Pac Man Fever

[Keystone Kaper]

Hello everybody, I know this topic may have been discussed in the past, but I'd like to know who else went crazy about the music in the Pac Man Fever LP, back in 1982-83?

[dogcorn]

You know it's weird, I seem to remember playing that song (I had the single on 45) over and over again, to the point of annoying my mother...and in retrospect I don't think I even liked the song. Or Pac-Man for that matter! I think I just saw myself as a video game junkie and decided I'd better fill the part as fully as I could.

 

So in short, yes, I was crazy about the music. But not because I necessarily liked it. And I never got the full album with all the Frogger songs and the like.

[Kokovec]

I remember hopping on my ten speed and singing the song to myself on the way to the arcade.

My best friend had the album and he would play it when I answered the phone to let me know it was time to hit the arcade.

Does anyone actually have that album?

[Dr Galaga]

I have the album...actually I also have Pac-Man Fever in my jukebox. I play the flipside of the reissue more though...Do the Donkey Kong (Froggy's Lament is pretty good too).

[Cap5750]

For some reason, I still have the entire thing in my collection of mp3s.

[Wester]

I heard it last weekend at a Halloween party I was at, there was an 80's theme to it.

[Lord Helmet]

I have the LP on display in my gameroom. the disc is in minty condition. Still has the sleeve with the Pac_Man patterns on it.

 

No turntable to play it on...but I'm not bitching since the music sucks...big time.

[Nintendo Penguin]

For some reason, I still have the entire thing in my collection of mp3s.

955306[/snapback]

 

Thank god I am not the only one!

[treetsux]

I actually own the CD

[+Random Terrain]

This is what I said about the CD version at Amazon back in 2001:

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00...3515287-5311054

If you bought the album when it was originally released and loved it like I did, you will be disappointed in this new version. I loved every inflection, I loved the exact way the instruments were played, and I loved the classic video game sounds. Each song on the album was a masterpiece.

Since Buckner and Garcia couldn't get their hands on the original, it's nice that they tried to recreate it, but it's an offense to the ears for people who loved exactly how the original album sounded. Thank God I still have mine!

 

Buy this version to support them. You can always use it as a coaster. Maybe they'll make enough money to buy the original from CBS Records so they can put out the CD we've all been waiting for.

 

I still own the album and have been meaning to scan it in for my web site for many years, but other things come up and I forget about it. Maybe I won't forget this time.

[MountainUU]

ha ha

[Raiu]

I was in 6th grade when I heard the song for the first time. I was *immediately* entranced.

 

I annoyed my local rock radio station (WMMR, 93.3) by asking them to play it all the time.

 

I recorded it off the radio (along with Jobs Rolling Papers ads that also used Pac-Man sound effects).

 

My brother bought the album (on casette), and I just about wore it out. Then he lent it to a not-really-a-friend, who never gave it back.

 

A decade later, another of my brother's friends dubbed his record onto tape, and I got to hear those old songs again. Still loved them.

 

And now I have all the songs (original versions AND the CD versions) as MP3 files.

 

So, yes, you could say I like the album.

 

(I even have MP3s of most songs from R. Cade and the Video Victims' similar "Victims of the Video" album)

 

-DS-

Edited November 4, 2005 by Raiu

[ATARIPITBULL]

For some reason, I still have the entire thing in my collection of mp3s.

955306[/snapback]

 

Thank god I am not the only one!

957857[/snapback]

 

 

Me three!!! I made it a point to buy all Atari and a few other video game records.

 

[Vic George 2K3]

I liked the song when it came out in late 1981, though all I got was the original 45 single with the instrumental version on the flip side. I later purchased a Columbia Hall of Fame version of the "Pac-Man Fever" single in 1987, where I got to hear for the first time the equally entertaining (though edited) "Do The Donkey Kong" on the flip side. I purchased the cassette version of the original 1982 album from a used record store, but the quality of its playback was painfully scratchy. From what I could hear of the songs that were on that album, the album version of "Do The Donkey Kong" was not only longer, but it was recorded similar to how The Contours' 1962 song "Do You Love Me?" from Dirty Dancing was recorded -- with two fade-out points near the end of the song. (That was also done for the version that appeared on the 1999 CD "remaster" album.) The other songs on that album were rather weak and not quite as fun to listen to repeatedly, except for "Froggy's Lament".

[Ron Albanese]

I like the original version of the album much better; it sounds warmer ... the use of a drum machine on the remake was a crime! It kinda kills it.

 

When the remade album came out, I interviewed B&G for like tour hours, via phone. I think they were a little in shock that I interviewed them almost solely about the music on the album, as opposed to just talking pop culture, etc.

 

As for the songs, I think the title track is still great, and recently covered it in concert, as part of my children's act! We piped in the sound effects from my iPod!

 

I always liked "Goin' Berzerk," it sounds like a theme to an '80s TVs show ...

 

"Do The DK" goes on forever, but it's cool.

 

"Mouse Trap" is underrated, in my opinion.

 

It's worth checking out "E.T. I Love You" and that song they did about the pog craze - both should have been released en masse way back when.

 

Ron!

[dgob123]

LOL I sang Pac Man Fever at karaoke this past weekend. It was dead and it was just me and 2 other people singing so I had to find new stuff to sing. I also tried the Weird AL Ebay song. It was fun.

[Ron Albanese]

Okay -- I pulled out a CD-R someone gave me of the original Pac-Man Fever and cranked it in the car. The whole album is one there, and the long remix of PMF ...

 

Also on my disc is "E.T, I Love You" which again has to be heard to be believed ... when I interviewed B&G they were saying how Spielberg raved about the tune, etc.

 

It made me think about Warshaw saying the same about his game ...

 

WHAT WAS SPIELBERG SMOKING BACK THEN? (ha ha) ...

 

Ron

[+Random Terrain]

"Mouse Trap" is underrated, in my opinion.

961542[/snapback]

Yep. Here's my list in the order of most liked to least liked:

 

Mousetrap

Pac Man Fever

Hyperspace

Do The Donkey Kong

The Defender

Froggy's Lament

Goin' Berzerk

Ode To A Centipede

 

 

Never ever heard that E.T. song you guys are talking about.

[Cap5750]

Never ever heard that E.T. song you guys are talking about.

963011[/snapback]

 

Me neither.

[Ron Albanese]

"E.T. I Love You" I think first showed up in acoustic form ont eh B&G site, but I checked the links and they're dead ... I have a produced version, with piano, etc.

 

If someone wants the mp3, mail me at ron@ronalbanese.com

 

I'm looking for the acoustic E.T. and the acoustic "Pac Man Fever" - all the links on the site for this one are also dead!

 

Yeah, I love the Mousetrap - the singer guy really gets into in talking about mice, dogs, cats, etc.

 

There's a lot of R&B/pop influence on that album ...

 

Mmmmm-Moustrap!

 

Ron!

[sukotsu9]

There are certain things that bring back the memory of loitering in arcades. There's a video "Arcade '84" set to a Journey song that is a perfect example. "Pac Man Fever" is the same way, but a little less... cool. Maybe it's just too intense. And the other songs on the full album are hit and miss; I don't generally find myself singing them. But, too much caffine and a working 2600 generally have me digging up the Buckner & Garcia tunes.

 

Thankfully, nobody comes by on those days.

Edited November 10, 2005 by sukotsu9

[+Random Terrain]

I don't generally find myself singing them.

963332[/snapback]

I think that's because that main guy doing the 'singing' isn't really singing. It's more like talking or yelling. It's almost impossible to 'sing' along. It's better just to listen like you are doing anyway.

[Ron Albanese]

Now we've done it ... because of this thread, I pulled out the album .... because I pulled it out the CD ... MY KIDS LOVE IT!

 

On a road trip yesterday, my 2 year old daughter and 5 year old son kept requesting the title track and "Mouse Trap." My wife and I just laughed along ...

 

Since there seems to be no other place on the planet to share/post these thoughts, I must add that I always found it odd that B&G (not the pickle company) never shot a promo video for "PMF" back in the day. The song would have sold so much more .... and the fact that it sold as much as it did is a testament to old' Pac's power at the time.

 

Someone mentioned the singing actually being yelling; I think that is true in part, esp. on "Mouse Trap." But, I think it fits the tune, adding an urgency to the "story" of this mouse needing to morph into a dog ASAP.

 

 

Does anyone have the acoustic "Pac Man Fever"?

 

Ron

[Zwackery]

Also on my disc is "E.T, I Love You" which again has to be heard to be believed ... when I interviewed B&G they were saying how Spielberg raved about the tune, etc.

 

It made me think about Warshaw saying the same about his game ...

 

WHAT WAS SPIELBERG SMOKING BACK THEN? (ha ha) ...

 

Ron

963008[/snapback]

Lots and LOTS of $100 bills.

[Vic George 2K3]

Yeah, the lack of a proper "Pac-Man Fever" video somewhat hurts the song's popularity. I used to dream up a video for a remake of the song by another artist (like there really is or really should be!) where a person walks into an old arcade-like storefront called "Buckner & Garcia's" as an intro and homage to the original artists.