Improvement via Elmo

[jethrien]

Ever heard "Drive By" by Train? It's a song with a very catchy melody but incredibly dumb lyrics. ("Just a shy guy looking for a two-ply/Hefty bag to hold my love/When you move me everything is groovy"--is this a joke?)

Sesame Street has artists come in and sing their songs with lyrics written to be about things like the need to count to five.

I hadn't actually heard the Train song--ARR was listening to the Sesame Street version, I liked it, and went looking for the original. Because I was too lazy to get Shazaam, I started in the comments section on YouTube (I know, I know, but Sesame Street video comments are actually remarkably pleasant and sane). Comments included the fact that the Sesame Street lyrics were much better, and that the Elmo descant really adds something.

And you know what? They're right. Not only does the Sesame Street version make more sense, it's way more dramatic (the same section turns into "He was counting/Finding the amount then/We found we were five guys/It was exciting/The thunder and the lightning/Way up high in the sky").

Oh, and the Elmo descant really does add something.

Comments

[momerath4.livejournal.com]

Hahahaha that Train song was played on the radio out here *constantly* awhile back, and it's a serious earworm. They're a local band here, so the radio stations are big on promoting them. There's another one from the same album that's even sillier--"50 Ways to Say Goodbye." We've seen them live, they're a band that doesn't take itself too seriously.

I will have to check out the Elmo video now. We're huge fans of Elmo in this house. Sometimes Elmo is the only way Mommy gets to take a shower without hysterical whining outside the bathroom door.