Oh yeah, it’s a common tale in the music business…

Last night I was chillin at home with my girlie. I had some sushi and watched a movie. Two of them actually, but one was action and the other was musicial. The musical one was written and directed by Tom Hanks. It had people like Liv Tyler, Tom Everett Scott, Steve Zahn, and more. In case you haven’t figured it out by now it was ‘That Thing You Do’. I happen to own it on DVD, but I hadn’t seen it in a while. Could it be that I’ve referenced this movie in a post or two before with a quote here and there. Uhmmm, yup.

I’m not sure what draws me into that movie everytime I put it on. Essentially its one of those few movies where if it’s started, I have to watch it to the end. I think it has to be that it’s a great reference to the innocence of the music industry that people have from the outside looking in. It also provides that bubble burst that happens when reality strikes when one of the characters actually learns to understand what really goes on. The whole concept about the story and the era Tom Hanks chose for the setting is brilliant. It was the era of America that still had that day-to-day innocence and yet you could get the sense of change in the wind is coming just around the corner. It doesn’t hurt that the song That Thing You Do was also stupid catchy.

Blair has written a song about just such a band. Not exactly the Wonders, but I can imagine that if the Wonders had pressed on beyond the months covered in the movie I was talking about, this might be what they could have become. It’s that sad tale of a band that had no depth. The have one song that everyone knows them for. I have to think that generally it’s because the song is more of a novelty, than something about real life. Or maybe it’s because the melody and music was the only catchy thing the band could come up with.

I can think of a band right now, I don’t remember the name of it but I remember the song – “Wild Wild West“. The lyrics went something like: “I want to be a cowboy, and you can be my cowgirl.” That’s all I remember. That was a one hit wonder. Why did I remember that? That band just sent me a friend request on Myspace. I guess they’re attempting to gauge their popularity for a comeback or something. 3rd Eye Blind was another band that I lump in with that, they had one huge hit with Semi-Charmed Life. Louie Louie, Cotton-Eyed Joe, Money Money, 867-5309 / Jenny, The Middle, Counting Blue Cars, oh the list can go on, but I’ll stop now before I drive us all crazy.

Blair’s song kinda stuck out to me and I’m not exactly sure why. Could have been the content. I dug it, and I’m thinking you ought to buy it. G’head, click that iTunes link, make his day.