Randy Newman on Scoring ‘Toy Story 5,’ Using a Male Choir for Buzz Lightyear and Having Less Than an Hour’s Notice to…

It’s been over a week since attendees at the world premiere of “Toy Story 5” were treated to a surprise debut performance of “I Knew It, I Knew You,” the original song by Taylor Swift. As the film concluded and audiences heard the song play over the end credits, the screen lifted to reveal Swift seated at a piano, giving the first live performance of the track.

But the surprises didn’t end there. After her performance, Swift introduced the film’s composer, Randy Newman, and together they performed the beloved and iconic song “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.”

Speaking with Variety, Newman revealed how the spontaneous duet came together. “They asked if I would mind if Taylor Swift did this thing, and I said, ‘No one’s ever going to say no to her,’” Newman explained. “We had an hour, maybe an hour and a half [to rehearse].” The composer wasn’t concerned about Swift not knowing the lyrics, as she’s a self-proclaimed lifelong fan of the franchise. “She knew the song. There wasn’t anything to do,” he said. However, Newman admitted to having one concern: he worried that one of the keys might be too high for her, as most of the song is written in E-flat major. He offered Swift an alternative. “I said, ‘Do you want to do it in another key?’ But she said no.”

Newman is a Pixar staple, having scored “A Bug’s Life,” “Cars,” “Monster’s Inc.” and all the “Toy Story” films. However, for a moment, he admitted he thought he might not be asked back for the fifth installment. “I thought maybe Tommy would get the job, but I’m glad I got it, and could round things up,” he says referring to his cousin and fellow composer Thomas Newman.

Having Randy Newman return was a no-brainer for the team. They noted that his music is as much a part of the franchise’s DNA as the toys themselves. Director Andrew Stanton, who declared himself “Team Randy” before the first film even had a composer, echoed the sentiment. “He’s got this right level of romanticism and cynicism,” Stanton told Variety.

In “Toy Story 5,” the film focuses on a clash between technology and toys. The film opens with 50 new, technologically advanced Buzz Lightyear toys washed up and abandoned on a desert island. As they make their way off the island, they eventually become part of a larger rescue mission. For their musical motif, Newman created the cue “Making Land,” which he describes as having “a real military feel with brass and percussion.” He also incorporated a male choir reminiscent of a marine choir. “It’s part of their whole makeup,” Newman explained. The choir was a fitting sound for their escape sequence, which involves machines and cranes. Newman recalled being influenced by the 1957 film “Lucky Jim,” which featured a chorus singing, “Ah, Lucky Jim, how I envy him.” “That may have had some influence,” he said.

For Bonnie, Newman primarily used strings from the symphony orchestra to underscore her journey as she grapples with the idea of screen time and what real friendship means.

As for the film’s newest character Lilypad, voiced by Greta Lee, Newman initially envisioned an aggressive electric sound. However, in the end, Lilypad was given her own gadgetry noises by the film’s sound team.

Newman composed over 25 new cues for the film but did not weave elements from Swift’s song into the score or into Jessie’s theme, which he describes as “up-tempo cowboy music.” He explained, “When she wrote the song, it was late in the process.”

The soundtrack is released on June 19. Preview the score below.