The Spongebob Squarepants Movie cements its status as a countercultural icon by matching its cheerful ditties with songs from a diverse range of bands. Listeners can soak up Spongebob and Patrick’s effervescent messages while hearing tracks from the likes of The Flaming Lips and The Shins. The Flaming Lips’ “Spongebob & Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy” perfectly conveys the image of a sponge taking on a tyrannical plankton via bubble sound effects and futuristic musical embellishments. “Ocean Man,” by goofball alternative rockers Ween, uses humorous tropical beats to enhance the giddiness of the dynamic ocean duo.
Even the songs sung by the vocally challenged title character are endearing, particularly “Prince Paul’s Bubble Party,” where funky Hawaiian refrains are set to the smooth, head-bobbing rhythms of Prince Paul’s rap. Though absorbent and yellow and porous he may be, Spongebob has got a lot of musical edge soaked up his sleeves.
Archived article by Sherry Jun
Sun Staff Writer