I loved the Oompah Loompah songs Danny Elfman wrote for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Today I found an interview where Elfman reveals that the Augustus Gloop song "was inspired by big brassy Bollywood production pieces!"

And the controversy about trimming Roald Dahl's original words, like for the Augustus Gloop lyrics?

"In the book, they were written more like extended chants than songs, but his lyrics already had a wonderful rhythm to them. In the end, I had to do a lot of editing, but I think I was 95% true to the book, with just a bit of tweaking here and there."

He remembers that Tim Burton "kept throwing me off center by suggesting different styles of music that I wasn't expecting." But...

"...we had worked together enough times so that I knew I could do a lot of crazy things without shocking him!"

"I can't remember when I've had more fun working at all. It was truly and wonderfully nuts!"

The web page even offers mp3s with sound clips from all the songs. But it's really better if you let the movie surprise you.

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