"It Takes Two" is a song performed by Smokey and Steamer that was meant to be featured in the film, The Polar Express. However, it was cut after the producers thought the film would flow better without it. Since they believed that Michael Jeter, who passed away during the film's production, did a brilliant job performing Smokey and Steamer for the song, they found it difficult to let the scene go, so they decided to include it as a bonus feature on the film's DVD release as a tribute.
Description
The scene starts when Hero Boy lands in the tender of the locomotive and finds Hero Girl driving the train. Hero Girl lets Hero Boy blow the whistle, but the moment he does so, the locomotive starts making hissing noises. Hero Girl tries to fix it, doing what she thinks the engineer told her to do, though she loses her confidence after Hero Boy asks if she is sure.
Eventually, Smokey and Steamer return to the engine room and stop the noise. They ask what happened and Hero Girl says that she did what she was told to do, but Smokey and Steamer explains that the two things had to be turned "together." Then they break into a song about how they work together.
Lyrics
Put it all together
Put it all together
Two heads are always better than one
Together, yes, together makes it run
It takes a half a ton of coal
Hot rush to rough air
A tiny spark can light your fire.
Tingle up and care.
Add a little water.
And a pinch or two of thyme
And long before you know it,
Steam is coming through the line
Put it all together
Put it all together
Two heads are always better than one
Together, yes, together makes it fun
Together!
Put it all together
Two heads are always better than one!
Two heads are better than one!
Description (continued)
After the song, Hero Girl questions who she could have worked together with since she was alone. Smokey and Steamer suggest that Hero Boy can help, then introduce themselves to him and ask how he got to the engine room. Hero Boy explains that the King of the North Pole brought him here, making Smokey and Steamer scared. They run away and pull down a curtain in front of the cab's exit.
Hero Boy and Hero Girl exit the engine room to look for Smokey and Steamer. Suddenly, a light shines on the curtain and Smokey and Steamer perform a shadow puppet show telling the story of the King of the North Pole. One Christmas Eve, a Hobo named King decided to ride on the roof of Polar Express for free when suddenly, it started to snow the train went down a hill towards Flat Top Tunnel. King, unable to get off the train in time, is killed due to the tunnel's low clearance. Some say his ghost still rides the train every year on Christmas Eve. Hero Girl scoffs at the story, but Hero Boy says he saw King on the train's roof and disappear just as the train entered the tunnel. Hero Girl suggests he might be a guardian angel.
Smokey and Steamer suddenly remember that they have to change the headlamp, so they leave Hero Boy and Hero Girl to drive the train again before reminding them one more time to work together.
Trivia
- The scene was not cut in the the video game adaptation of the film.