Candles and Pop Culture
By NGO on Jul 29, 2008 in Society
Given that they are such an important part of romancing, celebrating and grieving in our culture, it’s no wonder that candles have been enshrined in pop culture too. Film and music are replete with references to candles, whether scented candles, natural soy wax candles, aromatherapy jar candles or plain candles. The music world in particular has drawn special inspiration from the mystical glow of flickering candles, using it as a symbol of love, romance and heart break. Who can forget Elton John’s memorable tribute to Marilyn Monroe, and then Princess Diana, “Candle in the Wind?” Then there are other lesser known musical gems like Stan Rogers’ “Song of the Candle”, “Let the Candle Burn” by Natalie Brown, and Chris Stuart’s “A Single Candle.
Candles have inspired many film titles too, the most memorable by far being the eighties Molly Ringwald starrer Sixteen Candles. The film itself may have been a typical cheesy eighties flick, and I’d curl in embarrassment and die, if I was caught watching it on DVD now, but then, it did have a faintly teen heartache-kind of sadness to it that we all identified with. The candle connection? It’s Molly Ringwald’s sixteenth birthday and her family has completely forgotten, which to a sixteen year old, is an end-of-the-wood kind of disaster scenario!
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