Songs you would like to see in future episodes

[on:]

I think there was a topic on this, but I haven't seen it since 2011, and I've searched for it several times, to no avail.

So my question is, what are some songs you would like to see used in future episodes, and how would you use them?

I have two.

The first one, when I actually thought about it, I am actually surprised Futurama hasn't used yet, because it's perfect for so many Fry and Leela episodes: Baby I'm Yours by Barbara Lewis.  Why?  Well it seems to be of a similar vein to I Will Wait For You in a sense, being a classy but sad old timey song by a great female singer.   The lyrics have a very post-apocalyptic feel to them, that I wonder why it hasn't been used in any media that explores the apocalypse or the end of time.   I think it would have been great in The Late Philip J Fry, but that episode already had so much going on in it, I don't think there was any room for another musical segment.    Honestly though? I think it's a perfect song for Fry and Leela, and a great summarisation of how their love for each other has endured so many things trying to tear them apart.
Another song I think could have worked in TLPJF is My Heart Is Like a Clock, by Mary Wells (with background vocals done by a pre famous Supremes!), showing Leela missing Fry in the past as she grows older and sadder without him.   Back to my original sentiment, Homer and Marge have a song that is unofficially their song (Why do Birds Suddenly Appear by Carpenters), even if in universe they consider another song "their song".  I think Baby I'm Yours would be a great choice to be Fry and Leela's "song".   On a side note, Baby I'm Yours is written by Van McCoy, the man who gave us The Hustle. 

Another song I think would really work, this time for Amy and Kif, is Your Heart Belongs to Me, by the Velvelettes.  The lyrics seem to really capture how Amy feels about Kif.
Actually, I can think of another song by the Velvelettes that would work in a Futurama episode, He's The One.  My reasoning is this: Leela's never had to worry about losing Fry as a result of her own actions, he's always been a sure thing for her, no matter what, which is why he was always on her maybe pile in the Fox episodes, and why their relationship was so on and off in the Comedy Central run.  (Not meant to be Leela-bashing just an observation.)  They seem to be solidly in a relationship now so hopefully that will cease, but if they do an episode where Leela messes up with Fry bigtime and potentially risks losing him, this would be a perfect song to play for their reconciliation. 

So yeah, my song choices 

Baby I'm Yours  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKZ7o7EXHFM 

My Heart Is Like a Clock https://youtu.be/WcQrSJZWy18

Your Heart Belongs To Me https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6y6RlLFCKS4

He's The One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdQsOsASxoc

So yeah, those are my choices.  I have a few more, but these are the ones I think would work best within the show.  I'm going to try making some AMVs of them soon.

What are yours?

[Reply #1 on:]

I'd be pretty tickled if they found a way to incorporate Bender playing Caramelldansen at some point. There wouldn't even really have to be a reason.

It'd just be fun.

[Reply #2 on:]

Please not "Caramelldansen."  I don't dislike the song; it's just such an earworm that if I hear it, it'll be stuck in my head for days.

On that note, my suggestion is "Ievan Polkka."  They could even have Hatsune Miku appear on the show like Jashin-chan Dropkick did.

[Reply #3 on:]

Ievan Polkka is unironically one of my favourite songs now!

I could think of lots and lots of songs I could sort of animate a music video with Futurama characters in it, but not necessarily translate to episodic (or tangible) storytelling.

What may work (in my opinion) would be The Dark Side of the Moon album being essentially a soundtrack to an episode  where Fry undergoes a bad patch and contemplates his life and ultimately contemplates ending it, with Leela and Bender in a rush to reach him before its too late.

I think the music would work as diegetic and non-diegetic, and though I'm not espousing that just listening to the album makes people depressed, it could go hand-in-hand with a well-crafted plot, plus I believe Fry's motivations wouldn't be stupendously out of character.

Buuut, the royalties would presumably be extortionate, plus the episode really wouldn't be a great deal of fun...

I could come up with a more upbeat episode idea...! Honest?

[Reply #4 on:]

You know, it is sort of strange that even snippets of The Dark Side of the Moon have never (to my recollection?) been featured on the show—it does seem like a cultural reference point that’s well within the writers’ wheelhouse. Ditto for Led Zeppelin, those big ol’ LotR nerds, though perhaps that ship sailed with “Bender’s Game.”

Anyway, I’m not sure about the whole Pink Floyd album, but something like “Brain Damage” could be well-suited to one of the show’s darker/moodier moments. Any of the especially atmospheric ditties on that album would do the trick, really.

On a separate note, many years ago I came across a Fry/Leela fan-vid that used “Someday” by The Strokes, the lyrics of which map on nicely to Fry’s unrequited love for (and continued attempts to woo) Leela. Not only (embarrassingly) did that video turn me on to The Strokes, it now also reminds me distinctly of Futurama any time I hear it, to the point where I do sort of think it would be a good fit for the show.

[Reply #5 on:]

I might be very much mistaken but the only reference that I clearly recall is Fry namechecking the album in the second ever episode.

That said, I agree, not every song on there. "Brain Damage" was exactly what I had in mind though; I'd add a few, as you say, but in particular "Time" and most likely "The Great Gig in the Sky" and possibly "Us and Them".

Good point on Led Zeppelin; "Battle of Evermore" would have gone great with the general theme of Bender's Game but while I think "the Immigrant Song", for instance, would be a treat, it's been sort of done to death by now.

Come to think of it, I had an idea for a bit of fan-art based on "Knights of Cydonia" by Muse, basically involving a speeder-bike chase mid-air. That might work as a plot point? I should really get round to finishing that; it's been nearly 15 years...

[Reply #6 on:]

And even that is debatable as to whether he was intentionally referencing the album name or just, you know, the actual dark side of the moon.

I would have said anything by David Bowie, but uh... "Children of a Lesser Bog" did me proud.

So let's go really left field with anything by Electric Six. Given David X. Cohen's love of just searching for an episode keyword on iTunes (now Spotify probably) and seeing what comes up, I guess it could happen.

I suppose "Future Is in the Future" is the most obvious of their songs to throw in there, thematically speaking. Or, you know, "Danger! High Voltage" is the most likely seeing as it's arguably their biggest hit and the show might well need a montage relating to electricity one day (Simpsons did it). But it could really be anything depending on the context of the episode.