Sorry I've been away, my nonexistent audience. I've been trying to pimp out a new group of videos I've created with my collaborator, Keith Doughty, based on The Goonies. We got mentions in /Film, Topless Robot, JoBlo.com, Cinematical, FilmDrunk - so that's awesome. Here's one of the videos, for Sloth's Song, below along with some background info:
In 2001, my college buddy, Keith Doughty, and I began working on a musical based on the seminal 80s film The Goonies. I had been raised on that film, quoting from pre-adolescence onward. I identified with the asthmatic protagonist who didn't fit in with others, especially his older sibling.
I was watching it for probably the thousandth time during one vacation, when the scene where Mikey is alone on the porch comes on and with it came inspiration. For the unfortunately uninitiated, The Goonies is about a bunch of kids who live in rural/suburban Oregon and are about to lose their houses so businessmen can build golf courses there. Well, the evil businessmen clad in khaki deliver some papers for Mikey's dad to sign. Everyone leaves the porch except for Mikey, who just stays there and looks out into the distance. That was the moment I realized he should be breaking into song.
Alack alas, I suck at musical things. I know how shit should be structured and sound, but I can't play any instruments and I'm mostly tone deaf. Enter Keith Doughty - brilliant musician and fellow nerd. This is a guy who can transcend all genres and also knows his way around a large assortment of instruments - truly impressive. He and I began crafting many songs together (although as the years wear on and we fade into grayness, our output has steadily declined). The first song, though, that we ever wrote is the one above - "Sloth's Song (Look At Me)."
Lyrics:
Oh no, this isn’t what I wanted at all
Chained up here against the wall
By the ones that I love
Oh no, this isn’t what I wanted to be
A model of repugnancy
Is this all that is meant for me?
Oh….No.
I used to have crazy dreams
This isn’t what it’s supposed to be
Darkness is all that I see and I wanna be free
Yeah I wanna be, wanna be free
I’m just a little boy lost
A deformed man they call Sloth
Someone please cut these chains
I just want to be the same
As everyone I see
Talkin’ to me on the TV
Oh mama, why don’t you love me?
Is it just that I’m too ugly?
What do you see when you look at me
Look at me, go on and look at me.