Let's be honest: Karaoke is really only fun for the person
singing. We tolerate the noise and the cringe-inducing pitchiness for the
friend who occasionally drags us to whatever seedy, drunk-infested dive they've decided to perform in. However, when the singer is Homer
Simpson, we'll put up with creative lyrics, wide deviations from the original
notes, and even a tempo that's far from what the composer intended–no cheap
cocktails required.While Simpson's creator Matt Groening (who is accepting a Writer's Guild Award today) may have created Homer with plenty of flaws, he did gift him with some sweet, sexy pipes.
And so we give you: Accompanied or not, the top ten songs that
Homer Simpson has made his own:
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10. The Police's “Walking on the Moon”
One of the coolest special treats in recent history, Season
23 began with a most delightful, and unexpected, karaoke rendition to start the
premiere episode “The Falcon and the D'ohman.” Obviously, Alf Clausen, the
orchestra, producers, and editors always do an amazing job with the music, but
this time, there's a different reason it sounded so amazing. According to The Simpsons'
music editor, Chris Ledesma:
We were very fortunate to have obtained the original master
tracks from The Police without vocals. This is a rare instance. When we need to
do our own lyrics to an established hit song, Alf usually arranges and records
a “sound-alike” that tries to capture all the spirit and nuance of the original
so that the audience immediately identifies the track, but allows us to add our
own vocals.
9. The Simpsons: Bedrock Style
After the first couple years, The Flintstones gave up on
being an adult cartoon, trading its cigarette sponsorship for grape juice.
However, to the confusion of many parents, The Simpsons remains true to both
shows' roots: A cartoon family whose adventures are meant to entertain
grownups.
One of the most iconic moments in perhaps the most iconic
episode, Season Four's “Marge vs. the Monorail,” Homer singing The Flintstone's
theme is not only hilarious, but meta: Many critics had made the connection
between the two shows. And this wasn't the first time: the Season Four premiere
featured The Flintstones in its opening couch gag.
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8. “Homer Face”
Perhaps the most highly anticipated episode of The Simpsons
ever was the Season 23 finale, “Lisa Goes Gaga,” and, frankly, we would have been disappointed if Homer hadn't
sung one of Gaga's signature tunes.
7. “Tubthumping”: part of why “that place had Manson family vibe.”
Season 13's “Little Girl in the Big Ten” is delightful in
every way, from Pinsky wondering if Lisa had pitched in for the pizza to Bart
getting used to his bubble, but perhaps the best part is the college girls'
reaction to Homer's rendition of “Tubthumping.” He's not the first college roommate to use the kitchen sink.
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6. “It Was a Very Good Beer”
When I emailed my friend and former Simpsons showrunner Josh Weinstein about this top ten list, he
responded with, “What about Homer's fake ID song?”
Duh! Of course! And Homer croons this elegy better than
Sinatra (in my opinion) in the episode “Duffless” from Season Four, in which he
quits drinking beer for an entire month.
While we're talking about Duff, may I digress a moment? Duff
McKagan said in his autobiography that Duff beer was named after him and that
he's “lost out on millions,” which is simply untrue. Matt Groening picked Duff
simply because it rhymes with “enough” for the slogan, “Can't get enough of
that wonderful Duff.”
5. “Mandy,” er, “Mindy” (Barry Manilow cover)
Homer singing about Mindy to the tune of Barry Manilow's “Mandy”
might seem little too obvious, sure,
but could anyone have guessed he'd use “Ben Gay” to rhyme with “day” (or “away”)?
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4. “Blimpy Boy”
The true joy of Homer's Blimpy Boy song (parody of The Seekers' 1966 hit”Georgy Girl”) can only be achieved
by watching it in the context of the episode (“Lisa the Beauty Queen”)–the joyful
way he sings it when he's won the blimp tickets, and the plaintive way he sings
those same words after he's given up the blimp tickets. Heartwrenching.
3. “The Garbage Man”
Homer's delightful parody of “The Candy Man” from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) in The
Simpsons' 200th episode “Trash of the Titans” gets a little help
from Bart and Lisa and is just one of the many moments that make it a near
perfect episode.
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2. “Max Power” Theme Song
Max Power starts off sounding like the James Bond
Goldfinger theme, but then takes on a twisted, delirious life of its own. What
I've always found cute about this episode is that Homer finds out about another
Homer Simpson, and since the show's start, fans have noted that there is
another Homer Simpson in American literature, in Nathaneal West's novel The Day
of the Locust. The Nov. 18 episode “Penny-Wise Guys” Homer made a reference to
the novel, a move that writer Mike Price was happy he could finally work in.
1. Yummy, Yummy, Yummy
If there was one cover song suited for a cartoon character like Homer, who could argue with the 1968 Ohio Express hit “Yummy, Yummy, Yummy”? Rarely does a cartoon character to say just what is on his or her mind in one sentence or less. And whether its Duff Beer or donuts, we can be sure that Homer's gut-busting appetite will always remain charming and ravenous.
