Various Artists
Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits (MCA)
by Marc Hirsh
Various Artists
Saturday Morning Cartoons' Greatest Hits (MCA)
by Marc Hirsh
originally published in the Public News, January 24, 1996
The idea of alternative rock bands performing Saturday morning theme songs has a certain ring of preciousness to those of us with a cynical bent. It's a postmodern version of the old "telephone book" cliché used to validate vocalists: a great band should be great even playing a goddamn cartoon theme, right?
While most of the singer/song matchups here seem like logical choices (Matthew Sweet's ebullient "Scooby Doo, Where Are You?" and the Ramones' pulverizing "Spider-Man" were gimmes), some feel like one-trick ponies trying too hard. The Murmurs sacrifice their irony for the failed whimsy of "H. R. Pufnstuf," while the decidedly unfunky Dig don't even bring a sense of humor to the "Fat Albert Theme."
Still, the album's mostly unstoppable. "The Tra La La Song" rocks harder than Material Issue has in years and shows Liz Phair smiling without thinking of her G-spot. Sponge claims "Go Speed Racer Go," altering the melody just enough to add tension to the band's tight playing without sacrificing the song's integrity (unlike Wax's sophomoric butchering of "Happy, Happy, Joy, Joy," which changes words and music to horrifying effect).
Every now and then, a song/artist pairing is so right that all other concerns become immaterial. Juliana Hatfield's duet with Tanya Donelly has one too many voices (I think it's Donelly, myself), but their "Josie and the Pussycats" reclaims a small corner of pop history for female rockers. The best of the bunch, though, is the straightest. Finally admitting their number one liability, Frente! homes Angie Hart's little girl voice in on "Open Up Your Heart And Let The Sun Shine In," locates the soul of the song and delivers an ode to happiness and prayer so gently and innocently that for a brief moment, you absolutely believe every word is true.