TikTok thrives off of its creators' usage of different sounds in their videos, allowing for other users to duet, create viral dance routines, and more. Some of these, such as the recently repopularized "let him answer to Javert" sound, are originally from musicals, clipped to provide a punchline or dance rhythm for creators on the app.
While the line from Les Misérables number, "Fantine's Arrest," is a current favorite on the app, TikTok has a long history of viral sounds being taken from musicals. From the iconic dance from Heathers to the back and forth in "Say My Name" from Beetlejuice, musical theater is entrenched in the sounds of TikTok's past and present.
Big Fun - Heathers
Starting with the line "Martha Dumptruck in the flesh, here comes the cootie squad," this snippet of "Big Fun" from the musical Heathers was widely popular in 2020. These videos would often feature two to three creators going back and forth with the lyrics before breaking into a dance, iconic for its framing of the face with the hand.
The musical number itself takes place in the middle of a house party, where the cast is making sure they make the most of a night without parental supervision. The snippet itself comes from the Heathers, the mean girls of the high school, spotting their classmate Martha walking into the party and subsequently ridiculing her, complete with the iconic face framing.
We Know - Hamilton
A hugely popular musical even among non-theater individuals, it was only a matter of time until the Broadway musical, Hamilton, had a sound go viral on TikTok. One of the more popular songs that have been used is "We Know," whose back and forth about Alexander Hamilton's illegal doings has inspired many creators to center videos around the line "I can almost see the headline, your career is done."
This song is used in the musical as a confrontation between Aaron Burr, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Alexander Hamilton. Burr, Jefferson, and Madison confront Hamilton about his embezzlement and fraud, warning him about the consequences his actions will have if it gets out.
Confrontation - Jekyll & Hyde
A contentious fight within the shared body of Dr. Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, the song, "Confrontation," has become a widely popular sound for cosplayers and artists on TikTok showing off their skills. The snippet that is used most often starts with Hyde telling Jekyll that he will "live inside you forever," while Jekyll screams "no" between Hyde's rant.
Within Jekyll & Hyde, "Confrontation" is the climax of the second act, representing the final fight for control over the body between the two personalities. This climax is intensified by the fact that the body is covered in the blood of the recently deceased lover of Jekyll's, Lucy, who Hyde had just brutally murdered.
Fantine's Arrest - Les Misérables
Used by TikTok creators to act out a scene of spilling tea or figuring out who hurt someone, the Javert snippet of "Fantine's Arrest" from Les Misérables has made a comeback in the last month. The snippet features Javert asking what crime was committed and for full details of the encounter so that he can arrest the guilty party.
Within the context of Les Misérables, Javert is speaking to Bamatabois, a customer of the primary character Fantine, about an altercation that occurred between the two. Bamatabois misrepresents Fantine in the altercation and has Javert arrest her, despite his role as the abuser within the altercation.
What I Know Now - Beetlejuice
Sung by Miss Argentina in the musical Beetlejuice, the snippet from "What I Know Now" that went viral on TikTok discusses all the partying she did and how wonderful it all seemed, while in reality, she was depressed. Creators have used this sound in a variety of ways, but the most popular one has been to showcase stereotypical actions of grades in high school.
Within the context of Beetlejuice, Miss Argentina is urging two of the main characters of the musical, Lydia and Charles, to return to the living world in "What I Know Now." The lines within the snippet show her talking about why she came to the Netherworld, however, she explains later in the number that she regrets ever leaving the living world now that she understands what she was missing.
Carnaval Del Barrio - In The Heights
A snippet with salon owner Carla explaining her heritage, only to say she's from Queens, trended on TikTok, with creators using it to show off their own ethnic heritage. The sound comes from the In The Heights number "Carnaval Del Barrio," which was written by Hamilton creator, Lin-Manuel Miranda.
The song itself takes place in a rather tense moment of the musical, where the neighborhood In The Heights centers around is dealing with a heat wave and blackout. Daniela, the other salon owner, encourages the neighborhood to celebrate instead to get rid of the negative energy, leading to "Carnaval Del Barrio."
Don't Lose Ur Head - SIX
Utilized by TikTok stars such as Charlie D'Amelio, Loren Gray, and Lexi Rivera, "Don't Lose Ur Head" from the musical SIX has made plenty of rounds on the social media platform. The main sound used from this number consists of a feminine voice defending her flirting with a married man, who she then moves in with.
The concept of SIX is a modern retelling of the story of the wives of Henry VIII, and "Don't Lose Ur Head" is sung by Anne Boleyn right before she gets beheaded. The specific snippet that took TikTok by storm was of her budding romance with the King, and her discovery of his wife, Catherine.
Say No To This / The Reynolds Pamphlet - Hamilton
Peaking as a top trend in August 2020 and accompanied by the #NobodyNeedsToKnow, creators smashed together snippets from "Say No To This" and "The Reynold's Pamphlet" from the Tony-award winning musical Hamilton to tell stories of secrets they were told to keep secret that they later shared.
Similar to the way the sound has been used on TikTok, these two numbers tell the story of Alexander Hamilton's affair with Maria Reynolds, and the subsequent way the secret got out. In "Say No To This," the affair begins, with the leaking of the affair and the demise of Hamilton's reputation being sung about in "The Reynolds Pamphlet."
We Got Work To Do - Firebringer
Sometimes there is work to do when no one wants to be working, and TikTokers have found the perfect sound to sum up this feeling. A snippet from the Firebringer number, "We Got Work To Do," has been widely used to accompany videos of creators not wanting to work on Mondays, around Thanksgiving, and more.
The musical follows a tribe of early humans and the original creation of fire, among other things. "We Got Work To Do" takes place right after singing and dancing had been invented, and centers around a tribe member named Zazzalil who wants to take the day to sing and dance instead of going back to work.
Say My Name - Beetlejuice
Used by actors, cosplayers, and makeup artists to showcase their skills on TikTok, the back and forth in "Say My Name" from Beetlejuice has been widely popular on the social media app. This sound also led to some creative uses of lighting by TikTokers, changing the entire vibe of the video depending on who was talking.
The conversation used in the sound takes place between Lydia and Beetlejuice in the musical, with Beetlejuice desperately trying to get Lydia to say his name three times to break him from his curse. While Lydia toys around with Beetlejuice, saying it twice but never three times in a row, she ultimately never frees him from the curse.