Most deliberately funny songs, especially from movies, are criminally underappreciated (South Park's "Blame Canada" lost at the Oscars to the earnest Phil Collins tune "You'll Be in My Heart" from Tarzan.)
Maybe I'm an easy sell, but put a funny guy in front of a piano singing about something entirely ridiculous, and it feels like comedic and musical gold (Jason Segel's ingenious "Dracula's Lament" from Forgetting Sarah Marshall sees frequent rotation on my iPod.) So I was all but giddy when Ed Helms took to the piano for "Stu's Song (What Do Tigers Dream Of?)" in this weekend's mega-successful The Hangover to croon about…the tiger they kidnapped from Mike Tyson and were about to drug in order to return it.
Naturally. Nevermind the fact that it's hilariously absurd (sample lyrics: "Don't you worry your pretty striped head/We're gonna get you back to Tyson/And your cozy tiger bed") it's also unexpectedly melodic. The Office fans have always known Helms could carry a tune (he has serenaded both Pam and Angela), but nothing quite like this. Both "Stu's Song" and Zach Galifianakis' deliriously goofy "Three Best Friends" appear on The Hangover soundtrack.
While you have to buy the entire album to get Helms' ode on iTunes, it's honestly worth it (try to keep it together when he sings "Then we're gonna find our best friend Doug/And then we're gonna give him a best-friend hug.") I can't think of a song so far this year that better encapsulates what the movie is about, nor one that garners such a positive reaction from audiences.
What did you think, MusicMixers? Is "Stu's Song" worthy of Oscar gold to you? Or were you too busy laughing to even hear it all? Watch the video below (yet another glorious, albeit, spoiler-filled trailer) to give it a listen.
More from EW's Music Mix:
Iggy Pop calls Fred Durst a thug: This week in rock feuds
Pink to Kanye West: "You're an idiot!"
What 'grown up' songs do your kids love?
MGMT finally release video for 'Kids': Monsters and toddlers and animated hot dogs, oh my!
I wish I had a best friend Doug to give a best friend hug. I have a best friend Bryan. I’m not sure if I want to give him a best friend fryin’. Or my other best friend Matt who should be given best friend pat. Or my other best friend Brock who should be kicked in the best friend…
More on my blog: http://elcooter.blogspot.com
The preview was pretty funny, but the song? Come on, comic piano ballads are cliche and predictable. Acoustic guitar ones, too.
Ruthie “Pig Face” Draper (from Dan in Real Life) gets my vote for best song in a movie! Wee wee wee wee wee wee all the way home!
This song was so short and sweet I can’t even explain my love for it. It fit BEAUTIFULLY with this movie.
I seriously cannot get this song out of my head. What is wrong with me? Doug, oh Douuug, ooh Dougie, Dougie, Dougie, Doug, Doug…
MAN THAT LAST COMMENT IS EXACTLY WHAT I WAS THINKIN … I CANNOT STOP SINGIN THAT PART !!! F’N CLASSIC … CRYSTAL METH TWEEKERS!
Man, I thought the best musical moment in Forgetting Sarah Marshall was when Jason Segel’s character broke down in tears in the middle of drunkenly playing the Muppet Show theme song on the grand piano in his hotel room.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11VfrPM4U40
By far.. the most hilarious and deftly execution of a comedic song I have seen in a long time…I was laughing so loud… I could barely keep it down in the theatre.
this is one of my favourite songs from a movie! definitely up there with the tom green’s song from road trip! warner bros! you are peeving me right off by erasing this clip! really mad!
If we disregard the text, it is outstanding music performance. I like it!
Solid song…but not as good as Jason Schwartzman’s “Ethan’s Song” from “Slackers”…terrible movie, unbelievably great song.
Right now I’m watching
“The Hang-Over”
and the guy who plays “Alan”
is totally trying to be
just like Tom Green!
Seriously,
check out the way
his character behaves!
I can see a little bit
of Tom’s Barry Manilow
character in there….
from the movie Road-Trip
I can see pieces of
Gord Brody ….
from “Freddy Got Fingered”
He’s even ripping off
Tom’s Duff character from
“Stealing Harvard”
I’m telling all of you
out there…..
Alan from “The Hang Over”
was definitely modeled
after all of Tom Green’s characters!
Watch these movies:
Road Trip,
Stealing Harvard
and
Freddy Got Fingered
If you do. you will see
what I’m talking about!
I don’t know why I like this song soo much but I do. It’s fabulous.
greatest song everrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! (: