Weird Science (song)

"Weird Science"
Single by Oingo Boingo
from the album Dead Man's Party
Released 1985
Format 7", 12"
Recorded August 1985
Genre New wave, Dance Rock
Length 3:45 (single)
6:10 (album)
Label MCA
Songwriter(s) Danny Elfman
Producer(s) Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek

"Weird Science" is a song by Oingo Boingo. Written by frontman Danny Elfman, it is the theme song to the Weird Science film and television series. It was released on the film's soundtrack, as well as Oingo Boingo's 1985 album, Dead Man's Party, as a longer mix. The song reached #45 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and #21 on the US Dance Club Charts.[1]

Recording

The song was written spontaneously by Elfman in the car, while driving home to Los Angeles, after a phone call from director John Hughes asking him to write a song for his movie of the same name. Elfman claimed to have "heard the whole thing in [his] head" by the time he ran home to his studio to record his demo.[2]

Music video

The music video for "Weird Science" features the band performing in an abstract laboratory. The video appeared in a number of different edits when broadcast, some featuring clips from the John Hughes film and other versions without.

Elfman later expressed embarrassment at the video, stating that he was "horrified" by the outcome and that it was the only Oingo Boingo music video in which he hadn't been involved with production. Elfman had long felt that the song, a more commercial musical style than most of the band's previous releases at the time, was "not really a part of [the band's] repertoire". The video would later be parodied on TV show "Beavis and Butt-Head", at which point Elfman claimed he decided he "never [wanted] to play this song again!"[2]

Track listing

7" Single

  1. "Weird Science" (3:45)
  2. "Weird Mama" (2:50) by Ira and the Geeks

12" Single

  1. "Weird Science [Extended Dance Version]" (6:38)
  2. "Weird Science" (3:45)

12" Promo Single

  1. "Weird Science [Weird Dub Bonus Beats]" (6:00)
  2. "Weird Science [Boingo Dance Version]" (5:38)
  3. "Weird Science [Extended Dance Version]" (6:38)

The song was used in the episode "Koopenstein" on The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!, the American Dad! episode "Stan's Best Friend", at the end of a 2010 Swiffer Sweeper commercial, in the closing credits song for the kid's show Annedroids, in advertisements for Electronic Arts' The Sims 4 and in the season 2 trailer for the Adult Swim series Rick and Morty. The popular Canadian teen drama Degrassi: The Next Generation, which is known for naming each episode after an '80s hit song, named an episode after this song.

The song is heard in the TV series "12 Monkeys", in the Season 4 episode "Legacy". Jennifer Goines hears a piano version of "Weird Science" being played in an 1850s saloon. This (and several other anachronisms) alerts her to the presence of other time travelers.

The song was covered by Orange County power pop band Hellogoodbye for the 2005 tribute album, Dead Bands Party: A Tribute to Oingo Boingo.

The song is used as the theme song for The Mad Scientist monster truck, which is sponsored by VP Racing Fuels and driven by Lee O'Donnell.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Oingo Boingo - Chart History". Retrieved July 1, 2016.
  2. 1 2 Sean O'Neal (October 27, 2014). "Danny Elfman on Oingo Boingo, film scores, and the Beatles almost ruining Batman". AV Music. Retrieved May 13, 2017.
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