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There are some tunes in the world of music which are born not just to soothe the ears but to heal the deep wounds of the soul. Whenever there is mention of true friendship, unbearable pain of separation and immortal memories in the history of cinema, the story of Hollywood blockbuster franchise ‘Fast & Furious’ actor Paul Walker and the song ‘See You Again’ composed in his memory comes to mind involuntarily. This was not just a commercial soundtrack, but the crying heart of one brother for another. The story behind the composition of this song is so touching and deep that when it was played for the first time in the studio, Vin Diesel, who looks like a rock on the big screen, burst into tears like a child.
In the year 2013, when the shooting of the film ‘Furious 7’ was going on in full swing, on the fateful afternoon of November 30, 40-year-old actor Paul Walker died untimely in a very painful car accident. This horrific accident not only shocked his family and fans but also left the entire film unit in shock. The biggest challenge before the makers of the film was to give a farewell to their beloved companion on the big screen that would become immortal in history. For this, many legendary musicians from all over the world were contacted, but destiny had something else in store. This responsibility fell to the then rising singer and musician Charlie Puth.
For Charlie Puth, this was not just an assignment, but also his own personal pain. Charlie also lost one of his very close friends in a horrific road accident some time ago. As he sat at the piano in his Los Angeles studio, his late friend’s face and the sadness of Paul Walker’s loss came to his mind simultaneously. He fingered the piano keys and in just 10 minutes composed that immortal hook line – ‘It’s been a long day without you, my friend, and I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again’. The pain that arose in those ten minutes was so real and natural that it stunned everyone present in the studio.
The pairing of Dominic Toretto and Brian O’Connor in the ‘Fast and Furious’ series was not limited to the screen only. Even in real life, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker had a closer relationship than that of real brothers. Vin Diesel always fondly called Paul ‘Pablo’. When Paul passed away, Vin Diesel was completely devastated and completing the incomplete shooting of the film was the toughest phase for him mentally.
When this song, composed by Charlie Puth, was ready and played to Vin Diesel for the first time, he could not control his tears. Every word of the song and its soul-stirring tune went straight to Vin Diesel’s heart. Vin Diesel later admitted in several interviews that the song gave him the strength to cope with the unbearable pain of Paul’s departure and vent his emotions. This tune had become the voice of that incompleteness which words were proving unsuccessful in expressing.
When Charlie Puth’s soulful voice and soft piano notes were paired with renowned rapper Wiz Khalifa’s sensitive rap verses, the song reached the pinnacle of perfection. The words written by Wiz Khalifa wove a saga of friendship, moments spent together, struggles and hope which brought tears to the eyes of every listener.
The use of this song in the climax scene of the film ‘Furious 7’ is counted among the best cinematic moments in the world. In the scene when the cars of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) and Brian O’Connor (Paul Walker) come to a parallel stop at an intersection, both smile looking at each other and then Brian’s white Toyota Supra turns to the left and disappears in the golden rays of the setting sun, this song playing in the background raises the stakes in the hearts of millions of viewers sitting in the theatres. Seeing that scene, there was silence in theaters across the world and tears were flowing from every eye.
As soon as it was released, ‘See You Again’ broke all the old records of the music world. The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for weeks and became the first global song to reach billions of views on YouTube. But the real achievement of this song was not its statistics or commercial success, but its global impact that made it ‘the universal anthem of mourning and tribute’ for the entire world.
Even today, when a person in any corner of the world loses a close friend, brother or relative forever, the tunes of ‘See You Again’ support his broken heart. This song, which comes out of true tears and spiritual pain in just ten minutes, proves that when the emotions are true, art transcends time and boundaries and becomes immortal in the pages of history forever. Paul Walker may not be in this world today, but his smile and his memories will always be alive in the heart of every cinema lover through this song.