The Tragic Back Story of Emily

If you have watched Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (2005), a nervous wreck Victor (voiced by Johnny Depp) who is engaged to his fiance Victoria (voiced by Emily Watson) has failed the wedding rehearsal so strolls into the dark wooden forest area. He was trying to pull himself together until he finally got his vows right and put the ring meant for Victoria on the tree branch that looked like a hand which Victor thought it was until the tree branch moved, grabbing his arm until Victor freed himself. A woman comes out from the ground dressed in a wrecked wedding dress with a veil covering her face, she unveils her face saying, "I do." Victor runs from her and the corpse follows him until he made it out of the forest until he kissed the bride at the bridge when she confronts him while a bunch of ravens hover them. Victor was transported to the death world filled with people who are already dead even though he isn't dead. In the death world, the corpse bride is revealed to be Emily (voiced by Helena Bonham Carter) and she has been dead for years. We learned that her story was very dark and tragic. Her story was told by the song, "Remains of the Day" written by Danny Elfman and sung by himself as Bonejangles singing the story of the "beloved Corpse bride".

The character Bonejangles (voiced by Danny Elfman) introduces the song with the following lyrics:

"What a story it is; a tragic tale of romance, passion, and a murder most foul."

Then, Bonejangles and other skeletons and corpses from the Land of the Dead sing the song with a fast and jazzy melody, and the lyrics explain how Emily, the film's titular character, died.

Second Verse of the song:

Well, our girl was a beauty known for miles around

When a mysterious stranger came into town

He's plenty good-looking, but down on his cash

And our poor, little baby, she fell hard and fast

When her daddy said no, she just couldn't cope

So our lovers came up with a plan to elope.

As told in the second verse, Emily was born into a rich family. She meets a man who is the"mysterious stranger new in town" and falls in love with him until her father refuses to accept him however the two had made a plan to secretly get hitched. Another thing, her mysterious fiance is a bum and broke so he tricked her.

Third Verse:

So they conjured up a plan to meet late at night

They told not a soul, kept the whole thing tight

Now, her mother's wedding dress fit like a glove

You don't need much when you're really in love

Except for a few things, or so I'm​ told

Like the family jewels and a satchel of gold

Then next to the graveyard by the old oak tree

On a dark foggy night at a quarter to three

She was ready to go, but where was he?

So, in the third verse, Emily arranges with her fiance to meet up late at night. She wears her mother's wedding dress that fits perfectly well. She takes her family jewels and a satchel of gold and leaves. She meets at the tree where she will later be buried.

Bridge: Bonejangles & Crowd

Crowd: And then?

Bonejangles: She waited

Crowd: And then?

Bonejangles: There in the shadows, was it her man?

Crowd: And then?

Bonejangles: Her little heart beat so loud

Crowd: And then?

Bonejangles: And then, baby, everything went black

So Emily waited for him until she was assaulted and murdered.

Fourth Verse:

Now when she opened her eyes she was dead as dust

Her jewels were missing and her heart was bust

So she made a vow lying under that tree

That she'd wait for her true love to come set her free

Always waiting for someone to ask for her hand

When out of the blue comes this groovy young man

Who vows forever to be by her side

And that's the story of our own corpse bride.

She made it to the dead world and all of her jewels were gone. So she made a vow on her grave that the next man visits her would set her free. Then, Victor came and well you know the rest.

And that's the tragic story of the beloved corspe bride.

Spoiler Alert!!!!!!

In the end, her former fiance was revealed to Sir Lord Barkus, Victoria's now husband who murdered her and took her jewels and her gold satchels. Luckily, Karma got the best of him when he drank the poison which was supposed to be meant for Victor ended up with the rest of the dead while the deads come after him.

In the end, Victor and Victoria end up together but Victor made a promise to Emily however, Emily says Victor kept her promise. After all, she made a vow So Emily got her freedom without a man and her soul was set free. Her body was transformed with a bunch of butterflies flying away setting her soul free making it a beautiful ending.

This movie to me as a kid, I felt like it was the sequel of the Nightmare Before Christmas. Tim Burton never fails dark humor children's horror films.

Source

Lyrics from Genius.com