Tracy McConnell's signature song, "La Vie en Rose," in How I Met Your Mother cleverly connected to the relationship between Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) and Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). Referred to as the "Mother" for much of the sitcom, Tracy finally made her full on-screen debut in the season 8 finale. The long-awaited character was played by Cristin Milioti, who served as a regular figure for the show's ninth and final season. Music surrounded Tracy's life, but one particular song that she liked to play hinted at the fate of her husband.
When How I Met Your Mother first started, it was clear that Ted had an infatuation with Robin. Despite his feelings for her, it was revealed that she wasn't the future mother of his two children, Penny and Luke. Granted, Robin remained a key member of the friend circle, and at times, the series toyed with the notion that the pair harbored feelings for one another. In the end, Ted fell in love with Tracy, allowing him to finally settle down and start a family. While Robin was briefly married to Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris), the duo got a divorce when Robin's career got in the way. Instead of giving Ted and Tracy a happy ending, the future timeline confirmed that the "Mother" had passed away a few years prior. Ted encouraged him to get back in touch with Robin, resulting in the two reuniting in the show's closing moments.
While Tracy's fate was tragic, her character was able to get more of the spotlight in How I Met Your Mother season 9. In the episode titled "How Your Mother Met Me," Tracy's life was documented in the years leading up to the moment she first encountered Ted at the Farhampton Train Station. She was in the area after serving as the bass player in the band at Robin and Barney's wedding. Coincidentally staying in the room adjacent to Ted at the Farhampton Inn, Tracy decided to go out on her balcony. It was then that she played "La Vie en Rose" on her ukulele, which Ted was listening to from next door. Ted told his kids that Tracy performed the French song countless times during their time together, but it wasn't the first time it was heard in How I Met Your Mother.
"La Vie En Rose" Was Played During A Key Scene In How I Met Your Mother Season 1
Throughout How I Met Your Mother season 1, Ted struggled with his feelings for Robin since the timing never seemed right for either one of them. During the episode titled "The Limo," Ted decided to rent a limousine for his friends to celebrate New Year's Eve. The plan was to party hop as the night went on, but that didn't go exactly as planned. After getting stuck in traffic, the gang spent began partying inside the limo, but as the countdown began, Ted decided to take a walk. Robin ran after him, kissing him at midnight since her planned date kept her waiting. As the two characters shared a romantic moment, "La Vie en Rose" played in the background. With the show's attention to detail, it seemed like no coincidence that the same song turned out to be the one that Tracy performed years later.
The song, which was created by Édith Piaf in 1945, focuses on someone viewing life through rose-colored glasses. The term is often used for people who are extremely optimistic or tend to view aspects that are too good to be true. Ted would be a perfect person who had a history of siding with optimism even in the most difficult of times. The use of the song, however, seemed to serve as a hint about Ted getting back together with Robin by How I Met Your Mother's conclusion. Whether or not that was the intention, the song connected Ted to both of his most important relationships.