Reconfronting the Psychic Wall of Energy: A Comparison of the Sound of SpongeBob

I'm different. Crazy even. But even if you're the slightest bit like me, you automatically know one of the best cartoons ever made, without a doubt, is SpongeBob SquarePants. It's a cartoon that takes everything that makes both animation and comedy amazing, mixed with original concepts and characters, to make something undeniably unique.

Despite a gradual decline in quality over the years, nearly fifteen years SpongeBob has been entertaining television audiences worldwide. However, its best work can be summarized in 87 minutes with a little film called The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie.


Now, don't think The SpongeBob Movie is just any other cash-grab TV-based film. No, this film is everything SpongeBob represents in one amazing film. Though, such representatives of SpongeBob are not only its fantastic comedy and beautiful animation, but the style in which they present it. In that sense, the core principle that makes The SpongeBob Movie work is its soundtrack.

The soundtrack truly makes the movie what it is, due to its unwavering originality. The album does feature classic SpongeBob originals (tracks like "Now That We're Men" sung by the actual characters), but, otherwise, it takes the giant risk for a kids movie: to feature indie artists on the soundtrack.

While they're not Justin Timberlake, they capture the essence of the film in a way I've seldom seen done for a soundtrack. It's intended single track "SpongeBob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy" even weaves the entire story of the movie in a way that fluidly fits into the nautical tone of the movie.

Having said all this, my fear expands tenfold upon the news of Pharrell, the noted composer of Despicable Me 2's "Happy" (also known as that song from 2013 we still can't get out of our heads), will be writing and performing, with his newly-reunited band N.E.R.D., the song for the new SpongeBob movie, Sponge Out of Water. "Happy" was great and all. It's a perfect anthem for something like the Despicable Me franchise. But for SpongeBob?

The song he penned for the new movie is called "Squeeze Me". Prior to its release, the band had described the song as psychedelic, other-worldly and paralleled to "what the Beatles did with 'Yellow Submarine,'" or so said N.E.R.D. band member Hugo to Variety. The track itself however was officially released January 5th to mixed reviews. I was mixed.


(source: Rolling Stone)

I'll be frank, it is a good song. It's got funky beat (nowhere near "Uptown Funk," though) and has a generally fun feel. While that sounds good and all, it still is not necessarily meant for SpongeBob.

The original soundtrack worked because of what it was -- original. While it really can't be matched, the Sponge Out of Water should be a companion album to its predecessor and, from what we've heard, the successor sounds atypical of every other kid's movie soundtrack.

At it's core, "Squeeze Me" is a carbon-copy pop song with a SpongeBob theme. Nothing more, nothing less. But, SpongeBob deserves better than just standards.

With the original soundtrack, songs like “SpongeBob and Patrick Confront the Psychic Wall of Energy” and “Just a Kid” had depth and spoke to the message, rather than the bright colors. Not just as something to play during TV spots.

I understand things have changed since 2004, but, on the whole, soundtracks have become a more important, crucial part of the film. Films like Guardians of the Galaxy have turned even compilation albums into an art form unto its own. Thus, I don’t see why the successor to such an amazing soundtrack has to digress to Smurf-level territory.

Still, can anyone really match “Ocean Man?”

Ween’s “Ocean Man” was the track that made the album feel like an organic juxtaposition to the kid’s comedy that filled the brunt of the movie. It perfectly counteracted the funny with serious in a film titled SpongeBob SquarePants, for crying out loud. And the track itself was not even created for the film like the others; instead, it was taken from the Ween album The Mollusk. Regardless, the song fit and provided the solemnity to bring a zany, all-over-the-place film back to earth.

I can’t say I hate this new song, nor do I think I will rule out the entire soundtrack when I end up purchasing it, but I feel like they can certainly do better. And likely they could do so by looking to “Ocean Man” for musical inspiration.

For the time being, I will withhold more judgment upon Pharrell’s curating until I hear his two other songs, “Patrick Star” and “Sandy Squirrel,” and whatever music materializes from the film as it reaches theaters this February. 

Can’t guarantee I’ll post further thoughts on the soundtrack or the movie itself, but I hope to continue posting here in the future.