How the music of SpongeBob SquarePants helped create a pop culture phenomenon.
That song was co-written by Andy Paley and the voice of SpongeBob, Tom Kenny.
That is SpongeBobs philosophy of life, Kenny tellsDen of Geek.
He jumps out of bed singing, This is gonna be the best day ever.
But he goes to bed and believes tomorrow is gonna be.
The sentiment still reverberates because the songwriters craft lasting tunes.
The sounds and music ofthe beloved animated serieshave broadened its appeal and prolonged its impact.
Songs get short shrift on kids cartoons.
We were like, lets write great songs.
These songs are about characters, Kenny says.
[Creator] Steve Hillenburg did the hard work of making those personalities.
The characters are so strong they almost write themselves.
Hillenburg was pleasantly surprised.
Originally, Steve didnt envision the show having as much music, music director Nicolas Carr says.
He wanted effects to punch the humor, but music lifted the show to another level.
Hillenburg knew that music would be as important as those flowers in the background, Kenny recalls.
He said, You know those old Betty Boop cartoons, those crazy Hawaiian records?
I wish somebody still played like that.
SpongeBobs musical team had deep roots in a number of genres.
Bikini Bottom is somewhere in Polynesia, Carr explains.
So, there was always this Tiki motif.
I gathered a trio, and we created our own version of wacky Hawaiian Tiki music.
The pilots first musical interlude brought an essential component.
Hillenburg was a big fan of ukulele music.
[SpongeBobcomposer] Sage Guyton plays a lot of it, Paley says.
But the first time ukulele is heard onSpongeBob, it is strummed by an icon.
Tiny Tim was a total oddball in the world, the way SpongeBob is.
The comparison came at a price.
It cost a lot of money to license that song, Carr says.
When I saw that, I thought, I got to work on this show.
SpongeBobs incidental music is just as distinctive as the songs.
It only takes a few notes to know exactly what is happening with a taste of whats to come.
Nick will weave together six tracks, and you wont hear one change, co-showrunner Vincent Waller says.
Hes a genius at making it not feel abrupt, even though moods change quickly.
The colorful imagery informs the music, which then in turn complements the action again.
Through it all, the humor begins to take on new life.
The comedy comes from the unexpected as much as the familiar.
Carr proudly boasts that hes a B-movie horror buff, who loves old corny soundtracks.
The team uses the APM and theParamountmusic libraries.
Only about 30 percent comes from his original music library.
Carr splices these disparate sonics into a unified sound that is unique, yet still emotionally recognizable.
I add my own guys to put our spin on it.
Then we find the right moment to cut it into the show.
Some background music is neither melodic nor regulated by time signatures or keys, but by mood.
I often throw in a little theremin, like the old sci-fi movies used to have.
Carr does not chase after perfection because barnacles add character.
I look for mistakes, he says.
I like first takesthats the most honest performance.
Im a drummer, I play guitar, I can build it all up.
Soon, noteworthy musicians came running to guest on the show.
Not only players but singers from every genre wanted to jam with theSpongeBobcrew.
Hillenburg was reaching out to musicians from the beginning, Waller says.
Musicians who loved SpongeBob were reaching out to him.
He definitely grabbed those reins and ran with them.
David Bowieand his kids liked the show, Waller remembers.
He volunteered to do it.
He didnt require anything other than, Send me the script.
The artists only have to bring their voices.
Most guests havent written the music, co-showrunner Marc Ceccarelli says.
Its either [composer] Ego Plum or Nick.
Guest vocals go through theSpongeBobprocess.
The episodes writer does the lyrics and teams with a composer, says Carr.
Showtune songs go to Eben Schletter.
A mock-up with a rough vocal guides the artist, who sings to the demo.
When its beinganimated, we refine the track.
Even the theme song, SpongeBob SquarePants, is universally recognized as iconic.
All across the world, the phrase, Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
engenders the correct response.
Its definitely iconic, Paley confirms.
you’re free to ask, Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?
and people know the answer.
The song often shows up in the least expected places, too.
Thats more than a crossover hit.
It proves the Bikini Bottom sound is a pop-culture phenomenon.
