By Glen Whipp > Film Writer

When "WallE" begins and we first glimpse Earth's last robot going about his duties cleaning up a barren planet, we hear music. It's a familiar-sounding Broadway show tune, corny and yet somehow perfect, as it echoes and bounces around the desolate landscape. (RELATED: Robot Romance; Giving voice to WallE)

Sound designer Ben Burtt thought it was a song from "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" when he first heard it. But it's actually "Put on Your Sunday Clothes," one of two numbers from the movie version of "Hello, Dolly!" that director Andrew Stanton uses in "WallE."

"It's just under the radar that people don't associate the songs with anything," Stanton says. "I wanted a slightly ubiquitous feel to it.

Just the romance of musicals. That's what inspired me in the beginning."

Stanton originally used 1930s French swing music over the opening credits. Then "The Triplets of Belleville" came out in 2003, and Stanton didn't want to go the same route.

While trolling through iTunes, he came across the "Hello, Dolly!" soundtrack and was captivated by the idea of juxtaposing romantic Broadway songs with images of a dystopian future.

The songs were also a great way to help define WallE's romantic personality. From the simple, naive joy found in "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" to the unabashed yearning in "It Only Takes a Moment" (both sung by Michael Crawford), WallE learns all he knows about love from watching "Dolly!"

When WallE meets female robot Eve, all he wants to do is hold her hand, just as Crawford took Marianne McAndrew's in "Hello, Dolly!" - the 1969 film.

"The image of two people holding hands was a great device for a character that can't say the phrase `I love you,' " Stanton says.

Stanton knows he's going to be asked for the rest of his life why he chose "Hello, Dolly!" In truth, while he likes the songs, he's not much of a fan of the movie.

"Look, I can't speak for WallE's taste in musicals," Stanton says, laughing. "But I'll stand by the songs."