Music

Aquaman in Popular Music

Aquaman has been around for well over 50 years, and that's a lot of time that he's had to become part of popular culture. Thanks in part to his prominent role in Super Friends and his own long-lasting cartoon, he's managed to become an icon from the childhood of the current crop of singers and songwriters out there. Recently, Aquaman has shown up in some very different, and very interesting, songs by current groups, some of which I list for you here.

Grandpa Griffith

"Aquaman" from Electric Scooter Holiday Blowout

Grandpa Griffith has a good sound and a nice song featuring Aquaman.

I'm Aquaman, and I'm doing the best that I can
Standing up for freedom, undersea.
I'm Aquaman, and I'm happy to lend a hand
Unless you happen to be on dry land.

The Social Bedders

"The Ballad of Aquaman" from Last Licks

The Social Bedders are a continental pop group that play a variety of songs. About Aquaman they say "The guy just doesn't get the credit he deserves."

A lovely ballad that covers Aquaman's life. He's compared to other heroes, and comes out ahead. This is now my favorite Aquaman song of all...

In patriotic green and orange, he goes back to fighting crime.
Puts thoughts of his Queen out of mind - that was another time.
And if God came down upon me and gave me a wish again,
I'd wish to be like Aquaman 'cause Aquaman can take the pain.

Ham

"Aquaman" from gamma ray girl

Ham (now The Amazing Killowatts) is a Power Pop/Geek Rock quartet from Illinois that plays deceptively simple songs. According to Ham: "Aquaman is the most under-rated super hero out there." which is why they wrote a song about him.

Ham's tribute to Aquaman is practically a rave, full of energy and sound. it has a fast beat, and is suited to cranking up the volume.

Well he's a blast from the past that won't be the last,
To be the one that is the champion,
He's not batman, he's not superman,
He's AQUAMAN, he keeps it real,
as real as steel, he's the raw deal!!

"Aquaman" is apparently still available on The Terror of Technology Album.

Barenaked Ladies

"One Week" from Stunt

Listen hard or you'll miss it...

Hold it now and watch the hoodwink
As I make you make you stop, think
You'll think you're looking at Aquaman
I summon fish to the dish,
although I like the Chalet Suisse
And I like the sushi cause it's never touched a frying pan...

A fast song with lots and lots of references to lots of lots of things (my personal favorite line is the bit about Kurosawa's films). Not only that, but the song has been riding the top ten for some time, making this the best known of the songs on this meager list.

Ookla the Mok

"Arthur Curry" from less than art

Ookla the Mok is a band that hopes to tickle your funny-bone as well as keep you humming their tunes. If you grew up in the '70s, there's a good chance their songs will speak your language. This album has it all, from "Viewmaster", a song that somehow manages to get every major toy and show you remember from childhood into it, to "Tiberius Rising", a song about young Jimmy Kirk. The highlight of the album (followed closely by "Viewmaster") is the song about our hero, Arthur Curry, Aquaman.

Now, as a genuine Aquaman fanatic, I came to this song with a slight worry. Namely that my hero would be slammed, insulted, and dismissed as a worthless third-rate guy in tights.

Well... slammed? Maybe. Insulted? A little. Dismissed? Not at all. These guys know their comics, and although the verses themselves aren't exactly respectful, the chorus is the most ringing endorsement of our hero I've heard in a long time:

I am Aquaman and nobody better mess with me
I may be nothing to you but I am a king beneath the sea
Let's see you get by under water as well as I do on the ground
I am Aquaman and you better not mess around

One highlight of the song is the use of cues from other superhero shows. You can hear a reprise of the Batman theme (from the tv show, not the movies), and a reference to "The Superman Song" by Crash Test Dummies. Not to mention a bit of Wonder Woman's theme song from the old live-action series starring Lynda Carter.

This song is really referring to the Super Friends Aquaman over all other versions... The complaints about him voiced in the song are the same ones voiced over the years by fans: ugly orange costume, lack of personality, can't fly. He's compared to everyone from Apache Chief to Superman, and although he comes out lacking, he's got that chorus to cheer you up. After all, he's Aquaman. Who cares about the rest?

I recommend the full album to folks of my generation. You can buy it (for $13 including shipping) at the Official Ookla the Mok Fan Page. Full lyrics and a wav of the chorus are also available there, so check it out.

Skavoovie and the Epitones

"Aquaman" from Ripe

Ska is a form of music somewhere between Reggae, Jazz, Swing and a dozen other classes of music. It's suited to dancing, and is basically FUN.

The song itself is an instrumental during which occassional phrases about Aquaman pop up. One fan says that they improvise in their live shows, and everything from "we were on a boat when we caught something in the propeller, something with fins and a leotard..." to "he kicks the Submariner's a**" has popped up.

Now someone needs to send me an animated GIF of that crazy Aquaman dance...

The EB's

"Aquaman" from Swag II

An instrumental that used to be available at MP3.com. This is technically Funk, but it's an unbeat song that any lover of music will enjoy.