BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / The song.

**Posted by pebbleblue2002** October 10, 2015 1:29 am

When I watched this episode a few years ago, I just got so sentimental about that song "Oh what a night" because I feel like John and Mary will seperate from Sherlock. Thank goodness that's not the case.

Last edited by pebbleblue2002 (October 10, 2015 1:30 am)

**Posted by Yitzock** October 13, 2015 5:41 pm

I think we may have a topic discussing the use of the song in the episode, but I don't know whether it's focused on what you are talking about. I'll let a mod decide.

I agree, that song moved me as well. I knew the song since long before I watched the episode (I listened to the Four Seasons growing up and I still enjoy their music), and because of the way it is used in the episode it for a while made me kind of sad instead of just making me happy like it always had.

**Posted by Harriet** October 13, 2015 9:02 pm

December 1963 (Oh What a Night)

Oh, what a night
Late December, back in '63
What a very special time for me
As I remember, what a night

Oh, what a night
You know, I didn't even know her name
But I was never gonna be the same
What a lady, what a night

Oh, I
I got a funny feeling when she walked in the room
Hey, my
As I recall, it ended much too soon

Oh, what a night
Hypnotizing, mesmerizing me
She was everything I dreamed she'd be
Sweet surrender, what a night

And I felt a rush like a rolling bolt of thunder
Spinning my head around and taking my body under
Oh, what a night

Oh, I
Got a funny feeling when she walked in the room
Hey, my
As I recall, it ended much too soon

Oh, what a night
Why'd it take so long to see the light?
Seemed so wrong, but now it seems so right
What a lady, what a night

Oh, I felt a rush like a rolling bolt of thunder
Spinning my head around and taking my body under
Oh, what a night (Do do do do do, do do do do) (7times)

Here's the lyrics, for further discussion.

But isn't it telling, from HLVs perspective?
"You know, I didn't even know her name" etc... let's see how "soon it ends", then.

Last edited by Harriet (October 13, 2015 9:03 pm)

**Posted by Whisky** October 13, 2015 11:47 pm

Yes, the lyrics feel like one big hint.

Still, it's a great song, I only learned the lyrics now.

**Posted by besleybean** October 14, 2015 3:11 pm

Takes me right back to school discoes.

**Posted by Ivy** October 14, 2015 4:54 pm

I still have that song on my mp3 player

**Posted by besleybean** October 14, 2015 4:57 pm

I was never very keen on it.
But I always think of Sherlock, every time I hear it now.
Then there was that time my Sherlockian pal DJ played it and dedicated it to me.

**Posted by Ivy** October 14, 2015 6:21 pm

I always think of Sherlock (and Moriarty) whenever I hear "Stayin' Alive" and I usually giggle the moment I hear it. So it is "ruined" in the best way possible for me.

**Posted by besleybean** October 14, 2015 6:29 pm

Oh yes, Stayin' Alive is just Moriarty for me...actually as well as Sinner Man and the classical piece...Thieving Magpie or whatever it is!

**Posted by Ivy** October 14, 2015 6:44 pm

oh yes Sinnerman and Thieving Magpie of course, but I don't hear them that often. Stayin' Alive is played a lot on radio, at least here. When I hear it I see the scene where Moriarty sits on the rooftop and Sherlock comes up (not the swimming pool scene for some reason) and of course Moriartys gesticulation to "it's just ..............staying"

**Posted by besleybean** October 14, 2015 6:45 pm

Everything is in the detail!

**Posted by Harriet** October 14, 2015 11:48 pm

But since it is in The Sign of Three, this thread here is about Oh What a Night, isn't it?

**Posted by tonnaree** October 15, 2015 12:12 am

TOPIC!

The fact that they used Oh What a Night in a song about John getting married has lots of subtext.

DISCUSS.

**Posted by Yitzock** October 15, 2015 12:20 am

I know this is not the "subtext" or "meaning" that everyone sees (I know how you big Johnlockers interpret it), but for me it ties back to Sherlock's conversation with Mrs. Hudson at the beginning of the episode. Mrs. Hudson says that marriage changes things, but Sherlock says it doesn't. He doesn't want to believe that John getting married could change the friendship that he has with Sherlock, and at the time Sherlock can't think of why it could.
And then Mary and John go off dancing, without Sherlock, part of something that Sherlock can't be fully a part of. "Why'd it take so long to see the light?/Seemed so wrong but now it seems so right." Basically, Sherlock thinking "Of course it would change things, I was wrong, How did I not see it?"

**Posted by ukaunz** October 15, 2015 1:02 am

I guess we all know how a Johnlocker reads the subtext of this song. But if I listen to the lyrics from John's POV, and put the Johnlock feels aside, it reads slightly different. He's met this woman and fallen in love with her, after all his past-girlfriend-failures, and it feels like he's finally met the right one. Of course it turns out he doesn't really know her, not even her real name, and the song foreshadows it all ending badly.

However, the show is called Sherlock, and practically the whole episode is from Sherlock's POV, so I can't help thinking the song must be interpreted from Sherlock's POV as well. I can sort of see the meaning that Yitzock has put forward, though I am a Johnlocker at heart and I want to believe that this is about Sherlock finally realising his feelings for John at this most inopportune time. To me, "Why'd it take so long to see the light? / Seemed so wrong but now it seems so right" is so obviously telling us this. Apart from that, I think the song is definitely still the hint that Mary is not who she seems, no matter which way you look at it (from a Johnlock or friendship perspective).

Or maybe the song was chosen simply because it's one of those typical wedding/party songs that people love to dance to and feel nostalgic about, and to show how everyone else is having a good time and Sherlock is left standing alone on the sidelines not really fitting in or having anyone to dance with, even though he's been looking forward to showing off his moves. But the writers wouldn't miss an opportunity to add a little subtext with their music choice, surely? Nah!

**Posted by Yitzock** October 15, 2015 1:28 am

I agree, there's also the part that foreshadows what we learn about Mary; "You know I didn't even know her name."
And yes, Sherlock on the sidelines with nobody to dance with is also there, too. Although the whole scene until he leaves in my head I was like "DANCE, YOU FOOL!" I really wanted him to be happy. But that's going a little bit away from the topic of the use of the song.

**Posted by besleybean** October 15, 2015 6:11 am

There is also the obvious fact that it is quite a night: wedding night, discovering the pregnancy, apprehending a murderer and the official start of Sherlock's life without John.