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Be it Randy singing 'Time After Time' or any song from the reformed supergroup Van Hickey, music plays a large part in the world of My Name Is Earl. Here's a small selection of some our favourites.
Cyndi Lauper 'Time After Time'
In Larceny of a Kitty Cat, Randy finds love with the owner of a cat, once stolen by Earl. But something comes between them. Randy consoles himself by forlornly singing along to Cyndi Lauper's heartbreaking 'Time After Time', originally a number three hit in the UK in 1984 but has since been covered by a diverse plethora of artists, including Eva Cassidy, Everything But The Girl, Matchbox Twenty and most recently by the Bad Robots on C4's mobileAct Unsigned.
Classic Randy quote: "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy myself a new Cyndi Lauper CD and have myself a little cry."
In Larceny of a Kitty Cat, Randy finds love with the owner of a cat, once stolen by Earl. But something comes between them. Randy consoles himself by forlornly singing along to Cyndi Lauper's heartbreaking 'Time After Time', originally a number three hit in the UK in 1984 but has since been covered by a diverse plethora of artists, including Eva Cassidy, Everything But The Girl, Matchbox Twenty and most recently by the Bad Robots on C4's mobileAct Unsigned.
Classic Randy quote: "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go buy myself a new Cyndi Lauper CD and have myself a little cry."
ELO 'Livin Thing'
As Earl attempts to quit smoking the stabbing strings of 'Livin Thing' can be heard. Released by the classic pop (and sometimes even prog) rock of Jeff Lynne's Electric Light Orchestra, in 1976. Taken from their platinum album 'A New World Record', it reached number four in the UK when released as a single, staying there for an amazing twelve weeks. Though the song is simply about lost love, the 'it' referred to in the line: "It's a terrible thing to lose" has often been misinterpreted as being about abortion or even the environment! The song was voted by Q magazine as the number one 'guilty pleasure' though this is of course nonsense. The only real guilty pleasures are eating Battenberg straight out of the packet and laughing when children fall over.
As Earl attempts to quit smoking the stabbing strings of 'Livin Thing' can be heard. Released by the classic pop (and sometimes even prog) rock of Jeff Lynne's Electric Light Orchestra, in 1976. Taken from their platinum album 'A New World Record', it reached number four in the UK when released as a single, staying there for an amazing twelve weeks. Though the song is simply about lost love, the 'it' referred to in the line: "It's a terrible thing to lose" has often been misinterpreted as being about abortion or even the environment! The song was voted by Q magazine as the number one 'guilty pleasure' though this is of course nonsense. The only real guilty pleasures are eating Battenberg straight out of the packet and laughing when children fall over.
Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock 'It Takes Two'
One song guaranteed to get Randy on the dancefloor is 'It Takes Two' by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. The record is number B-7 on the Crabshack jukebox and the opening bars are likely to be greeted by the words: "Oh no you didn't!" followed by Randy's "hooked fish" move. Considered by more than just the Hickey family as a hip hop classic, the track which samples 'Lyn Collins' 'Think (About It)' became a platinum selling hit for the Harlem duo in 1988.
One song guaranteed to get Randy on the dancefloor is 'It Takes Two' by Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock. The record is number B-7 on the Crabshack jukebox and the opening bars are likely to be greeted by the words: "Oh no you didn't!" followed by Randy's "hooked fish" move. Considered by more than just the Hickey family as a hip hop classic, the track which samples 'Lyn Collins' 'Think (About It)' became a platinum selling hit for the Harlem duo in 1988.
Young MC 'Bust A Move'
The second hip hop classic, popular with the inhabitants of Pimmit Hills Trailer Park is the 1989 hit 'Bust A Move' by Young MC (real name Marvin Young). It appeared on Young MC's debut album 'Stone Cold Rhymin' which won the second ever Grammy for 'Best Rap Recording' (this was abandoned the following year as more rap categories were added).
Joy requests the track from the radio on the day of her wedding to Darnell. It also accompanies Earl’s body popping and breakdancing at the end of the episode. This episode also features the following immortal line from Randy: "Like when that guy got kicked out of Van Halen for wearin' them stupid pants. Then they got even more famous." Genius!
The second hip hop classic, popular with the inhabitants of Pimmit Hills Trailer Park is the 1989 hit 'Bust A Move' by Young MC (real name Marvin Young). It appeared on Young MC's debut album 'Stone Cold Rhymin' which won the second ever Grammy for 'Best Rap Recording' (this was abandoned the following year as more rap categories were added).
Joy requests the track from the radio on the day of her wedding to Darnell. It also accompanies Earl’s body popping and breakdancing at the end of the episode. This episode also features the following immortal line from Randy: "Like when that guy got kicked out of Van Halen for wearin' them stupid pants. Then they got even more famous." Genius!
'Believe It Or Not' Theme From The Greatest American Hero
In the episode Didn't Pay Taxes, Randy and Earl find themselves trapped, hanging in a water tower, together they sing the ubiquitous theme from a show that, while never popular in the UK, seems burned into the psyches of a generation of American couch surfers. Airing for just three seasons in the early 80s, The Greatest American Hero concerned the comedic adventures of a schoolteacher who is granted special powers by aliens (not to be confused with British sitcom My Hero which is, of course, a work of unparalleled genius). The theme tune was written by Mike 'A Team' Post and sung by Joey Scarbury. It should also not be confused with the song 'Believe It Or Not' by Nickelback which is rubbish.
In the episode Didn't Pay Taxes, Randy and Earl find themselves trapped, hanging in a water tower, together they sing the ubiquitous theme from a show that, while never popular in the UK, seems burned into the psyches of a generation of American couch surfers. Airing for just three seasons in the early 80s, The Greatest American Hero concerned the comedic adventures of a schoolteacher who is granted special powers by aliens (not to be confused with British sitcom My Hero which is, of course, a work of unparalleled genius). The theme tune was written by Mike 'A Team' Post and sung by Joey Scarbury. It should also not be confused with the song 'Believe It Or Not' by Nickelback which is rubbish.
Edgar Winter 'Frankenstein'
One of Earl's tasks is to reform the band Van Hickey with original lead singer, the pensioner Tom. In Van Hickey's somewhat limited repertoire is the instrumental rock classic 'Frankenstein'.
The track, which topped the US charts in 1973, was so named because it was pieced together from various extracts of the recording session and also because of what Winter describes as its "monster-like, lumbering beat" (although, of course, Frankenstein is the name of the doctor NOT the monster etc etc). The song has also featured in three episodes of The Simpsons.
One of Earl's tasks is to reform the band Van Hickey with original lead singer, the pensioner Tom. In Van Hickey's somewhat limited repertoire is the instrumental rock classic 'Frankenstein'.
The track, which topped the US charts in 1973, was so named because it was pieced together from various extracts of the recording session and also because of what Winter describes as its "monster-like, lumbering beat" (although, of course, Frankenstein is the name of the doctor NOT the monster etc etc). The song has also featured in three episodes of The Simpsons.
And we've not even mentioned Darnell's own special song: 'Please Respect the Meat'. But perhaps words don't do it justice. "Hey, Crabman!"
