The band's lineup fluctuated significantly over their first nine years, though founding members Steven Ronald "Stevo" Jensen, guitarist Jan Nils Ackermann, and first consistent drummer Joe Escalante remained regular fixtures. Of the original members only Escalante has remained through all incarnations of the band. The current lineup of Escalante, Dave Quackenbush, Warren Fitzgerald, and Josh Freese has remained intact since 1990 and is considered by most fans to be far removed from the band's early 1980s incarnation. Since 2002 Escalante has released all of the band's albums through his Kung Fu Records label, with Fitzgerald generally producing.
An Idea for a Movie
The Vandals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Check it out)
It's about a boy who gets his finger caught
In a bottle of Mr. Pibb
And they go on adventures,
I think it could be big
Is it too soon to whisper Oscar?
Put a happy ending there and it'll write itself, I swear
I got an idea for a movie,
It's about this guy
Who wished and wished 'til it came true,
And now this kid can fly
I got an idea for a movie, and here's my pitch
I get a job and quit my band,
And you stop being a bitch
And we will have adventures,
Like the boy and his bottle did
Is it too soon to whisper Oscar?
Put a happy ending there and it'll write itself, I swear
All we need are some meetings and a lead
With a happy ending there this thing will write itself, I swear
All we need is some trick photography
I forgot one thing about the guy
Who gained the ability to fly
It was actually only for a foot or two
And only an inch or so high.
The Vandals's song "An Idea For A Movie" is a humorous commentary on the Hollywood film industry's tendency to prioritize commercial success over quality storytelling. The lyrics describe the lead singer's (presumably) ridiculous ideas for movies that he proposes to his bandmates. He suggests that a boy getting his finger stuck in a bottle of Mr. Pibb could make for a great adventure movie, and that a film about a man who gains the ability to fly could be a hit. The singer acknowledges that all they need to make these movies successful are some meetings with producers and a lead actor, and a happy ending to guarantee commercial success.
Beyond their comedic value, the lyrics also criticize the superficiality of the film industry, where a movie's artistic or narrative merits are often secondary to its money-making potential. In this sense, the lyrics are a critique of the commercial pressures that drive the film industry, and the willingness of many filmmakers to compromise their artistic vision in order to create more profitable films.
In summary, The Vandals's "An Idea For A Movie" is a satirical commentary on the film industry's focus on commercial success over quality storytelling. The lyrics humorously propose ridiculous movie ideas and suggest that all that's needed to make them successful is a happy ending and some marketing savvy.
Line by Line Meaning
I got an idea for a movie, and it goes like this -
I have a concept for a cinematic piece that I'll explain now
(Check it out)
Listen up for this exciting pitch
It's about a boy who gets his finger caught
The plot will revolve around a male youngster who traps his digit
In a bottle of Mr. Pibb
Specifically, he becomes stuck within a container of that soda brand
And they go on adventures,
The movie will chronicle their travels and exploits after this event
I think it could be big
I believe this could have significant commercial appeal
Is it too soon to whisper Oscar?
Could it be considered impolite to suggest this could win an Academy Award at this stage?
Put a happy ending there and it'll write itself, I swear
If we can provide a satisfying conclusion, the rest of the script will practically compose itself
All we need are some meetings and a lead
By holding discussions and finding a talented actor, we can turn this idea into a reality
I got an idea for a movie,
I've come up with another concept for a film
It's about this guy
This story involves a man as its primary character
Who wished and wished 'til it came true,
After considerable yearning, he finally obtained his desire
And now this kid can fly
As a result of his wish, he has the ability to soar through the air
I got an idea for a movie, and here's my pitch
Let me present this detailed proposal for yet another film idea
I get a job and quit my band,
This movie will center around my choice to leave my musical group for work
And you stop being a bitch
Also, you will abandon your unpleasant attitude
And we will have adventures,
Together we'll share in various exciting experiences
Like the boy and his bottle did
Just like in the first example I provided
With a happy ending there this thing will write itself, I swear
As long as we have a satisfying conclusion in place, the rest of the plot should be easy to craft
All we need is some trick photography
To create the desired visual effects, all we'll require is some clever camerawork
I forgot one thing about the guy
There's one detail about the man in the second concept I neglected to mention earlier
Who gained the ability to fly
As I already noted, he acquired the power to levitate
It was actually only for a foot or two
However, his airborne ability was actually quite limited
And only an inch or so high.
Furthermore, his altitude was minimal, to say the least.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, ATMR SONGS
Written by: JOSEPH PATRICK ESCALANTE, JOSH FREESE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind