WWTBAM Bored

Today's two song entries include a (relatively) more recent tune! Meaning it's "only" 20 years old

Of course, it's done in a style more closely associated with a popular one from more than 50 years ago, so....



174. THAT THING YOU DO!-THE WONDERS (1996)
Album: That Thing You Do! (Soundtrack)

The Wonders are the fictitious group in the above named movie about a group of young guys who catch lightning in a bottle
when their infectious song grabs the ear of the country. I absolutely love the movie, but none of it works if the song
itself doesn't make you believe it would've been gold in 1964. Thankfully, it does. It captures everything that was great
about the period when Beatlemania dominated everything, and just about everybody, British or otherwise, was trying to sound
like them. Handclaps, sugar sweet harmonies, that kickin' backbeat (double-kick on the second beat, of course)..it's perfect.
Written by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains Of Wayne (who was nominated for a Best Song Oscar), it is sung in reality not by
anyone in the movie, but by Massachusetts Power Popster Mike Viola, who has done some great work as both a solo artist and
earlier as the leader of the band Candy Butchers. It's a sweet little movie (with some well-known names like Tom Hanks, Charlize
Theron, Liv Tyler, Giovanni Ribisi, Ethan Embry...) and an even sweeter little song.




Looking at these lists so far, you'd think Steely Dan was one of my favorite artists.

You'd be thinking correctly.


173. MY OLD SCHOOL-STEELY DAN (1973)
Album: Countdown To Ecstasy

Killer guitar solo by Jeff "Skunk" Baxter and a cool horn chart propel this classic Dan track.

Two for two!

That Thing You Do is infectious, even after "all these years." Great work by TB Player.

My Old School can't be 43 tears old, can it? Great stuff, though. Takes me back to my underclassmen days. For years, I had no idea what "When you put me on the Wolverine up to Annandale" meant.

Hey, I'm a late bloomer.

Vandal wrote:Two for two!

That Thing You Do is infectious, even after "all these years." Great work by TB Player.

My Old School can't be 43 tears old, can it? Great stuff, though. Takes me back to my underclassmen days. For years, I had no idea what "When you put me on the Wolverine up to Annandale" meant.

Hey, I'm a late bloomer.

I still don't know what half of their lyrics mean. Doesn't matter, it still sounds great.

T_Bone0806 wrote:Today's two song entries include a (relatively) more recent tune! Meaning it's "only" 20 years old

Of course, it's done in a style more closely associated with a popular one from more than 50 years ago, so....



174. THAT THING YOU DO!-THE WONDERS (1996)
Album: That Thing You Do! (Soundtrack)

The Wonders are the fictitious group in the above named movie about a group of young guys who catch lightning in a bottle
when their infectious song grabs the ear of the country. I absolutely love the movie, but none of it works if the song
itself doesn't make you believe it would've been gold in 1964. Thankfully, it does. It captures everything that was great
about the period when Beatlemania dominated everything, and just about everybody, British or otherwise, was trying to sound
like them. Handclaps, sugar sweet harmonies, that kickin' backbeat (double-kick on the second beat, of course)..it's perfect.
Written by Adam Schlesinger of Fountains Of Wayne (who was nominated for a Best Song Oscar), it is sung in reality not by
anyone in the movie, but by Massachusetts Power Popster Mike Viola, who has done some great work as both a solo artist and
earlier as the leader of the band Candy Butchers. It's a sweet little movie (with some well-known names like Tom Hanks, Charlize
Theron, Liv Tyler, Giovanni Ribisi, Ethan Embry...) and an even sweeter little song.

I thought it was the "Oneders" in the film - I thought I remembered someone pronouncing it "O-need-ers".

earendel wrote:I thought it was the "Oneders" in the film - I thought I remembered someone pronouncing it "O-need-ers".

It was at first, but when the Tom Hanks character takes over as manager, he insists that they change the spelling, for precisely the reason you mention..everyone kept pronouncing it wrong..

Love me some Mike Viola. Hang on, Mike.

Ritterskoop wrote:Love me some Mike Viola. Hang on, Mike.

Me too. Add the songwriting of the Fountains of Wayne dude to Viola's voice, and this is a match made in Power Pop heaven.