Springfield’s four-fingered residents have pumped out some absolute bangers over their 30 years. From parodies, to instrumentals, to surges of songwriting brilliance from the characters themselves, here’s our top ten Simpsons songs.
Honourable Mentions
‘Can I Borrow A Feeling’ (Season 8, ‘A Milhouse Divided’), ‘Planet of The Apes: The Musical’ (Season 7, ‘A Fish Called Selma’), ‘Happy Just The Way We Are’ (Season 8, ‘Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala[annoyed grunt]cious’)
#10 ‘The Simpsons Theme’
We couldn’t not include it. The story goes that series creator, Matt Groening, approached composer, Danny Elfman, looking for a piece of music that blended The Flinstones’ and The Jetsons’ theme songs. What resulted was probably the most iconic TV theme tune ever written.
#9 ‘Baby On Board’ (Season 5, ‘Homer’s Barbershop Quartet’)
When Homer forms a barbershop quartet with some of Springfield’s other residents, their breakout hit is an ode to a sign Marge buys for the family car. Add Principal Skinner playing the banjo, and you’ve got an instant classic.
Best line: “Baby on board, something, something. Burt Ward.”
#8 ‘I’m Checking In’ (Season 9, ‘The City of New York vs. Homer Simpson’)
The series’ most overt musical theatre parody is also one of their most memorable. The campy opening song to Kickin’ It: A Musical Journey through the Betty For Centre has been sung at departure terminals since it first appeared in the series.
Best line: “I should put you away where you can’t kill or maim us, but this is L.A., and you’re rich and faaaaaaaaaaaamous!”
#7 ‘Who Needs The Kwik-E-Mart?’ (Season 5, ‘Homer and Apu’)
Any musical number that includes the whole Simpson clan is special, but this one sticks in memory for its outlandish rhymes and toe-tapping vivacity. This makes it all the more heartbreaking when Apu reprises the song on his own: “Who needs the Kwik-E-Mart? I do.”
Best line: “The Kwik-E-Mart is real… D’oh!”
#6 ‘Cut Every Corner’ (Season 8, ‘Simpsoncalifragilisticexpiala[annoyed grunt]cious)’
Maggie Roswell delivers a stunning vocal performance as Shary Bobbins, a foil so perfect for the Simpson family, it’s a wonder the parody wasn’t attempted earlier.
Best line: “Don’t pout, don’t sob, just do a half-assed job” and “Fighting crime is not my cup of tea”
#5 ‘We Do’ (Season 6, ‘Homer The Great’)
This song ensured the Stonecutters episode went down in history as a cult favourite (pun intended). With nods to everything from Atlantis to the Police Academy franchise (a favourite punching bag for the writers), it’s a beer-swelling banger for the ages.
Best line: “Who robs cavefish of their sight, who rigs every Oscar night?”
#4 ‘See My Vest’ (Season 6, ‘Two Dozen and One Greyhounds’)
It seems appropriate that the episode parodying 101 Dalmatians should include a Disney-esque musical romp. ‘See My Vest’ isn’t the most subtle of the series’ parody songs, but with Mr. Burns on the mic, it’s definitely one of the funniest.
Best line: “Like my loafers? Former gofers. It was that, or skin my chauffeurs”.
#3 ‘Monorail Song’ (Season 4, ‘Marge vs. The Monorail’)
Conan O’Brien was allegedly inspired to write this episode after driving past a billboard which simply read, “Monorail”, in huge letters. It makes you wonder if we’d have been robbed of a truly classic piece of pop culture if he had’ve caught the train instead.
Best line: “The ring came off my pudding can/take my pen-knife, my good man”.
#2 ‘Oh, Streetcar!’ (Season 4, ‘A Streetcar Named Marge’)
The idea of a musical being made out of A Streetcar Named Desire is hilarious on its own. This episode is satirical skirmish; parodying musical theatre and canonical literature concurrently is really only something The Simpsons could pull off. This song is among their shiniest gems.
Best line: “Steelllllaaaaaaaaa! Can’t you hear me yell-ah?”
#1 ‘We Put The Spring in Springfield’ (Season 8, ‘Bart After Dark’)
The entirety of Springfield comes together to form a mighty chorus in this absolute showstopper. Appropriately, Homer is the instigator, but it takes the myriad of characters that The Simpsons has amassed to ensure its place in the show’s history. What’s better is that they’re singing about the town itself, and its infamous propensity for debauchery.
Best line: “Why Joseph I had no idea/Come on now, you were working here”
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