12. Oingo Boingo “Only A Lad” (from
Only A Lad)
https://youtu.be/Js4yGcgO6hk
In the illustrious musical career of Danny Elfman, which spans 4 decades and includes movie scores, musicals, and a legendary TV show theme, “Only A Lad” might still be his most brilliant achievement. Borrowing his theme from Stephen Sondheim’s “Gee Officer Krupke” (
West Side Story) and Warren Zevon’s “Excitable Boy”, Elfman savagely skewers liberal guilt by presenting the tale of Johnny, a pyromaniac and generally rotten kid whom liberals keep trying to forgive. An example of Elfman’s searing, biting lyrics:
Its not his fault that he can’t behave, society has made him go astray, perhaps if we’re nice he’ll go away
And Elfman offers his own perspective at the end of the song:
Hey there Johnny, you really don’t fool me, you get away with murder and you think it’s funny, you don’t give a damn if you live or if you die, hey there Johnny boy I hope you fry!
Of course all of this is set to a well-crafted, catchy new wave tune of the era. Just a fantastic work of art.