I Can Hear the Bells I Can Hear the Bells "I Can Hear the Bells" is a song from the musical "Hairspray". It is sung by the protagonist Tracy Turnblad. Nikki Blonsky, who plays Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 film, was sick the day the vocals were recorded. After brushing past Link, the main lead on the Corny Collins Show, Tracy Turnblad starts to dream about what her life would be like if she pursued a relationship with him. These thoughts of a future wedding and perfect romance are idealized. Orlando Sentinel notes "the chorus members produce bells whose tinkling emphasizes the dream setting of
Ricki and the Flash for the guests. Her son and his bride start the wedding dance and slowly the guests join in. Diablo Cody based the script in part on her mother-in-law Terry Cieri, who has fronted a New Jersey bar band for years. Cody said, "I watched her on stage so many times, and I thought to myself, 'This woman's life is a movie.' Cody specifically wrote the role of Ricki with Streep in her mind noting that actresses over 50 in Hollywood typically don't get complicated parts. Streep's costar is played by her real life daughter, Mamie Gummer marking the third film