The LEGO Movie exploded into theaters this past weekend raking in an absurd of money and an equally absurd amount of love from parents, children and people of all ages.
So, this week the Singles Party crew went outside the box and will look at “Everything is Awesome” the movie’s theme song which is performed by the hip and popular electro-pop duo Teagan & Sara with a guest spot from the dudes from the comedy group The Lonely Island.
Lauren Stern: I hate to say that I’m not 100% sold. Maybe I was just in too cynical of a mood when I listened but the tone of the song is really overly-positive in kind of an annoying way. I do love that this is a perfect song for children and of course, The Lonely Island, because they are always a ball. I honestly probably need more time to digest it and to see the LEGO Movie, of course, for context. Verdict: Abstain
Nick Porcaro: “Everything is AWESOME!!!” is the perfect example of a soundtrack song that flourishes in context but falters on its own. Tegan and Sara’s vocal melodies have an intentionally mechanical, by-the-numbers vibe befitting the nondescript nature of Brickville. The duo serves up an appropriate helping of turnt up electropop with some silly verses courtesy of The Lonely Island, and that’s really all there is to know. I found a few of the key changes to be rather slipshod and discomfiting; they were likely thrown in to hint at the underlying sentiment that not all is well in this picture-perfect bricktopia. The song is certainly well-utilized in The Lego Movie — which, by the way, is very much awesome—and you can’t help but sing along as Emmet and his cohorts run around in all their goofy, stop motion-style glory. Unfortunately the actual songwriting is too weak to transcend its context. Verdict: One and Done.
Kelly O’Dowd: Quick! Guess how many times I’ve listened to this song today? Ok, because I’ve forgotten. This is a children’s movie song done right. They don’t dumb down a concept and they use current music. Long gone are the days of Barney and before that, Raffi. (Do kids these days know who Raffi is? Did I just date myself? Do me a favor and look up the baby beluga song) It’s funny, and most of all catchy. Everything *is* awesome. This song teaches people the concept of reframing a situation: you lost your job and that sucks, but think of all the time you have for your community now! You stepped in mud, now you have awesome brown shoes. In a world filled with constant pessimism, we need this uplifting message. (Besides, therapists and self help gurus have been teaching people to reframe things for years) On this oh so very blizzard-y day, we need this bright ray of sunlight to make us realize that EVERYTHING IS AWESOME. Verdict: ADD TO ALL THE PLAYLISTS EVER.
Jason Stives: Everything around the Lego Movie is making me anxious because I still haven’t seen it (I know. It’s only been out for a week. That’s too long of a wait!). “Everything is Awesome” is one of those intentionally simplistic and scatterbrained pop tunes designed perfectly for a kids film. Having Tegan and Sara, talented and respected musicians in their own right, collaborating with Lonely Island is a great combination and the only way to truly dissect this song is as fun and instantly catchy. The high pitched and often straight paced track isn’t for the regular playlist but perfect for the kids and a lot of fun to listen to. Looking forward to this movie. Verdict: Add to the Playlist
Jason Kundrath: Wow. This has to be the easiest Singles Party I’ve ever done. No, I do not need to hear this song again. Nor do I need to hear it ever again.
Apparently the Lego Movie is, in fact, totally awesome. And I still would very much like to see it in theaters despite the inclusion of this dreadfully annoying, unfunny, and definitively not awesome track. As a legitimate fan of Tegan and Sara, I’m all for their continued success. But this track is some kind of Euro Pop nightmare of endlessly thumping beats, inane rapping, and T&S singing like inhuman machines. I really feel sorry for the parents who may find themselves subjected to this on repeat after enjoying this movie with their kids. I imagine the glow of the film will have completely died for those parents by the fourth go-round of “Everything Is Awesome.” Verdict: One and done
Bill Bodkin: I’ll reiterate a few points my colleagues have made — 1. This is a perfect song for kids, especially if you want to expand their minds past Kidz Bop and 2. This probably song works within the context of the movie (it works in the trailer, I haven’t seen the film yet). So with that being said, I am glad I’m not listening to this song anymore. It’s mind-numbing, it’s annoying and it’s so saccharine sweet I may need to go take a shot of insulin just to keep myself from slipping into a diabetic coma. I’ve heard better from both T&S and Lonely Island, so I’ll give them a pass, but I may never, ever listen to this song again. Verdict: One and done.
Final Verdict: The “nays” have it by a narrow margin.
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