discord is a singing coach and they have to rehurse day and night for the new season being filmed by the writer and director Derpy Hooves whose put in charge of bringing the new MLP FIM show to life

Edited March 17, 2014 by Asherdangerdash

[Frith is Magick 1,471]

These songs are actually traditional folk melodies, dating back thousands of years, passed down from mother to daughter, father to son, and uncle to goat. If somepony starts one of these sacred, traditional songs or dances, anypony who wishes can join in and know the words and steps. They are not performing for an audience, it is merely a part of Equestria's rich culture.

[M'aiq the Liar 5,804]

They are all on a massive amount of drugs. This allows them to sing and aline melody so well. At least, it appears well to them.

[Scootaloodle 1,623]

The mane 6s singing isn’t supposed to be in the show at all. But there dream is they might be discovered by Simon Cowell and the X-factor so they rehearse song’s for when us humans watch the show in hope they can get a record deal if someone like Cowell hears it

Edited March 17, 2014 by Asherdangerdash

[Felix 1,363]

They simply perform when they feel like it. Notice, recently in the episode "Somepony to watch over me" Applebloom had begun to sing, but Scootaloo stopped her and said "No time for a song now!" So, I believe they simply sing when they feel like it. It is not scripted. :3 Now where does the music come from? I'm guessing it comes from a secret orchestra hiding somewhere we cannot see.

 

I don't like Spongebob, but it shows a good example of this "Secret orchestra" Recall when Mr. Krabs is on the fishing boat to capture the clam and get his one millionth dollar back, and music plays as the clam approaches. Well, Mr. Krabs goes looking for this orchestra and finds it behind doors on the boat.

 

So, the music comes from an orchestra hidden in secret rooms.

 

Bam. Logic.

Edited March 17, 2014 by FeIix

[JayStorm 40]

The Writers magically insert the songs into the ponies, all muscials do this, except Disney, because Disney's just that good (Sorry I love Disney way too much  )

[Forlong 1,726]

According to the Mysterious Mr Enter, anything we can't explain about the show is because of these:

 

 

 

 

[Tetrakemy 221]

Ramsey loves potatoes. I agree with that message.

[Stellafera 3,836]

Do characters in books know that they aren't really talking, but are actually printed in ink?   

 

I wouldn't argue "it's just a cartoon". I would argue "it's a musical". 

 

The vast majority of songs in the show function as they do in musicals; to communicate feeling or an event in an entertaining and expressive fashion. In universe, the ponies aren't really singing; they're doing whatever it is normally. On stage, we don't just assume that all the characters just break into song all the time, do we? No, we accept it as genre convention. 

 

To compare it to another aspect of musicals, do they characters in theater know that there's people in black shirts pushing their houses and trees around? No, because that's part of the medium.

[Radiance64 7,059]

The show is just occasionally a musical- and when the occasion comes, the ponies are always just ready to rise to it.

Also, they don't all know the lyrics and melodies to all the songs, just the ones those specific ponies sing!

Edited March 18, 2014 by Radiance64

[Puddlejumper 1,649]

Because...

 

 

 

 

 

Elementary, my dear Hum Drum.

Edited March 18, 2014 by The Mane-iac

[Adorkable 2,737]

I bet they all just hide behind buildings or houses and wait until they get the signal or something.

 

Maybe between episodes, they're back at the studio rehearsing the new song?

 

I bet that's what they do. ^^

[Flutter's lover <3 8,210]

I was watching Grease earlier today on the "W" Network. It reminded me of this topic. (I love musicals like that)

 

I'd think that certain MLP episodes would be considered a "musical" Where when the mood strikes, they just feel like singing, with unsually perfectly choreographed dancing and music.

 

They've got that mojo.

[DryGuy84 (Inactive) 927]

According to the Mysterious Mr Enter, anything we can't explain about the show is because of these:

 

 

 

 

 

Ed: "My buddy Eddy is warm and cuddly like mashed potatoes."

[Tetrakemy 221]

I think I finally have an answer to this question! Something I think all of us fans can agree on!

 

First of all I would like to add that I do not have the answer of "where or why" the music in the background appears from.

 

However, I have the answer to HOW they all know the words to the songs they sing and the melody.

 

How all the ponies know all words to the songs and the melodies they sing when somepony spontaneously bursts into song and dance is that during pony school, the ponies take a few years of "Music Theory" classes. Music Theory classes and dancing to some degree is required to graduate.