I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I just blue myself.
Earlier this fall, the record company Varèse Sarabande announced that they would be releasing At Long Last… Music and Songs from Arrested Development, a 42 track album featuring some of the Bluth family’s finest compositions during their four season run. As a die-hard fan of Mitchell Hurwitz’s cult comedy, I will tell you that the album is particularly funny for those who have watched Arrested; those who are nonbelievers in the banana stand may not understand some of the references and therefore won’t enjoy it like us true fans will. While the album is heavy on Season 4 songs, there are a few hidden gems within the extra long track list.
“Balls in the Air” (Season 3, Episode 4 – “Notapusy”)
This Arrested hit is Michael Bluth’s “Eye of the Tiger” as he preps for a triathlon to impress his British love, Rita, after she called him feminine (in a more not-publication-appropriate way, that is). While “Balls in the Air” is all about the difficulties of juggling, Michael’s triathlon has nothing to do with any circus activities – yet another classic AD move, putting nonsense lyrics to background music and still making it work.
“Motherboy” (Season 2, Episode 13 – “Motherboy XXX”)
Throughout the series, the relationship Buster Bluth, the youngest of the Bluth children, has with his mother, Lucille, is particularly hilarious. Whether it is the secondhand smoke transfer or how Lucille treats her son’s obsession with juice, the two go hand-in-hook in most episodes. “Motherboy” is a great testament to the relationship between these two Bluths and fits perfectly within the episode.
“It Ain’t Easy Being White” (Season 2, Episode 18 – “The Righteous Brothers”)
This is definitely one of my favorite songs on the album, as Gob is bar none my favorite character on Arrested. The eldest of the Bluth clan and an “aspiring magician,” Gob goes through a variety of different schemes trying to make money and/or impress the family, always to no avail. “It Ain’t Easy Being White” is Gob’s collaboration with his African-American ventriloquism puppet, Franklin, as the two try to be “socially conscious.” While some may find the song offensive (most do in the show), I find this song hilarious as it is such a Gob thing to do.
“Getaway” (Season 4, Episode 7 – “Colony Collapse”)
“Getaway” is yet another Gob-focused track on the new album. This song is one of the more recent Arrested hits, as it is written by pop star Mark Cherry, a character that only appears during the fourth season. “Getaway” is all about Gob’s tireless effort to be a part of Mark’s entourage. The artist makes this song hoping to hint to Gob to get away (“your tricks ain’t got no magic, you’re losin’ it”), but Gob thinks “Getaway” is his nickname in the crew. This song is yet another testimony to Gob’s hilarious naïveté and stupidity and another reason he is a favorite character of many on Arrested Development.
“Teamocil” (Season 1, Episode 19 – “Best Man for the Gob”)
Who could go a full Arrested article without talking about Tobias Fünke? The tragically misspoken son/brother-in-law of the Bluth family always knows what to say to make his counterparts and the audience both slightly uncomfortable and in a bit of comic disbelief. This track from the show’s first season is a pinnacle Tobias moment: along with his nephew George Michael and a cameo performance by Amy Poehler, the three put together a band to sing about a fictional drug that, in the show, isn’t on the market anymore. This is classic Tobias: coming up with a way to make something relatively normal into something ridiculous (he does something similar with the Fantastic Four in Season 4). It will make you want to see more of Tobias’ shenanigans on Arrested.
Overall, the album is guaranteed to leave you laughing and singing along. As a notorious binge watcher, I sped through Arrested faster than any other series I’ve completed. The timely release of At Long Last is a nice reminder of how much I, as well as many of our peers, have enjoyed the show. The album is a great compliment to the series and will not disappoint.
At Long Last... Music and Songs from Arrested Development is available now in stores and online.